The White House said Thursday it is “entirely normal” for a president to be briefed on anticipated questions ahead of a news conference.
The clarification came a day after President Joe Biden was seen holding a sheet of paper with what appeared to be a reporter’s written question on it.
Tips on pronunciation of the reporter’s name were also visible (see below) alongside the outlet represented.
An image of Los Angeles Times correspondent Courtney Subramanian is seen as President Joe Biden looks through notes during a news conference with South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol in the Rose Garden of the White House on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
“It’s entirely normal for a president to be briefed on reporters who will be asking questions at a press conference and issues we expect they might ask about,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters gathered for a separate briefing.
As Breitbart News reported Biden was seen Wednesday clasping a cheat sheet titled “question 1″ regarding a Los Angeles Times reporter’s information during a joint news conference with President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea.
Another cheat sheet showed “the names of other Biden administration officials to relay the order remarks would be delivered at the press conference,” the New York Post reported, while yet another sheet set to outline Biden’s “top accomplishments.”
“Tough Q&A” was that piece of paper’s heading (see below).
President Joe Biden looks at notes about topics of potential questions during a news conference with South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol in the Rose Garden of the White House on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Jean-Pierre said the information on the card was different from the question that was asked.
“We do not have specific questions in advance. That’s not something that we do,” she said.
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Biden was caught using a similar cheat sheet during a press conference more than two years ago, as Breitbart News reported.
On that occasion White House pool photographer Oliver Contreras captured a cheat sheet that included headshot photos of the press event and numbers were circled by the photo of each reporter he called on.