What Biden wanted to talk about:
Preferably about the fight against Covid and the need to improve the infrastructure in the USA.
When Biden steps up to the lectern in the East Room at 1:27 p.m. (local time), he only says a few introductory words.
He pointed to the progress made with vaccinations in the 65 days of his presidency.
Biden had set the goal of 100 million vaccinations in the first 100 days of his tenure last year.
This goal was already achieved on day 58.
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He is raising the bar, aiming for 200 million vaccinations in the first 100 days of his term of office.
"I know this is ambitious, twice as much as our original goal," says Biden.
But this is only half the truth.
Biden's new goal sounds more ambitious than it is.
There are currently around 2.5 million vaccinations per day in the United States.
"No other country in the world has come close to that," says Biden.
That's true, even if only in absolute numbers.
In terms of population size, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Chile are more successful than the US in vaccinating.
What the journalists asked:
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Ten different journalists ask several questions.
The topics: migration, the situation on the border with Mexico, electoral legislation, majority requirements in the Senate, Afghanistan, North Korea.
What stands out: No question about the pandemic.
This shows how much the USA is progressing in the fight against Covid, Europe is overtaking.
A good every fourth inhabitant has been vaccinated at least once, and every seventh has full vaccination protection.
If things continue at this rate, 70 percent of the 328 million inhabitants will be vaccinated in mid / late June.
Most sensitive topic:
The increasing number of refugees and the poor conditions on the American-Mexican border, especially for unaccompanied minors in American institutions.
Biden tries to downplay the situation on the border.
“Nothing has changed, it happens every year,” he says, referring to the refugees arriving in January, February and March.
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People don't come to the border because he's a “nice guy”, but because fleeing is less difficult without the heat of summer, but above all because of the precarious situation in the countries of origin.
In the election campaign, Biden had campaigned for a humane refugee policy, thereby breaking away from then President Donald Trump.
People in countries like El Salvador or Honduras apparently understood this as an invitation - or at least as a better opportunity than before to find refuge in the USA.
Biden recently appealed to the people in Central America: “Don't come to us!” This shows how great the pressure is on Biden - from the left as from the right.
Most of the refugees would be sent back, says Biden.
That is correct.
The fact that the “large majority of families” would also be sent back was wrong, at least for the month of February, as reported by CNN.
Biden also formulated some rules that are currently not being followed by his government.
For example: “No child should stay in border police facilities for more than 72 hours.” In some cases, children stay in these shelters for twice as long.
Admission:
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"Completely unacceptable" are the conditions in an overcrowded border police interim shelter for children in Donna, Texas, said Biden.
The President's reaction to a question from a reporter on the ABC broadcaster was whether he thought the situation there was "acceptable".
Biden asked ("Come on!") Whether that was a serious question.
Because of this situation, a new emergency shelter is now being opened in Fort Bliss (Texas).
But Biden made it clear that he would not turn away unaccompanied minors at the border - unlike Trump once: "I will not do it."
Journalist access:
Media representatives currently have no access to the accommodation for refugee children.
The Biden government is closing itself off and has received criticism for it, even if less than Trump would have reaped for such a deal.
"I will work for transparency," said Biden, when asked.
The follow-up question was when there would be full access for journalists.
Biden evaded: "I don't know."
Vague answer:
Biden was asked about the presence of US troops in Afghanistan.
The planned total withdrawal by May 1st will not succeed, he said.
Strategic reasons speak against it.
Talk to allies.
"We'll go," said Biden.
When asked whether he expected the US to still be present in Afghanistan next year, he replied cautiously and vaguely: "I can't imagine it."
Self-irony:
"I was elected to the Senate 120 years ago," said Biden self-deprecatingly.
He was a member of the Senate from 1973 to 2008.
Worthless statement:
Biden was asked whether he was aiming for a second term in the White House, i.e. a candidacy in the 2024 presidential election.
His answer: "The answer is yes, my plan is to run for re-election, that is my expectation." When asked whether he wanted to run again with his deputy Kamala Harris as a runner-up candidate, Biden said that he also expected this .
Harris is a "great partner".
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What else should Biden say?
If he had announced on Thursday that he would no longer run in 2024, he would have been extremely politically weakened from that moment on.
But why should Biden, only so briefly in office, make himself a
lame duck
president?
Therefore his testimony is worthless.
The opposite announcement would have been a sensation.
The question of whether Biden will really start in 2024 is still open and should remain open for a long time.
Biden is 78 years old and is already the oldest president in US history.
It should also depend on his state of health.
When Biden recently tripped several times on the steps of the Presidential Air Force One aircraft, the White House downplayed this (it was so windy).
In the 2024 election, Biden would be 81 years old, and 82 when he was inaugurated in 2025.
His response to Harris was also to be expected.
Should he philosophize publicly at the beginning of the joint term of office, whether he is looking for another vice-president if the worst comes to the worst?
Incidentally, the question about his ambitions for 2024 was introduced with Trump's considerations of running again.
Meanwhile, Biden just grinned, mocked ironically: "My predecessor.
Oh, god, I miss him. "