During a highly touted but low-rated CNN town hall session on Thursday, President Joe Biden answered questions for almost 90 minutes, but no one bothered to ask him about the failed pullout of American troops from Afghanistan.
Biden has been chastised by critics for sticking to an arbitrary August 31 timetable for the withdrawal of US troops although it was improbable that the military would be able to remove all troops and civilians by that date.
Biden's town hall in Baltimore
Biden famously promised Americans that the Taliban would not storm the US Embassy in Kabul in the same way that the North Vietnamese stormed the US Embassy in Saigon in 1975. However, when images from Kabul strangely resembled Saigon, events defied this confident forecast.
Former acting national security advisor to President Trump, retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, told Fox News at the time that Biden owns the Afghanistan withdrawal disaster and that the Afghan power vacuum Biden left behind is "much worse" than the power vacuum in Iraq that spawned the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Biden, on the other hand, has been reluctant to address questions from reporters about the tumultuous pullout. During comments about Hurricane Ida in August, the president notoriously brushed off a question regarding Afghanistan after offering to accept questions at the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters.
The president spoke about China's aggression, the filibuster, and gas costs during the CNN event, which was hosted by Anderson Cooper. He also revealed facts about the delayed talks to approve his multi-trillion dollar social safety net package, as per Newsweek.
On the Build Back Better Act, Biden stated categorically that he would not support Senator Joe Manchin's proposal for a work condition for the Child Tax Credit. He also mentioned that paid parental leave has been decreased from 12 weeks to four weeks.
White House walks back to Biden's comments
Biden was also questioned on the prospect of higher taxes for the rich. The president's response centered on companies, telling them that he wished they prospered but that they should be careful: "At the very least, contribute your fair share. Contribute a little."
Biden formed a circle with his index and thumb and put it up to his eye as he whispered "don't pay a cent." It was hardly the first time the president has used whispered tones to create dramatic effect.
Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, spent Friday's daily press briefing correcting various misstatements made by President Joe Biden during a CNN town hall the night before. Biden's brag that he will employ the National Guard to repair the supply chain issue was rebuked by Psaki, who said the administration isn't even contemplating it.
Per The Washington Times, she also noted that the president exaggerated the US position on Taiwan defense and explained his statement that he had visited the US-Mexico border. The use of the National Guard, according to Psaki, is not an option.
While the president can deploy the National Guard at the federal level, she pointed out that it is usually activated at the request of state governors. She went on to say that the government has no intentions to deploy the guard to help with supply chain issues.
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