This website collects cookies to deliver better user experience. Cookie Policy
Accept
Sign In
The Wall Street Publication
  • Home
  • Trending
  • U.S
  • World
  • Politics
  • Business
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Markets
    • Personal Finance
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Style
    • Arts
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Reading: White House in cleanup mode after Biden’s slip-ups spread fear of invasion, bogus elections
Share
The Wall Street PublicationThe Wall Street Publication
Font ResizerAa
Search
  • Home
  • Trending
  • U.S
  • World
  • Politics
  • Business
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Markets
    • Personal Finance
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Style
    • Arts
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
© 2024 The Wall Street Publication. All Rights Reserved.
The Wall Street Publication > Blog > Trending > White House in cleanup mode after Biden’s slip-ups spread fear of invasion, bogus elections
Trending

White House in cleanup mode after Biden’s slip-ups spread fear of invasion, bogus elections

Editorial Board Published January 20, 2022
Share
White House in cleanup mode after Biden’s slip-ups spread fear of invasion, bogus elections
SHARE

The White House went to work on cleanup duty Thursday after President Biden’s press conference remarks rattled both sides of the Atlantic by questioning the legitimacy of U.S. elections and the West’s resolve against Russian aggression.

White House officials said Mr. Biden’s comments were misinterpreted and offered clarifications that differed widely from what the president had said.

Mr. Biden is known for making gaffes, but his miscues at the press conference Wednesday cut to the heart of the U.S. democratic process and his foreign policy. It also belied Mr. Biden’s mantra that “the words of a president matter.”

When pressed by The Washington Times on why Mr. Biden wasn’t more careful with his words, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said he has conveyed a consistent message to U.S. allies.

“I can assure you allies and partners know exactly what the president’s position is,” she said. “They knew what it was yesterday, they knew during the press conference, they knew after the press conference because we have been engaged closely and working in lockstep with them for weeks on the rising military incursion or threat posed by Russia.”

Asked whether the time spent cleaning up the president’s remarks hampered the White House’s ability to send a consistent message, Ms. Psaki shot back that it doesn’t “take long to send out a tweet.”

Ronald Rowland, who teaches presidential rhetoric at the University of Kansas, called the comments about Ukraine a “serious gaffe.”

“Getting the details right on foreign policy when potential deterrence is the issue is important,” he said. “Joe Biden is a skillful, empathetic speaker, but gaffes have been relatively common.”

Mr. Biden and Ms. Psaki had to shift into overdrive to get the message back on track.

The White House issued a clarification moments after the conclusion of the nearly two-hour press conference, which was Mr. Biden’s second solo press conference after a year in office.

At the press conference in the East Room of the White House, the president shocked the world by saying a “minor incursion” into Ukraine by Russia would result in lesser consequences. He also impugned the U.S. democratic process by saying the elections “easily could be illegitimate” without enacting the Democrats’ voting bills, which died in the Senate on Wednesday night.

Ms. Psaki issued a second statement clarifying Mr. Biden’s remarks and made a rare appearance on Fox News to spell out the president’s positions.

Emily Horne, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, posted a tweet emphasizing that Mr. Biden was distinguishing between military and nonmilitary actions such as a cyberattack.

Mr. Biden took time away from an unrelated event at the White House to assure allies that he wouldn’t allow a “minor incursion.”

“I’ve been absolutely clear with President Putin,” Mr. Biden told reporters. “He has no misunderstanding. If any assembled Russian units move across the Ukrainian border, that is an invasion.

“Let there be no doubt at all that if Putin makes this choice, Russia will pay a heavy price,” said Mr. Biden, noting there was also the potential for a cyberattack or paramilitary action by Russia that would require a coordinated response from the U.S. and its allies.

Still, Mr. Biden’s statements caused consternation from Washington to Kyiv.

“I was stunned at what the president said,” Sen. Susan M. Collins, Maine Republican, said in an interview. “I was shocked that he would send that kind of message to Vladimir Putin.”

Sen. James M. Inhofe, Oklahoma Republican, said in a tweet that he was worried it caused confusion ahead of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s meeting with his Russian counterpart in Geneva this week to discuss the Ukraine crisis.

“I am very concerned by the weak, incoherent message we just heard from [Mr. Biden] on Ukraine,” said Mr. Inhofe, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Democrats mostly stayed mum. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, New York Democrat, told The Times that he hadn’t followed the president’s remarks because he was focused on voting legislation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered a scolding reply to Mr. Biden.

“We want to remind the great powers that there are no minor incursions and small nations,” Mr. Zelenskyy said on Twitter. “Just as there are no minor casualties and little grief from loved ones. I say this as the president of a great power.”

European leaders who joined the White House on mop-up duty trying to show a united front included British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen.

“Be in no doubt that if Russia were to make any kind of incursion into Ukraine, or on any scale whatever, I think that that would be a disaster, not just for Ukraine but for Russia. It would be a disaster for the world,” Mr. Johnson told reporters in London.

Ms. Psaki also went to work trying to fix Mr. Biden’s comments about the U.S. elections.

“He absolutely is not predicting that the 2022 elections would be illegitimate,” Ms. Psaki said, adding the clarification that elections would be illegitimate only if states act as President Trump demanded after the 2020 vote.

“The point he was making was that the former president asked a number of states — seven or more, in fact — to overturn the outcome of an election. Now, obviously, if there is an effort to do that, we’ve got to fight against that. That’s what our commitment is to doing,” she said on Fox News. “He was not making a prediction. He has confidence in the American people.”

The president’s Democratic allies nevertheless attempted to distance themselves from Mr. Biden’s rhetoric.

“I hope not,” House Minority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, Maryland Democrat, said when asked whether the president’s comments cast doubt on the election. “The public’s trust in elections is critically important.”

It was not the first time Ms. Psaki has had to massage the president’s remarks. In October, she had to clarify multiple misstatements by Mr. Biden during a CNN town hall.

• David R. Sands contributed to this report.

TAGGED:TrendingWall Street Publication
Share This Article
Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article Supreme Court denies bid to force faster ruling on Texas abortion law Supreme Court denies bid to force faster ruling on Texas abortion law
Next Article Netflix Isn’t Looking Up Netflix Isn’t Looking Up

Editor's Pick

Workforce of rat-hunting terriers helps remedy Bay Space metropolis’s infestation drawback

Workforce of rat-hunting terriers helps remedy Bay Space metropolis’s infestation drawback

Recognized for his or her innate looking talents, these small furry pals have come to the rescue courtesy of Sacramento…

By Editorial Board 3 Min Read
The insane price ticket for Trump’s DOGE catastrophe
The insane price ticket for Trump’s DOGE catastrophe

Senate Democrats launched a report on Thursday revealing that the so-called Division…

3 Min Read
Vivobarefoot’s Sensus Footwear Are Like Gloves for Your Ft
Vivobarefoot’s Sensus Footwear Are Like Gloves for Your Ft

Love them or hate them, barefoot footwear are polarizing. However they're turning…

5 Min Read

Oponion

Biden scolds ‘extreme’ Republicans for lack of bipartisanship in first late-night TV appearance

Biden scolds ‘extreme’ Republicans for lack of bipartisanship in first late-night TV appearance

President Biden steered clear of jokes Friday night in his…

December 11, 2021

Jessica Simpson Drinks ‘Snake Sperm’ and Explains Why

Studying Time: 3 minutes Jessica Simpson…

March 31, 2025

McDonald’s sues a number of meat packing corporations, claims they colluded to inflate beef costs

Try what's clicking on FoxBusiness.com. McDonald's…

October 9, 2024

The mullahs’ voice: How conservatives search to win over Iran’s youth

In a rustic within the midst…

May 9, 2025

Asking Eric: I mentioned I wanted a break from her, and she or he acquired defensive

Expensive Eric: I'm a non-observant Jew.…

February 11, 2025

You Might Also Like

Best YTT Yoga School a Journey from Student to Teacher: Transformative Yoga Retreats in Asia
LifestyleTrending

Best YTT Yoga School a Journey from Student to Teacher: Transformative Yoga Retreats in Asia

In recent years, Bali has become a global epicenter for yoga education, attracting aspiring teachers and seekers from every corner…

7 Min Read
Inside the Blueprint: How a Ground-Breaking CCUS Review Is Shaping the Race to Net Zero
Trending

Inside the Blueprint: How a Ground-Breaking CCUS Review Is Shaping the Race to Net Zero

Author, Jean Chantel The 2024 review article “Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) Technologies: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Advanced CCUS…

6 Min Read
Debut Novel The Revenant’s Mark Blends Revolutionary War History with Dark Fantasy in a Haunting Tale of Resurrection and Reckoning
ArtsTrending

Debut Novel The Revenant’s Mark Blends Revolutionary War History with Dark Fantasy in a Haunting Tale of Resurrection and Reckoning

LITTLETON, CO — Wesley C. Martin, a former U.S. Marine turned award-winning screenwriter, isn’t new to stories of conflict—but his…

3 Min Read
GARI Emerges as a Global Leader in Research Mentorship and Scholarly InnovationAustin, Texas
LifestyleTrending

GARI Emerges as a Global Leader in Research Mentorship and Scholarly InnovationAustin, Texas

As global higher education continues to evolve toward inclusive research practices, interdisciplinary publishing, and capacity-building across borders, the Global Association…

4 Min Read
The Wall Street Publication

About Us

The Wall Street Publication, a distinguished part of the Enspirers News Group, stands as a beacon of excellence in journalism. Committed to delivering unfiltered global news, we pride ourselves on our trusted coverage of Politics, Business, Technology, and more.

Company

  • About Us
  • Newsroom Policies & Standards
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Careers
  • Media & Community Relations
  • WP Creative Group
  • Accessibility Statement

Contact

  • Contact Us
  • Contact Customer Care
  • Advertise
  • Licensing & Syndication
  • Request a Correction
  • Contact the Newsroom
  • Send a News Tip
  • Report a Vulnerability

Term of Use

  • Digital Products Terms of Sale
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Settings
  • Submissions & Discussion Policy
  • RSS Terms of Service
  • Ad Choices

© 2024 The Wall Street Publication. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?