The Right Is Mocking Biden For Press Conference Notes — Let’s Look Back At Trump’s
Joe Biden held his first press conference as President Thursday, and Republican commentators are scrambling to find something to criticize. Several of them have settled on his notes, which included faces and names to identify reporters. Unfortunately, they may have forgotten the embarrassing notes Donald Trump was seen holding when he spoke publicly.
Candace Owens trashed Biden for using notes, claiming that they were proof he knew questions in advance and that the press conference was a performance piece, faked for an audience. The image accompanying this allegation is of Biden, standing before the microphones, holding a sheet that appears to have the faces and some identifying information for the reporters in front of him.
Joe Biden had a cheat sheet with the names and faces marked of which journalists to call on, and he knew EXACTLY what questions would be asked of him.
That was not a press conference—that was a play put on by bad faith actors in a pseudo-democracy. pic.twitter.com/ee56Xcg63M
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) March 26, 2021
On Fox, Sean Hannity, too, criticized Biden. The clip below juxtaposes Hannity’s previous criticism, that Biden wouldn’t be able to handle the press, with the post-conference complaint that the president used notes and had answers ready for important policy matters.
Hannity on Wednesday: Biden is lost, dazed, and confused
Hannity on Thursday: Biden is overprepared pic.twitter.com/5UucFxwZrm
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 26, 2021
However, the internet is forever, and there are still photos to be found from Trump’s speeches in which he relied on extraordinary notes. For example, as seen below, after it was revealed that Trump had tried to bully Ukraine officials into smearing an opposing candidate (Biden), Trump used notes that reminded him, in large Sharpie letters, to say “I want nothing” twice, before saying “I want no quid pro quo” and “Tell [Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky] to do the right thing. This is the final word from the Pres. of the U.S.”
Trump´s notes during his press meeting. Two things are interesting 1) Trump doesn't know how to write the name of Zelensky and 2) Trump needs glasses. pic.twitter.com/VV27THXqGA
— Paul van der Meer (@Paul_VanDerMeer) November 20, 2019
That’s not the only time Trump’s notes were photographed, either. For a listening session with student survivors of mass shootings, the former president’s notes, also in large scrawl, were photographed in his hands. They include a reminder to tell the students, “I hear you.”
Joe Biden is hardly the first president to use notes to keep his facts together. However, if Trump fans are going to mock him for it, they’d do well to remember some of the photos from the former president’s own speaking sessions.