Biden Will Finally Hold a Press Conference

President Biden has come under scrutiny for failing to hold a press conference since being elected, but now a date has been set. His first presser will be held March 25, his 64th day as POTUS, USA Today reports. That's the longest any president has waited going back at least a century; former President Trump's first press briefing came on day 27, while former President Obama's came on day 20; former presidents Reagan and Clinton each waited just nine days. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki had earlier noted that Biden "takes questions from the reporters covering the White House regularly" during in between White House events

But, as the Washington Post noted last week when it pondered the press conference issue, those types of situations (which have also occurred after he's given a speech or a statement) typically involve only a couple questions, not a roomful of journalists. Critics on the right have insisted that a formal news conference, as opposed to the types of events at which Biden has taken questions, would force him to face unscripted interactions. Politico notes that even political allies have questioned Biden's lack of pressers. "He’s not great in these news conferences," the former head of George Washington University's school of media told the AP earlier this month. "He rambles. His strongest communication is not extemporaneous." (More President Biden stories.)