Joe Biden has answered half as many questions from the media as Trump has, report finds
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Joe Biden has answered less than half the amount of questions from the media compared to Donald Trump since August, according to a new report.
The Democratic presidential nominee has taken a different approach to his campaign trail amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has included limiting his public appearances and press conferences.
Instead, Mr Biden has let the president field more campaign questions – which, at times, have unintentionally made the point for why voters might want someone new in the Oval Office.
Since 31 August, Mr Biden has answered less than half as many questions from the press compared to Mr Trump – 365 questions to 753 – according to a tally released by the Trump campaign, which the Biden campaign has not disputed.
In that time period, Mr Biden had done an estimated 35 local TV interviews, three national interviews, and two town halls, according to Axios.
Mr Trump has previously tweeted out against the pool reporters following Mr Biden around on the campaign trail, claiming they are giving the former vice president soft ball questions unlike the reporters covering his administration.
The Biden campaign has responded to this criticism by stating that Mr Biden has been in the public eye for decades, so that’s one reason why there has been less scrutiny on the candidate during the general election.
Andrew Bates, a Biden campaign spokesperson, said: "Who's ‘scrutinizing’ Trump more, Maria Bartiromo or Sean Hannity?"
In the last week, Mr Biden has ramped up his campaign events and interactions with the media with just three weeks left until Election Day on 3 November. But he also has avoided answering questions on specific topics such as his views on packing the Supreme Court if he were to win.
Mr Biden turned the issue of court packing on Republicans when he was asked again this week before stating he was “not a fan” of the practice.
"The court packing is going on now," Mr Biden told WKRC Local 12 in Cincinnati. "Never before, when the election has already begun and millions of votes already cast, has it ever been that a Supreme Court nominee was put forward, has never happened before. ... I've already spoken on, I'm not a fan of court packing, but I don't want to get off on that whole issue."
The former vice president has also faced few challenges from the pool reporters on his perspective of the Green New Deal, fracking, the 1994 crime bill he supported, and police reform across America.
With the second presidential debate cancelled, undecided voters will now only have one more chance to see Mr Trump and Mr Biden face-off on the same stage in the third presidential debate on 22 October.
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