CNN Reacts Forcefully to President Biden Biting Their Reporter’s Head Off — By Showering Him With Praise

President Joe Biden appeared to be fed up with reporters and their questions at his presser on Wednesday, ignoring some and reacting testily to others before finally virtually biting the head off CNN correspondent Kaitlan Collins.

The initial CNN reaction was less than offended. It did not come up when they cut back to Wolf Blitzer, Clarissa Ward, and Jim Sciutto “on scene” in Geneva. Jeff Zeleny made a point of praising how “comfortable Biden was in that moment, taking off his jacket, answering these questions.” He specifically praised Biden’s response when “he was answering Kaitlan’s question there,” not mentioning the part where he didn’t answer Collins but did question her competence.

“What do you do all the time?” Biden snapped at Collins. “If you don’t understand that, you’re in the wrong business,” he groused. Comfortably? Jacketlessly? Via sunglasses?

Wolf Blitzer simply pled ignorance, saying he thought Collins might have asked a question but he didn’t hear the answer. Collins herself simply said things got “tense” and moved on with her reporting, explaining that her question was justified and reiterating the reasoning, but without mentioning the specific response from the president.

Biden later said he owes an apology to and shouldn’t have been a “wise guy” with the “last questioner,” though notably did not actually say “I’m sorry” or “I apologize.” Or say her name.

But that was good enough for CNN, which didn’t choose to report on their reporter being bashed until after Biden had a chance to offer his mea sorta.

“It was nice that he did that,” said Wolf Blitzer. His only direct commentary was to praise Biden for “quality time” spent talking to the press and for being nice enough to say he shouldn’t have been a “wise guy” to blank reporter.

After Biden totally owned his behavior by referring to it as being a “wise guy,” Jeff Zeleny had more to say on the subject than his first at-bat. He said, rather affectionately, that the whole thing was “classic Joe Biden.”

“That was classic Joe Biden in both respects: snapping at Kaitlan for asking a perfectly legitimate question,” said Zeleny, adding that people on Capitol Hill and former Biden staffers have seen a “flash of temper” in the past.

“But he also realized that it was inappropriate, perhaps could be viewed as sexist?” Zeleny said uncertainly. “So he clearly wanted to clean this up and sort of lighten the mood, and take that off the table before getting on a plane.”

Zeleny managed to turn the whole incident to Biden’s credit, beyond merely praising him for wanting to get it “off the table.” Building off his earlier comments about Biden being comfortable and commendably taking off his jacket, Zeleny said with admiration, almost solemnity, that Biden — who is normally “screamed at” by aides to stop speaking with the press — this time recognized “he had a job to do” and went out there to do it.

How refreshing.

We could here at this point discuss the many times that Donald Trump was combative. Plenty of people on social media will. Progressives and members of the media inclined to forgive and forget Biden’s surliness will say “but what about Trump!?” Conservatives and the members of the media not so inclined will say “but what about how the media reacted to Trump!?” Some few may even lightly defend Collins and abstain from Trumping.

It isn’t really necessary to compare to Trump, though. Biden’s “flashes of temper” as Zeleny put it are well known, frequently directed at reporters, and just as frequently forgiven if remarked on at all.

It is, on its face, odd and glaring that CNN had no complaints about how Biden reacted Collins, asking what she does all day before suggesting she find other work. Indeed they went to great lengths to praise his handling of the press at the event — which seems, you know, sort of like throwing Collins under the bus? — and to effusively laud him for deigning to later briefly remark on his outburst.

The network was so enchanted you could be forgiven for thinking Biden had complimented and lifted up Collins rather than barking insults at her.

So, as I said, it isn’t necessary to bring up and compare Trump and Biden, here. Nevertheless, Blitzer and Sciutto did anyway.

Blitzer, not to be outdone by Zeleny, called Biden’s “my bad” comments “extraordinary.”

“He came back, he actually apologized to the news media for being a quote wise guy,” said Blitzer. “And as he was doing so, I said to myself, can you imagine the former president ever doing anything along those lines?”

“No, really frankly, based on our experience and lots of evidence: No,” said Sciutto.

Gotta know your audience in this business, after all.

This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.