Biden Aides Provided Questions in Advance for His Radio Interviews

The questions asked of President Biden by two radio interviewers this week were provided in advance to the hosts by members of Mr. Biden’s team, one of the hosts said Saturday morning on CNN.

Andrea Lawful-Sanders, the host of “The Source” on WURD in Philadelphia, said Biden officials had provided her with a list of eight questions ahead of the interview on Wednesday.

“The questions were sent to me for approval; I approved of them,” she told Victor Blackwell, the host of “First of All” on CNN. Asked if it was the White House that had sent the questions to her in advance, she said it was.

“I got several questions — eight of them,” she said. “And the four that were chosen were the ones that I approved.”

Lauren Hitt, a spokeswoman for the Biden campaign, said it was actually campaign aides, not White House officials, who had sent the list of questions. She said it is “not uncommon” for the campaign to share preferred topics, but added that campaign officials “do not condition interviews on acceptance of these questions” by the interviewer.

“Hosts are always free to ask the questions they think will best inform their listeners,” she said.

Later on Saturday, a person familiar with the campaign’s booking operation, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters, said that policy had changed, and that while interview hosts have always been free to ask whatever questions they please, the campaign would no longer offer suggested questions to hosts.