double-skinned crabs double-skinned crabs double-skinned crabs double-skinned crabs double-skinned crabs double-skinned crabs double-skinned crabs double-skinned crabs double-skinned crabs double-skinned crabs double-skinned crabs double-skinned crabs vietnamese seafood double-skinned crabs mud crab exporter double-skinned crabs double-skinned crabs crabs crab exporter soft shell crab crab meat crab roe mud crab sea crab vietnamese crabs seafood food vietnamese sea food double-skinned crab double-skinned crab soft-shell crabs meat crabs roe crabs
Politics
2024 presidential election

Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna says Biden’s staff ‘overprotects’ him

By
Victor Nava
Published April 28, 2023, 9:21 p.m. ET

Rep. Ro Khanna on Friday accused White House staff of overprotecting President Biden and urged the commander in chief’s handlers to put him in front of the public more often. 

“I’m a person of democracy. I think he’s actually really good. I think his staff overprotects him,” the California Democrat said during an interview on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom.”

The progressive congressman rejected the idea that the gaffe-prone 80-year-old president’s verbal slip-ups should be a concern to White House staff and argued that people should see “the authentic” Biden more often.  

“I think, put him out there in a press conference. Who cares if someone makes a gaffe? Every person makes a gaffe in conversations. Let’s see the authentic President Biden. He’s an empathetic person. And I think the more he’s out there, the better,” Khanna said.

“And do the press conferences, do the debates. I debate people in Congress, even though they don’t have, sometimes, much of a chance. That’s American democracy. I love that.” 

Biden who announced earlier this week that he will seek re-election in 2024, has only held one press conference so far in 2023. 

Ro Khanna
California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna expressed concern on Friday that Biden’s staff “overprotects” him. Getty Images
President Joe Biden listens to a question during a news conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
President Biden, 80, announced he’s running for a second term in office this week. AP

According to a report on Friday, White House aides struggle to schedule “public or private events” with Biden at certain times of day — namely weekends, mornings and evenings – because his advanced age has diminished his energy. 

Biden, already the oldest president in US history, would be 86 by the end of a second term in the White House.

While presenting the commander in chief’s trophy to the Air Force Falcons football team at the White House Friday, Biden joked about his age, saying, “About 65 years ago, during the first remarks to the first class of the Air Force Academy, President Eisenhower — I wasn’t there… no matter what the press says.”

Khanna added in his interview on Fox News that age is “obviously” going to be a factor in the 2024 presidential race, but that Republicans would be making a “huge mistake” if they make the election about Biden. 

“Elections aren’t about the candidates,” he said. “They’re about the American people.”