Pretty Weird How The Guy You Want To Be President Disappeared During a National Crisis

Mar 23, 2020

The message we’ve been beaten over the head with after the most recent batch of primaries is that Joe Biden is it. The race is over, Bernie Sanders should drop out, let’s all line up behind a man who frequently seems to lose track of his thoughts or where he is mid-sentence.

Let’s accept that premise for argument’s sake. (For the record, I do not.) That would mean the Democrats’ presumptive nominee for president clinched the race and then proceeded to fully disappear from public view for nearly a week during a pandemic. The leadership we’re craving in a time of crisis!

For those (me) keeping track at home: Biden won big on Super Tuesday on March 3. That night, he addressed supporters in person, and this happened. Last Tuesday, March 17, Biden won primaries held in Florida, Arizona, and Illinois. That evening, the former vice president delivered brief remarks via livestream from his home in Wilmington, DE. He said the response to the coronavirus pandemic should be “akin to fighting a war” and will “require leadership and cooperation from every level of government.”

“This is a moment where we need our leaders to lead,” he said, speaking in front of a disconcerting black backdrop and two hastily placed American flags. It’s worth watching the video if you haven’t yet—it didn’t go great, even before Dr. Jill Biden entered the frame, appeared to spook her husband, and then murmured “Joe” off-camera, seemingly to prompt him to follow her.

The Other Beth, who hates all of you @BethLynch2020

The last time the American public saw Joe Biden on camera was Tuesday night. Despite what Joe's camp is claiming about technical and lighting issues of streaming from Joe's house, this video of a seemingly confused Joe being escorted off by Jill was in fact done from his house.

And then that was it. After three days out of the spotlight, this strange reporting appeared:

Matt Viser @mviser

Joe Biden says he is “desperately” looking to be in regular contact with the American public, perhaps with regular press conferences in Wilmington, Del., or using technology. "They tell me there’s ways we can do teleconferencing via us all being in different locations,” he says.

OK!!!! Biden learns about……broadcasting??

Another couple days went by. Biden’s account had been tweeting, while another man vying to be president released a comprehensive plan to fight the virus. What’s he been doing in the meantime? Uhhhh, he claims to be spending up to seven hours a day on the phone with policymakers, his staffers, and elected officials, according to the Los Angeles Times.

So how did Biden finally reappear? Over the phone, with a “virtual fundraiser” on Sunday. Nice!

He softened the ground for his formal return this morning by putting out a short, scripted video.

Joe Biden @JoeBiden

President Trump and Mitch McConnell are trying to put a corporate bailout ahead of families. It's simply wrong. We need to be focused on helping hardworking Americans, communities, and small businesses — not handing big corporations a blank check.

Then, he delivered prepared remarks via livestream, where he sympathized with healthcare workers and people with the virus, but mostly just called for not attacking Obamacare during this health crisis. At least the background didn’t look like a hostage video this time!

Joe Biden @JoeBiden

I'm about to deliver remarks on the Coronavirus pandemic. Tune in to watch live:

pscp.tvJoe Biden @JoeBidenI’m about to deliver remarks on the Coronavirus pandemic. Tune in to watch live:

This also happened.

Anyway, pretty cool that Biden was just absent for six days. Totally fine, probably no big deal.

Screenshot: Joe Biden