This sounds like a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situation. The optics of firing a stage IV cancer patient are bad, certainly.
But considering Biden’s already gone back on his promise of $2000 stimulus checks and has telegraphed he won’t press for a $15 minimum wage, seemingly ignoring yet another pledge he made does not inspire confidence that he has any intention of doing what he says he would.
Also this:
I was most definitely not nicer when I had cancer. Though even being a hormonal teenager on chemo wasn’t enough to make me threaten to destroy anybody…
I suspect this is a factor as well. Stage 4 cancer + chemo can lead to uncharacteristic behaviour.
Hinges on the definition of “colleague,” doesn’t it? Are reporters “colleagues” of WH press staffers?
Even if it’s otherwise public knowledge, they also probably cannot even hint at his medical condition in any way.
ETA: At least the Biden administration hasn’t blamed the Republicans for planting an abusive, fake stage IV cancer patient in their midst to make them look bad.
The 3 weeks of ignorant bliss was nice while it lasted.
I honestly dont give a damn what party someone is when it comes to behavior like this- it was wrong for Trumpanzees, it’s wrong for Democrats too.
Get rid of this guy and set an example quickly Joe- or you’re headed down just another road to hypocrisy, just slower than Trump.
Thats how you win- you show youre better than the Trumpanzees.
I get that. But he could be stepping down for (undisclosed) medical reasons: let the open secret stay out there and take what little high road is left.
Biden did not say appointees would be fired for disrespecting someone. He said if they are working with him and he hears them disrespect someone, he will fire them on the spot. In other words, you can’t disrespect someone while Biden is listening.
So the “promise” should have ended with “except for ifs, ands, and buts”…
I wouldn’t think it was unusual for a press secretary to get in a fight with a reporter, even to the point of making pompous threats. It’s a high-stakes, adversarial professional relationship.
What is disrespectful and unprofessional is the personal comments, which are somewhat buried in the Vanity Fair article. If this is a story about hypocrisy over Biden’s respect rule, then the headline should be the “jealousy” comments, not “staffer yells at reporter”.
I’m harping on this because it smells like the groundwork of a common playground smear tactic. We’re being trained to remember that Biden said he’d fire people for arguing with anyone. Sooner or later that will come up as a reason why he must fire someone for losing their temper at some obstructive Republican in a completely respectful way.
(This is why it was a dumb thing for Biden to say. Yes, fire people if they’re assholes, but don’t bluster about it in advance, because all that does is give Sherri and Terri something to twist against you)
(It also disturbed me that he was clearly cosplaying that one scene from the West Wing, which is a behavior I hoped we’d moved past)
Gotta fire the guy, even if you can’t do it for the right reasons, do it for the cynical reason that this is the exact kind of crap that will demotivate the people who voted you in.
ETA- didn’t see that the guy had cancer. It does complicate things, but it’s not a great look at this stage.
Except you don’t need to fire the guy, you just need to actually hold him accountable in a reasonable way. Suspension, review of his job, possibly a demotion.
Heads up:
So what I’m hearing is “if we can just ride this one out, the problem resolves itself…”
Are reporters “colleagues” of WH press staffers?
No, both parties consider political reporters fair game.
According to the previous administration, reporters were the enemies of the people.
Although there is someone in this thread who thinks the reporter is a Republican plant.
I have been through some dark shit (alcoholism, divorce, death of a child) but cannot imagine trying to behave normal while walking around with Stage IV devouring me from inside
