President Biden made his first appearance ever at a White House press briefing but reporters declined to ask him about the biggest story in the U.S., Hurricane Helene.
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ReportershadauniqueopportunitytoquestionPresidentBidenwhenhemadeasurpriseappearanceattheWhiteHousepressbriefingonFriday,butdidn’taskaboutthehistoricdisasterunfoldingintheSoutheastinthewakeofHurricaneHelene.
ItwasthefirsttimethatBidenappearedataWhiteHousepressbriefingsincetakingoffice.ThepresidentspokebrieflyaboutthesuspendedportworkersstrikeandFriday’spositivejobsnumbers,andheannouncedthathemayrequestadditionalmoneyfromCongresstofundHurricaneHelenereliefefforts.Buttherewasnofollow-upfromthepressonhurricanerelief.
Afterthankingthepresidentforhispresence,thefirstreporteraskedaboutRepublicanscastingdoubtonhiseconomicnumbers,saying,“FloridaSen.MarcoRubiodescribedtoday’sjobsreportashavingfakenumbers.Whatdoyoumakeofthat?AndhowworriedareyouthatmanyAmericansarehearingthatthejobsnumbersaren’treal?”
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