Biden Refuses All Questions Again; Harris: “Anything I Handle Is a Tough Issue”; 94% of Democrats Under 30 Don’t Want Biden in 2024

On 7/12/2022, Biden refused to take any questions as staff shouted “let’s go, let’s go” and herded reporters from the room. VP Harris declared “anything that I handle is because it’s a tough issue” — apparently defending her record by arguing she was only given impossible assignments. A stunning poll showed 94% of Democrats under 30 did not want Biden as the 2024 nominee. Biden also joked “where the hell is he?” when hearing “Hail to the Chief,” and an energy analyst dismantled the “9,000 permits” talking point as “kind of a red herring."

"Let’s Go, Let’s Go”

Biden ended an event without taking any questions as staff cleared reporters. “Thank you guys. Let’s go, let’s go,” staff shouted repeatedly. Reporters shouted questions about Iran and other topics. Biden did not respond.

The pattern of refusing press questions had become a defining feature of the Biden presidency. He held fewer press conferences than any modern president at comparable points in their terms.

Harris: “Anything I Handle Is Tough”

Harris offered an unusual self-assessment. “I’m Vice President of the United States. Anything that I handle is because it’s a tough issue,” Harris said.

The comment appeared designed to preempt criticism of her portfolio — from the border crisis to voting rights — by arguing she was only assigned impossible tasks. Critics noted it also served as an excuse for a lack of results on every assignment.

94% of Young Democrats Don’t Want Biden

The NYT/Siena poll continued to produce devastating findings. “Nearly two-thirds of Democratic primary voters want a different nominee. Two-thirds,” an analyst said. “If you break it down by age, 94% of Democratic primary voters under the age of 30 — 94% — say they don’t want Biden.”

“That is a stunning number,” a co-anchor said. “He swept his grandchildren, but other than that, 94% don’t want him."

"9,000 Permits” Called a Red Herring

An energy analyst directly challenged the administration’s talking point. “Part of the challenge domestically in terms of production is that the oil and gas companies have refused to act on the permits to drill that they currently have,” a Biden official said.

The analyst pushed back. “That’s kind of a red herring. There’s just the overall pressure from ESG and the Green Lobby about whether an oil company is going to make plans five or ten years down the road,” the analyst said. “Would you invest harder in capital on a five-year or ten-year project if you were a fossil fuel company?”

The video included Biden’s own campaign pledge: “No more drilling on federal lands. No more drilling, including offshore. No ability for the oil industry to continue to drill. Period."

"Where the Hell Is He?”

Biden delivered another self-deprecating moment at an event. “You know, every time I hear ‘Hail to the Chief,’ I wonder — where the hell is he? It took me a long while. You think I’m joking? I’m not,” Biden said. “Turn around and — where’s the president?”

He also repeated his standard line: “I’m Joe Biden’s husband. And proud of it.”

Democrats Open to Primary Challenge

Even Biden allies acknowledged the reality. “If Joe Biden’s on the top of the ticket in 2024, I will support him. But I think it’s fine if there is a contested primary,” a Democratic lawmaker said. “That’s the test of our democracy — have an open field.”

Originalism Mocked

VP Harris mocked constitutional originalism. “Originalism — the justices who take that approach go all the way back to our founding fathers and pretend that they know what our founding fathers meant when they drafted the Constitution. I use the word ‘pretend’ because who the heck would know what our founding fathers meant,” Harris said.

The comment drew criticism from legal scholars who noted the founding fathers left extensive written records — the Federalist Papers, ratification debates, and personal correspondence — precisely so future generations would understand their intent.

Key Takeaways

Biden refused all questions as staff shouted “let’s go” and cleared reporters — continuing his pattern of minimal press access.
Harris said “anything I handle is because it’s a tough issue” — framing her portfolio’s lack of results as proof the assignments were impossible.
94% of Democrats under 30 said they didn’t want Biden as the 2024 nominee; two-thirds of all Democratic primary voters wanted someone else.
An energy analyst called the “9,000 permits” talking point “kind of a red herring,” citing ESG pressure and regulatory uncertainty.
Biden joked “where the hell is he?” when hearing “Hail to the Chief” and said he still wasn’t used to being president.

Transcript Highlights

The following is transcribed from the video audio (unverified — AI-generated from audio).

Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go. Thank you guys. Thank you.
I’m Vice President of the United States. Anything that I handle is because it’s a tough issue.
94% of Democratic primary voters under 30 say they don’t want Biden. That is a stunning number.
That’s kind of a red herring. Would you invest in a five-year project if you were a fossil fuel company right now?
Every time I hear Hail to the Chief, I wonder — where the hell is he?
Originalism — the justices pretend they know what our founding fathers meant. Who the heck would know?

Full transcript: 756 words transcribed via Whisper AI.