Biden Uses Pre-Made List to Call on Reporters in Israel; Newsom Admits “Suboptimal” Education; Pelosi Calls Trump “Occasional Occupant”

On 7/14/2022, Biden was caught reading from a pre-made list of reporters to call on during a press conference in Israel, saying “you give me a list here” before selecting names. Governor Newsom admitted California’s education outcomes were “suboptimal” when confronted with declining student performance. Pelosi dismissed Trump as “the former occasional occupant of the White House” and insisted Democrats had “absolutely no intention of losing the House.” Biden pledged “we will not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons” while heading to Saudi Arabia.

”You Give Me a List Here”

During a joint press conference with Israeli leaders, Biden revealed the scripted nature of his press interactions. “We will now be taking questions from the press. Mr. President, do you want to call on the next question?” a handler prompted. “Sure. You give me a list here,” Biden said, then read from it: “Steve Hallman, Reuters.”

The moment confirmed what reporters had long suspected — Biden was not choosing questioners spontaneously but working from pre-approved lists prepared by staff.

Newsom: “Suboptimal”

Governor Gavin Newsom was confronted with California’s education record while promoting his state’s approach nationally. A reporter cited the California Republican Party’s criticism: “A third of students are not at grade level in math and science, and highlighting California’s approaches doesn’t really make sense.”

Newsom conceded the point. “There’s no question California’s outcomes are suboptimal, and we have got to step things up. That’s why we’re making these investments,” Newsom said. He pointed to “bipartisan reforms and innovations” but acknowledged the gap between rhetoric and results.

The word “suboptimal” to describe a generation of California students falling behind drew mockery as a bureaucratic euphemism for failure.

Pelosi: “Occasional Occupant”

Pelosi was asked about Trump potentially announcing a 2024 run. Her dismissal was cutting but revealing. “Do I ever even mention his name? I don’t speculate on who’s running in 2024, even if it’s the former occasional occupant of the White House,” Pelosi said.

She insisted Democrats would hold Congress. “Democrats have absolutely no intention of losing the House in November, and the Senate too. We are mobilized. We are fortified. We have great candidates,” Pelosi said. “Our democracy is at risk. But what we are campaigning on are the kitchen table issues.”

“If people vote, women vote, women win — and so do their issues,” Pelosi added.

Biden on Iran: “We Will Not Allow”

Biden delivered his strongest language on Iran while in Israel. “We will not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons,” Biden said. When a reporter asked what he was offering Saudi and Gulf leaders to “assuage their fear and concern practically,” Biden said: “We mean what we say.”

“They have an opportunity to accept this agreement that’s been laid down. If they don’t — let me say it again — we will not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons,” Biden said.

Saudi Arabia Trip: “Reassert Influence”

Biden framed his controversial Saudi Arabia visit — which had drawn opposition from human rights advocates — in strategic terms. “The reason I’m going to Saudi Arabia is much broader — to promote U.S. interests,” Biden said. “I think we have an opportunity to reassert what I think we’ve made a mistake of walking away from: our influence in the Middle East.”

On human rights, Biden offered a general promise. “I will bring up — I always bring up human rights. I always bring up human rights,” Biden said.

The Broader Context

The Israel press conference illustrated the tension between Biden’s ambitious foreign policy rhetoric and his declining capacity to deliver it. He pledged to prevent Iran from going nuclear while heading to beg Saudi Arabia for oil. He promised to reassert American influence while his approval was at historic lows. And he read from a list of pre-approved reporters while claiming to support press freedom globally.

Key Takeaways

• Biden said “you give me a list here” before calling on reporters at an Israel press conference — confirming pre-scripted press interactions.
• Newsom admitted California’s education outcomes were “suboptimal” — a third of students not at grade level in math and science.
• Pelosi dismissed Trump as “the former occasional occupant of the White House” and insisted Democrats would not lose the House.
• Biden pledged “we will not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons” while heading to Saudi Arabia to court leaders he had previously vowed to make “a pariah.”
• Biden framed the Saudi trip as reasserting influence the U.S. had “made a mistake of walking away from.”

Transcript Highlights

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

• You give me a list here. Steve Hallman, Reuters.
• California’s outcomes are suboptimal, and we have got to step things up.
• I don’t speculate on who’s running in 2024, even if it’s the former occasional occupant of the White House.
• We will not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons. We mean what we say.
• The reason I’m going to Saudi Arabia is to reassert what we’ve made a mistake of walking away from — our influence in the Middle East.
• Democrats have absolutely no intention of losing the House. We are mobilized. We are fortified.

Full transcript: 718 words transcribed via Whisper AI.