President Biden criticised for carrying 'cheat sheet' during press conference

US President Joe Biden has been spotted with a 'cheat-sheet of reporters', as reported by Fox News. The sheet reportedly had reporters' names and faces. Biden had this piece of paper during a joint press conference with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the White House. Both the leaders took questions from four journalists — two Australian and two American.

The names on the sheet with Biden reportedly mentioned PBS correspondent Laura Barron-Lopez, USA Today White House correspondent Joey Garrison, Australia’s Channel 10 Network Political Editor Ashleigh Raper and The Australian’s Jeff Chambers. All of these journalists asked questions during the joint press conference.

Though proceedings during visit of heads of state are largely structured, including an intimation to the leaders about journalists, US media has repeatedly criticised Biden for using such sheets.

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It was reported that Biden carried a similar sheet in a joint press conference with South Korean President Yook Suk Yeol in April this year. The sheet had a photo, name and name pronunciation of Courtney Subramanian, a journalist from Los Angeles Times.

Fox News has claimed that the sheet also had questions that the journalist would ask.

"How are YOU squaring YOUR domestic priorities — like reshoring semiconductors manufacturing — with alliance-based foreign policy?," the sheet with Biden reportedly said.

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When she was called to ask the question during the press conference, Subramanian said,"Your top economic priority has been to build up U.S. domestic manufacturing in competition with China, but your rules against expanding chip manufacturing in China is hurting South Korean companies that rely heavily on Beijing. Are you damaging a key ally in the competition with China to help your domestic politics ahead of the election?"

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It is normal for speakers to carry talking points on documents they carry at the podium from where they address those gathered, but gaffe-prone Biden has attracted comments and criticism from media as well as social media users.

Biden had such a card mentioning talking points when he appeared at first press conference as President of the USA, in March, 2021. The camera lenses caught glimpse of the card and it was widely discussed on social media.