President Joe Biden walked off the set of a live MSNBC interview Thursday afternoon while the cameras were still rolling.
The president took a day trip to New York City to raise money for his presidential campaign.
His first stop, however, was at “30 Rock,” where he sat for an interview with Deadline: White House host Nicolle Wallace, who previously worked for Republicans, including President George W. Bush and the late Senator John McCain.
She questioned Biden about the Supreme Court’s affirmative action decision, the Jan. 6 uprising, and former President Donald Trump — but failed to question the president about his son Hunter’s foreign business dealings and his health, two issues that took center stage this week . .
Earlier on Thursday, Hunter was seen arriving at a Delaware courthouse to testify to the defamation lawsuit brought by John Paul Mac Isaac, owner of the “laptop from h***” computer store.
As the president and host wrapped up the interview by chatting about the president’s bipartisan accomplishments, Biden stood up, shook hands with Wallace, and was seen walking off set, while still on the air.
AND OFF HE JOES! President Joe Biden walked off the set of an MSNBC interview broadcast live from New York on Thursday before host Nicolle Wallace went to commercial break
President Joe Biden (right) stands to shake hands with MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace (left) before leaving the studio while she was still on air
The walk-off got more attention than that meat of the interview with the White House spokesman Andrew Bates tweets that it was a ‘power move’, after Mediaite tweeted a story headlined, “Biden awkwardly walks off MSNBC set while still on the air.”
The sit-down had begun with the news of the day — Biden’s response to the conservative-minded Supreme Court undermining affirmative action in college admissions.
After commenting at the White House about the decision and how his White House would react, he told reporters he felt the Court was “not normal.”
“It has done more to unravel basic rights and fundamental decisions than any court in recent history,” Biden told Wallace when asked to explain his remark.
He pointed to other precedent-breaking decisions, including Dobbs rejecting Roe v. Wade, which federally protected a woman’s right to an abortion.
Wallace also asked the president why it took so long for the Justice Department to investigate Trump in connection with the January 6 attack on the Capitol.
Biden pushed back, indicating it would be inappropriate for him to interfere in a matter.
“Not once, not once, have I spoken to the Attorney General on any specific case, not once,” Biden said.
He criticized the “last administration” for trying to “steer” the courts, the Federal Reserve and other institutions.
Wallace then asked Biden if leaders of other democracies have asked him why the insurgency’s “foot soldiers” have been indicted, but “the leader” — by which I mean Trump — has not.
“Well, the answer is yes,” Biden said, then expanded on what he meant.
‘Well, here’s my answer. I am confident that the Department of Justice will move in a direction consistent with the law. And so it might take a while, but I’m confident it’s going to work out – but I haven’t talked about that and I don’t think I should.’
Wallace said that response showed Biden had “reverence for the institutions” while modern Republicans were “openly politicizing the rule of law.”
“I think it’s really important for them to know that my set of values is very different from this new MAGA Republican Party,” Biden said.
He said he had “great faith in the instincts of the American people” and called them “decent and honorable,” indicating his belief that he could beat Trump a second time.
He also suggested that he was hurt by media coverage, noting that “there are no more editors.”
Regarding the unrest in Russia this weekend, Biden was tight-lipped about what he knew prior to the Wagner uprising.
Wallace then asked if Biden feared Trump would have tipped Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of time had the Republican been in office.
“Oh God, I don’t know, I don’t think about that often,” Biden said.
Wallace talked about how McCain, who died in 2018, had been aggressive with Russia and asked Biden what he thought the late Arizona senator would think of the modern GOP — especially in light of the fact that McCain’s close friend, Senator Lindsey Graham, is a top Trump. rose.
“I don’t think it would help him much,” Biden said, but added, “I don’t know.”