Philadelphia radio station WURD has parted ways with a host who interviewed President Biden on Wednesday using questions provided to him by the Biden campaign, after the station said the interview violated its journalistic independence.
WURD said in a statement Sunday that “accepting a predetermined series of questions jeopardizes” the trust of its listeners. The host, Andrea Lawful-Sanders, resigned by mutual agreement, according to WURD.
Ms. Lawful-Sanders asked Mr. Biden what could be considered easy questions in his first interview with a reporter since his embarrassing performance in the previous week’s debate. Many observers tuned in to the station, which has a large Black audience, to hear how he would answer questions about the debate and found that the interview did not fully address those concerns.
The station said the interview and questions were arranged independently by the host of its show, “The Source.” Ms. Lawful-Sanders did not respond to a request for comment.
She told CNN on Saturday that she had received prepared questions from the White House ahead of the interview.
“The questions were sent to me for approval,” she said. “I approved them.” Biden’s campaign later clarified that it was she who sent the questions, not the White House.
It is not uncommon for political communications staffers to provide a list of suggested topics for media appearances, but Ms Lawful-Sanders’ use of pre-selected specific questions has drawn criticism.
Earl Ingram, host of “The Earl Ingram Show,” which airs on WAUK in Waukesha, Wisconsin, also interviewed the president last week and told The Associated Press that he was given a prepared list of questions. The questions and answers in the two interviews are remarkably similar.
The Biden campaign said it would not suggest questions for future interviews.
