Biden’s Edited Transcript Sparks Tension Within White House

31 Oct at 9:58 pm

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Biden’s Edited Transcript Sparks Tension Within White House \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ White House officials altered a transcript of President Joe Biden’s remarks to Latino activists in response to a Trump rally incident. The change led to objections from the federal stenographers responsible for documenting presidential statements and drew GOP criticism, with Republicans signaling a potential investigation into the handling of the official record.

Tensions Over Biden’s Edited Transcript: White House and GOP Reactions

Transcript Controversy: White House press officials altered a Biden transcript, sparking backlash from federal stenographers tasked with preserving official records.
White House’s Justification: The White House claimed the change clarified Biden’s comments, portraying them as a critique of a Trump supporter’s rhetoric rather than Trump’s base.
GOP Response: Republican leaders are considering an investigation into potential Presidential Records Act violations, raising concerns over transparency and political influence.
Internal Dispute: Stenographers’ supervisor criticized the press office’s handling, citing breaches in protocol meant to protect the integrity of public transcripts.

Deep Look

A recent alteration by White House officials to an official transcript of President Joe Biden’s remarks has ignited internal tensions and political scrutiny. The transcript in question documented Biden’s Tuesday call with Latino activists, in which he condemned recent comments made at a Trump rally by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who referred to Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage.” Biden’s response, in which he reportedly called the comments “garbage,” was intended to counter what he described as the Trump supporter’s “demonization of Latinos.” However, the released transcript sparked significant controversy as it was altered by White House staff before being shared with the public.

According to sources, Biden’s remarks originally included the phrase, “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters — his — his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American.” Yet the edited transcript, posted to the White House website, modified “supporters” to the singular possessive “supporter’s,” indicating Biden was referencing the comedian alone rather than Trump’s broader base. This adjustment was reportedly made after “conferencing with the president,” according to an internal email from the head of the stenographers’ office, obtained by the Associated Press.

The email, verified by two government officials who requested anonymity, criticized the White House press team for bypassing protocol. The head of the stenographers’ office highlighted that the press office’s actions violated standard procedures and altered the original transcript maintained by the National Archives. “Our Stenography Office transcript — released to our distro, which includes the National Archives — is now different than the version edited and released to the public by Press Office staff,” the supervisor stated, adding that any edits typically require explicit review and approval before public release.

The White House’s alteration has raised significant concerns among Republicans, who argue that the transcript change may violate the Presidential Records Act. GOP leaders, including House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik and House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, sent a formal letter to White House counsel Ed Siskel requesting preservation of all documents and communications related to the transcript and Biden’s statements. They allege that the revision constitutes a potential breach of transparency and accountability. “White House staff cannot rewrite the words of the President of the United States to be more politically on message,” the letter reads, signaling the potential for an investigation into White House practices.

White House press secretary Andrew Bates defended the White House’s actions, stating that Biden clarified on social media that his criticism targeted the “hateful rhetoric from the comedian at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally.” Bates posted the altered version of the transcript on X (formerly Twitter) that same evening, emphasizing Biden’s opposition to the language used at the rally, not Trump’s support base. However, Biden’s comments appeared to conflict with Vice President Kamala Harris’s call for respectful discourse, delivered around the same time. Harris distanced herself from Biden’s words, saying, “I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for,” a stance that some interpret as the most direct policy break from Biden since Harris took over the Democratic ticket.

The controversy also intensified as Biden’s critics seized upon the incident. The Trump campaign quickly turned Biden’s remarks into a fundraising tool, and Trump himself staged a photo-op in a garbage truck the following day to drive home Biden’s words. The garbage truck appearance aimed to cast Biden’s remarks as offensive to Trump’s supporters and to galvanize his base.

The White House’s actions created additional friction with career employees responsible for transcribing and preserving presidential remarks. Under typical procedures, the stenographers’ office prepares a transcript that is then distributed to the National Archives and released to the public without changes. The two-person stenographer team on duty during Biden’s call on Tuesday—a “typer” and a “proofer”—reportedly expected that any alterations would need review by their supervisor. But due to the immediate media firestorm, the White House press office published the altered transcript without waiting for the supervisor’s review.

The email from the head of the stenographers’ office, directed to White House communications director Ben LaBolt, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, and other senior officials, highlighted the impropriety of the press office’s actions. “Regardless of urgency, it is essential to our transcripts’ authenticity and legitimacy that we adhere to consistent protocol for requesting edits, approval, and release,” the email stated. The supervisor, a longstanding White House employee, declined to weigh in on the edit’s accuracy but stressed the importance of upholding procedure to maintain the integrity of official records.

This recent transcript incident has placed a spotlight on the delicate process of handling presidential records, particularly as campaigns for the upcoming election intensify. The press office’s decision to edit Biden’s transcript without internal review reflects the pressure faced by officials responding to controversial statements and public backlash. The White House has yet to fully address the GOP’s inquiries regarding the incident or the legality of altering preserved statements, while House Republicans are weighing further steps to investigate the White House’s handling of official transcripts.

The escalating tensions around this incident underscore both the sensitivity and significance of language in politically charged environments. As the 2024 election cycle heats up, the Biden administration faces increasing scrutiny over internal protocols, transparency, and how official records are managed amidst heightened political pressure. This transcript controversy highlights the broader complexities of managing public statements and the challenge of maintaining institutional integrity when political narratives take center stage.