President Joe Biden once again found himself in the spotlight for an unconventional moment during his final days in office. During a briefing on the California wildfires in the Oval Office on Friday, January 10, the president resorted to whistling to gain the attention of the press.
As members of the media raised questions about various topics, including the Middle East and Ukraine, Biden put his fingers in his mouth and whistled. He then addressed the press, saying, “Whoa, hey, I’m going to talk a little later this afternoon about a number of things you’re asking about. But let’s focus on this issue now.”
This moment marked the third consecutive day of unusual remarks or actions by Biden during updates on the devastating California wildfires, which have claimed 10 lives and caused millions in property damage, according to the Daily Mail.
The day before, during a briefing on January 9, Biden raised eyebrows with a pun while speaking to Vice President Kamala Harris, a California native whose Brentwood home was under threat from the fires. “I know you’re directly affected, so you fire away,” Biden said, prompting Harris to make a visible expression before he added, “No pun intended.” He repeated the phrase three more times during the session, even as other officials spoke.
On January 8, Biden made headlines during a visit to a Los Angeles fire station when he shifted from thanking firefighters to sharing personal updates. “There’s only one piece of good news. My son lives with his wife, and they got a notification yesterday their home was probably burned to the ground. Today it appears it may be still standing but I’m not sure.
But the good news is, I’m a great-grandfather, as of today,” he said. Biden then corrected himself after misstating the baby’s gender. Online, reactions to Biden’s actions ranged from humor to criticism. One user wrote, “When he has to whistle to get attention that shows the level of respect in listening to what he has to say.”
Another commented, “His whole presidency has been a wildfire.” Others mocked his whistling skills, saying, “He can’t even do a proper whistle.” Biden’s series of unconventional remarks and gestures in his final days have drawn mixed responses, with some finding humor in the moments and others expressing frustration or concern over his approach.