President Joe Biden’s White House has implemented the use of printed guides to assist him in navigating event stages, according to a report by Axios.
These documents, part of a White House events template, provide detailed instructions and visual aids for the President’s movements during public appearances.
The guides reportedly include large images of stage entrances and exits, accompanied by directives such as “Walk to podium.” One five-page document reviewed by Axios featured multiple angles of an event space, labeled with descriptions like “view from podium” and “view from audience.”
This level of detail has drawn attention from critics, particularly Republicans, who have used instances of the President appearing uncertain on stage to question his mental fitness for office. An unnamed individual who staffed a Biden fundraiser expressed surprise at the need for such detailed instructions for a seasoned politician.
White House spokesman Andrew Bates defended the practice, stating that “high levels of detail and precision” are crucial for presidential advance work, regardless of the incumbent. He added that these are “basic approaches” used by modern advance teams, including those of the vice president and other agencies.
Kirsten Allen, a spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris, echoed this sentiment, describing the documents as “standard logistical briefing materials” for any principal, including the vice president.
However, the report notes that two former aides from Biden’s vice presidency claimed his preparation documents were different at that time, relying more on site diagrams.
Hellbound and Down 