During a lengthy closed-door interview with the House Oversight Committee, which lasted over five hours, Andrew Bates, a prominent spokesperson for former President Joe Biden, addressed the fallout from a challenging debate performance in June 2024.
Bates, who served as a senior assistant in Biden’s Communications Shop, described Biden’s reaction to his debate against Donald Trump as “exaggerated,” according to sources familiar with the conversation. He noted that Biden ultimately decided to withdraw from the race after some analysis of voting data during that week.
Still, sources close to Bates indicated he later felt that Biden made the right call to step back, especially after reflecting on the president’s public standing during the closing week of his campaign.
Bates downplayed concerns surrounding Biden’s age as a “voting issue,” suggesting that worries stemming from right-wing critics skewed perceptions of Biden’s capabilities.
Interestingly, Bates recounted that his interactions with Biden were fairly infrequent, with the president meeting the press team only a few times each year. “He would meet President Biden in person once a month for things like a quick check or possibly just passing in the hall,” a source mentioned.
In contrast, others from Biden’s past administration noted that the press secretary and communications director were usually the go-to representatives for regular meetings with the president.
Bates also expressed support for Hunter Biden’s pardon, issued toward the end of Biden’s presidency. However, when asked whether Biden’s actions benefitted his son’s business dealings, Bates reportedly said he didn’t view it that way. Questions surrounding the pardon and other executive orders have garnered significant interest from the House Oversight Committee.
Republicans on the committee aim to investigate if Biden’s close advisers concealed signs of the former president’s decline and whether executive actions taken during his presidency were fully authorized by him.
Biden has asserted that he independently made all significant decisions himself. His allies have characterized the ongoing GOP-led inquiries as partisan endeavors.
In his initial comments to investigators, Bates defended Biden’s competency, even taking jabs at Trump’s presidency. He remarked, “We were proud to support Joe Biden because we aligned with his values. In the White House, it was obvious that Joe Biden was in charge.” A representative for the House Oversight Committee, however, accused Bates of harboring “delusions,” criticizing his leaked opening statement as unprofessional.
Fox News Digital attempted to reach out to Bates through his public relations firm for further clarification.
