A Philadelphia radio host who had the rare opportunity to interview President Biden exclusively last week has quit his Black-owned radio station after admitting that he used questions prepared in advance by the Biden campaign.
Host Andrea Lawful Sanders and the network “have agreed to end their relationship effective immediately,” WURD Radio CEO Sarah M. Lomax said in a statement, adding that Lawful Sanders arranged the interview “without the knowledge, consultation or cooperation of WURD management.”
“WURD Radio is an independent voice that our audience can trust to hold elected officials accountable,” Lomax said. “This is something we take very seriously. Agreeing to a pre-determined set of questions puts that trust at risk and is not something WURD Radio practices or endorses as a practice or official policy.”
in Video posted on FacebookLawful Sanders thanked listeners for “the role you all played in this journey.”
“Life moves on. Things shift and change. You’ll hear more in the next day or so,” Lawful-Sanders said.
Sanders appeared on CNN’s “First of All” on Saturday and revealed the terms of the interview. Host Victor Blackwell noted that Sanders’ interview was similar to an interview Biden did with a black radio host in Wisconsin and asked if Biden’s team had helped draft the questions.
“The questions were sent to me for approval,” Lawful-Sanders said. “I received several questions, eight of them, and the four that were selected are the ones I approved.”
Biden’s team defended the move after Lawful Sanders’ high-profile CNN interview.
“It is not unusual for interviewees to discuss their favorite topics,” campaign spokeswoman Lauren Hitt said in a statement Saturday. “These questions were related to the news of the day. The President was asked not only about his performance in the debate, but also about what he has done for Black Americans.”
“Hosts are always free to ask the questions they believe will be most helpful to listeners,” she added.
The radio interview in Philadelphia was one of two Biden’s team booked following his disastrous performance in the June 27 presidential debate, during which Biden appeared disoriented at times and spoke huskily.
At 81, Biden is the oldest US president and, if elected to a second term, will finish his presidency at age 86.
After the debate, several Democrats publicly and privately urged Biden to drop out of the race to allow another candidate to win the party’s nomination and face Trump in November.
Biden’s schedule over the past week, which included campaign rallies, radio interviews and a sit-down with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, has done little to reassure his opponents, but he remains committed to the campaign.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Biden said Monday in a defiant call to MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “I wouldn’t be running if I didn’t absolutely believe I was the best candidate to beat Donald Trump in 2024.”
