Joe Biden given notes on how to ‘enter, exit a room’

The under fire US President has been seen with notes from his staff with basic instructions such as how to enter and exit a room.

Staff for US President Joe Biden provide him instructions with large print and photos of venue interiors and his planned path of entry ahead of events the 81-year-old commander-in-chief attends, according to a report.

Documents obtained by political website Axios on Sunday showed how staff help guide Mr Biden — including his specific path to a podium — when he appears at functions.

It’s not the first time eyebrows have been raised about the detail instructions given to Mr Biden by his aides.

The report comes as the Democrat faces relentless questions about whether he is fit for the Oval Office after an awful debate performance last month against presumptive GOP opponent former President Donald Trump.

US President Joe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden (L) and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (R) visit a coffee shop in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on July 7, 2024. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)

‘Enter and exit a room’

It’s not unusual for presidents to be given guidance for events and venues given how many they visit. But some were still perplexed.

“It surprised me that a seasoned political pro like the president would need detailed verbal and visual instructions on how to enter and exit a room,” a person who staffed a Biden event in the past 18 months told the outlet, reported the New York Post.

“I staffed a simple fundraiser at a private residence, but they treated it like it was a NATO summit with his movements,” the unidentified staffer also said.

The White House sends event staffers a template to follow when getting their own guidance ready for the president as part of what’s known as “advance work,” according to Axios.

One template reportedly shows a large photo of the event space on each page with big text like “View from podium” and “View from audience.” Two pages also gave separate photos with “Walk to the podium” accompanying the pictures.

But a White House spokesman downplayed the instructions, telling Axios that “high levels of detail and precision are critical to presidential advance work — regardless of who is president — and these are basic approaches that are used by any modern advance team, including the vice president’s office and agencies.”

A spokesman for Vice President Kamala Harris confirmed the assertion by the Biden official in a statement to the outlet.

“These documents are standard logistic briefing materials and photos for any principal, including the vice president,” the VP’s spokesman said.

US President Joe Biden speaks from his notes at a meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, on June 23, 2022. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP)

In 2022, eyebrows were raised about similar instructions for Mr Biden which gave him a minute by minute rundown of an event including where he should sit.

The prepared instructions for Mr Biden — titled “Offshore Wind Drop-By Sequence of Events” — tell the President to “enter the Roosevelt Room and say hello to participants.”

Then, the paper says, “YOU take YOUR seat.”

The typed-up note says that after reporters arrive, “YOU give brief comments (2 minutes).”

When reporters depart, “YOU ask Liz Shuler, President, AFL-CIO, a question” and then “YOU thank participants” and “YOU depart”.

This article first appeared in the New York Post and is reproduced with permission.

Originally published as Joe Biden given notes on how to ‘enter, exit a room’