Fox News correspondent Lucas Tomlinson is facing widespread ridicule, including from the White House, for engaging in “astroturfing” concerning President Biden’s age. In a segment aired on “Fox News Sunday,” Tomlinson sought to establish a news narrative about Biden’s age by reporting on his own inquiry.
In the aired segment, Tomlinson claimed that Biden “continues to face questions about his age, even here in Nantucket,” was heard asking the president, “Mr. President, are you too old to be running for reelection?” Biden dismissed the question, calling it “stupid,” and Tomlinson followed up with a query about Biden’s polling challenges.
Following the broadcast, key press aides to the president derided the reporter for highlighting his own line of questioning. Andrew Bates, a Biden aide, took to social media, asking, “[A]re you able to speculate on whose voice that is shouting?” and pointing out that Tomlinson failed to disclose in the aired package that he was the one who shouted the question. Bates accused Tomlinson of “astroturfing a political attack.”
The White House shared online articles and punditry criticizing Tomlinson for his approach.
.@LucasFoxNews, are you able to speculate on whose voice that is shouting? It sounds familiar to me but I'm having difficulty placing it. https://t.co/mQv0Yb9trH
— Andrew Bates (@AndrewJBates46) November 26, 2023
Biden frequently faces shouted questions from reporters across various outlets, both at the White House and during travels for vacation or official presidential business. The relationship between Fox News, the most-watched cable news channel, and Biden’s White House has remained notably tense throughout his presidency, primarily due to Fox News’ strategies in generating controversies.
