Disgraceful defenders of Biden’s casual cruelty to his staff

It is always amusing to watch President Joe Biden’s reflexive defenders scramble to their positions whenever a story like Axios’ Monday morning memo about the commander-in-chief’s temper drops.

The president, as it turns out, uses expletives not just to describe his perceived enemies in the press, but his own staff.

“God dammit, how the f – – k don’t you know this?!”

“Don’t f – – king bulls – – t me!”

“Get the f – – k out of here.”

And that’s just a small taste of the tirades that have compelled White House aides to resort to a buddy system to avoid alone-time with the boss.

But some in the media have inexplicably taken this new indictment of Biden’s character as proof of his competence.

The Bulwark’s Tim Miller speculated that the story might have been made up, and argued that if the president did indeed pitch a memorable fit over the performance of his COVID czar, that was “good!”

Others joined in the bizarre praise.

Matthew Yglesias called Biden’s demands of his staffers “smart practice.”

The Daily Beast’s David Rothkopf offered that “all presidents” lose their temper, and on “CNN Tonight,” both panelists brought on to discuss Biden’s meltdowns assured host John Berman that although he has a temper the president suffers from no temper problem.

“I think that you can argue that if a president isn’t losing it once in a while, he’s not paying attention, he’s not doing his job,” declared hagiographer Chris Whipple.

Uh, if was just “once in a while,” aides wouldn’t need a buddy system every time they meet with the prez.

Miller’s praise, meanwhile, earned him a pat on the back from his de facto boss, White House communications director Ben LaBolt, who joined him in dragging the Axios article’s author through the mud on Twitter.

These apologists have about as much respect for their audiences as the president has for his staff.

Of course high standards and zealous enforcement of them are signs of capable, involved leadership.

Yet any plain reading of the Axios article makes it clear that it’s casual cruelty, not a demand for excellence, that drives Biden’s outbursts

Snapping at aides to “Get the f – – k out of the car” after they suggest you place a fundraising call might have been a laugh-worthy moment on an episode of “Veep,” but it’s not the behavior of an effective or focused leader.

In truth, the president’s wannabe staffers in the fourth estate are trying to paper over one of Biden’s weaknesses heading into 2024 (the collapse of his reputation as a kind, empathetic family man) by presenting it as evidence that he’s not plagued by another one: physical and mental decline.

You might be able to put lipstick on that pig, but the act won’t have the intended effect.

Indeed, the absurdity of the makeup only calls more attention to the true nature of its wearer.

Biden himself made a point of acknowledging the importance of respect in the workplace at the outset of his presidency.

“I’m not joking when I say this: If you’re ever working with me, and I hear you treat another colleague with disrespect, talk down to someone, I promise you, I will fire you on the spot,” he told political appointees on his Inauguration Day.

“On the spot, no ifs or buts.”

Attempting to explain away Biden’s childlike tantrums as laudable commands, or dismissing his denial of Hunter Biden’s daughter with Lunden Roberts as loyalty to his shameless son, only exposes the fact that there’s no defense to be made of those behaviors.

Such lame efforts only tar the reputations of those who attempt them, rather than benefiting the guilty party.

Increasingly, Biden’s manifest character flaws are hampering the work of his administration and imperiling his reelection campaign.

His media allies appear to be willing to see their reputations go down with the ship.

Isaac Schorr is a staff writer at Mediaite.