Philadelphia radio station WURD 96.1 FM has fired host Andrea Lawful-Sanders after she disclosed that President Joe Biden’s team provided pre-supplied questions for her interview, WURD Radio’s leadership confirmed on Sunday, July 7.
Lawful Sanders interviewed President Biden on Wednesday, July 3, marking his first interview after a poor debate performance on June 27. However, she stirred controversy by revealing on CNN’s ‘First of All with Victor Blackwell’ on July 5 that Biden’s team had supplied eight questions, four of which she used during the interview.
In response to Lawful-Sanders’ revelation, Biden’s campaign reportedly stopped providing questions to the media. WURD Radio’s president and CEO, Sara Lomax, emphasized that she was not involved in the interview’s negotiations and stated that asking pre-determined questions violated the station’s independent media practices.
“The interview featured pre-determined questions provided by the White House, which violates our practice of remaining an independent media outlet accountable to our listeners. As a result, Ms. Lawful-Sanders and WURD Radio have mutually agreed to part ways, effective immediately,” Lomax explained.
WURD Radio, Pennsylvania’s sole Black-owned and operated talk radio station, prides itself on maintaining trust with its audience. Lomax continued, “WURD Radio has cultivated that trust with our audience over our 20-year history. This is something we take very seriously. Agreeing to a pre-determined set of questions jeopardizes that trust.”
Highlighting the history of Black media’s advocacy, Lomax noted the ongoing “practice of de-legitimizing Black voices” and asserted, “WURD Radio is not a mouthpiece for the Biden or any other administration.”
Despite having the questions beforehand, the 81-year-old President occasionally stumbled during the interview. At one point, he mistakenly declared his pride in being “the first Black woman to serve with a Black president.”
Following Lawful-Sanders’ disclosure, WMCS host Earl Ingram, who interviewed President Biden after WURD, also revealed that he was provided with pre-supplied questions, which he used.
President Biden’s re-election campaign has faced challenges after his debate performance against former President Donald Trump, causing concern among Democrats about his cognitive ability to run for another term. Despite these concerns, Biden remains resolute in his campaign, recently stating in an ABC News interview that only “Lord Almighty” could persuade him to step down.
After Lawful Sanders revealed that her interview was based on pre-determined questions, netizens held Biden responsible for her firing, further fueling the controversy surrounding his campaign and media interactions.