By John Kass - March 10, 2021

How long will President Joe Biden's handlers keep shielding him from White House news conferences? Just how long will the "Hide Biden" strategy last?

No modern president has gone this far into a term without holding a real news conference, according to The Associated Press. And of course, being The Associated Press, this is described as "discipline," not avoidance. It is described by a sympathetic press ally as a White House "strategy."

But it is avoidance. And the fact is, he should be having news conferences. And by news conferences, I don't mean questions he can ignore as he's led off the stage by first lady Jill Biden, holding his elbow to direct him if he turns the wrong way.

And I don't mean Biden reading from a teleprompter. He even has difficulty with that lately.

I mean a real honest-to-God news conference where Biden stands and answers hard questions about his policies:

Questions on China. On the Middle East. On the crisis at the southern U.S. border and the surge of immigrants entering the country illegally, including kids and teens, some of whom have been sent to a facility in Texas, which is renewing criticism of kids in cages -- a direct result of Biden's policies and campaign speeches advocating for opening the nation's doors.

White House mouthpieces won't call it a crisis. They call a "challenge." But it's a crisis of his own making and they know it.

And there are questions he should be answering on the $1.9 trillion Democratic spending spree that has little to do with COVID-19 relief but everything to do with bailing out historically poorly run blue states such as Illinois, New York and California with help from well-run red states.

Or answering questions about his environment czar, John Kerry, who arrogantly told thousands of workers who lost their jobs due to the Keystone pipeline cancellation that they could find jobs making solar panels.

Mr. President, how much do solar panel workers make compared to union pipe fitters?

Mr. President, are you more concerned about the women accusing New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo of improper sexual advances than you are about Cuomo's nursing home policy that seems to have sent thousands of seniors to their deaths?

And questions about his son's business relationship with China . . .

[SNIP]