Radio host Andrea Lawful-Sanders fired after Biden interview with pre-set questions

“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 described the station as Philadelphia’s only independent black talk radio station. She said such a move violated the trust the station has developed with its audience over the past two decades and “is not a practice that WURD Radio engages in or endorses as a matter of official practice or policy.”

She added: “WURD Radio is not a mouthpiece for Biden or any other Administration,” and that “we will commit to reviewing our policies, procedures and practices to reinforce WURD’s independence and the trust of our listeners. But mainstream media must do their own introspection to explore how they lost the trust of so many Americans, especially Black Americans.”

In a one-minute video posted to Facebook on Sunday, Lawful-Sanders said: “Effective immediately, I am no longer an on-air host at WURD. I submitted my resignation yesterday. It has been accepted.”

She then thanked “all of you who have been a part of this journey, including WURD Radio.” She continued by saying that she is “grateful” and that “life is moving. Things are changing and shifting. And in a day or two, you’ll hear more.”

The Lawful-Sanders interview was one of two Biden recorded last week following his June 27 debate against presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, 78. During the debate, Biden, 81, at times appeared tired, confused and incoherent, prompting calls from a growing number of Democrats to question whether he should continue running.

After the debate, the White House press secretary announced that Biden had taped two radio interviews, one with Lawful-Sanders on WURD and another with Earl Ingram, whose show airs in Wisconsin.

On Saturday, Lawful-Sanders and Ingram appeared on CNN, where a host said both interviews with Biden contained very similar questions. “Were these questions given to you by the White House, or by the campaign, or did you have to submit questions in advance of this interview?” CNN host Victor Blackwell asked Lawful-Sanders.

“The questions were sent to me for approval. I approved them,” she said. Ingram was not asked about his questions during an appearance on CNN, but later told ABC News, “Yes, I was given some questions for Biden.” Ingram said he received five questions and asked Biden four of them, according to the network. “I didn’t get a chance to ask him all the things I wanted to ask him,” he said.

Later on Saturday, Lawful-Sanders sent out a statement defending her interview and how the questions were negotiated in advance.

“When I was asked to do this interview, the most important thing to me was that the voices of Black people be heard. I never felt pressured to ask certain questions,” Lawful-Sanders said. “I chose questions that were most important to the Black and Brown communities we serve in … Philadelphia. Those questions proved to be exactly what Black and Brown communities wanted.”

Biden campaign spokeswoman Lauren Hitt defended the move, saying in a statement Saturday that it was “not an uncommon practice for interviewees to share topics they prefer.” She also said that agreeing on topics in advance was not a prerequisite for the interview.

Later Saturday, people familiar with Biden’s booking operation said the campaign will not continue the practice of offering “suggested questions.”