Philly Radio Host Resigns Amid ‘Taboo’ Interview With President Biden

Andrea Lawful-Sanders resignation at WURD Radio comes after the station deemed her interview with President Biden a violation.

Andrea Lawful-Sanders, a Philadelphia radio host, resigned from her station after conducting an interview with President Joe Biden using questions provided by the Biden campaign.

Although the practice is frowned upon by many news organizations, Lawful-Sanders, who hosted The Source on WURD Radio, moved forward on the 14-minute interview with President Biden, which the host conducted on July 3. According to NPR, the discussion focused on the importance of Black voters and highlighted the administration’s achievements for Black communities. However, BLACK ENTERPRISE previously noted that Lawful-Sanders’ interview with President Biden, which aired on July 4, fueled concerns about the President’s cognitive abilities, particularly after a confusing statement where he referred to himself as “the first Black woman to serve with a Black President.”

WURD Radio‘s CEO, Sara Lomax, explained that the interview was arranged without the station’s knowledge. “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,” Lomax wrote. “As a result, Ms. Lawful-Sanders and WURD Radio have mutually agreed to part ways, effective immediately.” The ex-radio host announced her resignation in a video she shared with Facebook followers.

Interestingly, Lawful-Sanders wasn’t the only journalist involved in this controversy. Earl Ingram, a Wisconsin radio host, also admitted to receiving questions from the Biden campaign for a separate interview. Both radio hosts discussed their experiences on CNN’s First of All. Lawful-Sanders revealed, “I got several questions, eight of them, and the four that were chosen were the ones that I approved.” This admission raised questions about the authenticity of the interviews and the Biden campaign’s tactics. CNN host Victor Blackwell suggested the practice undermined efforts to demonstrate the President’s mental acuity.

A radio host who interviewed President Biden Wednesday tells me the White House sent her the questions before the interview. pic.twitter.com/9L6PRaUvgG
— Victor Blackwell CNN (@VictorBlackwell) July 6, 2024

Biden campaign spokesperson Lauren Hitt defended the approach, stating it’s “not at all an uncommon practice for interviewees to share topics they would prefer.” The controversy surrounding these interviews with President Biden and the subsequent radio host’s resignation has led to changes in the Biden campaign’s strategy. They have now decided to discontinue the practice of offering suggested questions to interviewers.”