Michael LaRosa, former press secretary for first lady Jill Biden, blasted the White House communications team for their portrayal of President Biden's recent performance at a NATO press conference, describing it as living in an "alternate universe."

LaRosa's critique comes in the wake of a post by senior deputy press secretary Andrew Bates, who commended President Biden's performance at the make-or-break event, sparking a debate among Democrats and conservatives, as Fox News reports.

LaRosa Takes to X to Criticize White House Team

On Thursday night, LaRosa voiced his criticisms on X, formerly known as Twitter. His comments were in response to Republican communicator Sarah Matthews' critique of Andrew Bates.

Matthews had targeted Bates for lauding President Biden's appearance at the NATO press conference held on the same night. Bates had posted a statement: "No, Joe Biden does not have a doctorate in foreign affairs. He’s just that f---ing good."

In her response, Matthews criticized Bates for using inappropriate language from an official White House account, stating it was "beneath the office."

A Divided Democratic Party on Biden’s Performance

LaRosa highlighted a division within the Democratic Party regarding Biden's performance. He stressed the need for Democrats to separate rhetoric from reality.

"There are two different versions of reality in my party right now," LaRosa said. "The below is an alternate universe that MOST of us Dems are NOT actually living in."

He noted that many Democrats are looking for more than just "being coherent" in Biden's "first big boy press conference" of 2024 and criticized Bates' standards as "pretty 'f---ing' terrifying."

Balancing Rhetoric and Reality

LaRosa emphasized the disconnect between Democrat leaders' perceptions and general party sentiments. He pointed out that "everyone evaluated POTUS's performance based on how they wanted to feel or how they already felt about the situation."

He also commended Andrew Bates’ enthusiasm, acknowledging it stems from his role to support his superior. "But for those of us in the party and outside the White House now, it's our responsibility to decipher the rhetoric from the reality," he added.

LaRosa acknowledged Biden’s familiarity with complex domestic and foreign policies. "No one has ever questioned or doubted Joe Biden's command of complex and nuanced domestic or foreign policy."

Concerns Over Biden's Presentation and Agility

Despite these strengths, LaRosa emphasized concerns from Democrats about Biden’s presentation. "The bar the President hasn’t been able to clear and the reason why Democrats in Congress are anxious is because they feel he hasn't met or cleared the bar for matters of presentation, agility, and sharpness," he stated.

Furthermore, LaRosa underscored Biden's extensive experience in foreign relations and negotiations, expressing worry that staff may be setting low standards. "We're not giving him enough credit when we create standards that are frankly beneath him," he highlighted.

Conservative critics on social media also lambasted Bates' post, referencing a recent slip-up by Biden. Abigail Jackson commented, "Dude he confused Harris and Trump right after he mixed up Zelensky and Putin."

Broader Political Implications

LaRosa's comments reflect broader political implications within the party. He elaborated, "In moments of political crisis, there need to be folks on the outside who can put the kool-aid aside for a bit and drink some water."

Other reactions also pointed to a significant disconnect. Steve Guest remarked, "Literally no one is asking that question right now." Similarly, Josh Barro questioned, "The question on my mind is what’s wrong with these people."

LaRosa concluded by acknowledging Bates' talent, "Andrew's exuberance, which is what Sarah was responding to, is an example of the division within the Democratic Party right now, unfortunately."

Bates' Role and Democratic Party's Reality

Reflecting on Bates' responsibilities, LaRosa stated, "That's Andrew's job — and he's very good at it. His whole purpose is to drink the kool-aid surrounding the boss and make sure everyone else is gulping down too."

He continued to emphasize that discerning the truth from the rhetoric is crucial for party unity and effectiveness, particularly in times of political crisis.

To summarize, LaRosa's candid remarks have sparked significant discourse within the Democratic Party and made clear his concerns about both internal party dynamics and the portrayal of the President’s capabilities.