New York (CNN) 鈥� Radio host Andrea Lawful-Sanders has resigned from WURD Radio after admitting her included questions that were pre-selected by Biden鈥檚 campaign team, the station told CNN Sunday.
鈥淭he interview featured pre-determined questions provided by the White House, which violates our practice of remaining an independent media outlet accountable to our listeners,鈥� Sara Lomax, president and CEO of the Philadelphia-based station, announced on its website. 鈥淎s a result, Ms. Lawful-Sanders and WURD Radio have mutually agreed to part ways, effective immediately.鈥�
WURD is Pennsylvania鈥檚 only Black-owned talk radio station. Lomax said the station prides itself on being an independent, trustworthy voice for its primary audience of Black Philadelphians and that using questions that were provided ahead of time 鈥渏eopardizes that trust and is not a practice that WURD Radio engages in or endorses as a matter of practice or official policy.鈥�
鈥淲URD Radio is not a mouthpiece for the Biden or any other Administration,鈥� she added.
Lawful-Sanders, who hosted 鈥淭he Source,鈥� spoke with Biden last week and asked him four questions about what鈥檚 at stake in this election, his accomplishments, his debate performance and what he would say to hesitant voters. Saturday with CNN鈥檚 Victor Blackwell, she said those questions were part of eight that were recommended to her by Biden aides ahead of the interview.
鈥淭he questions were sent to me for approval. I approved them,鈥� she said.
The move has further inflamed the maelstrom that has been swirling over Biden鈥檚 acuity since his in the first presidential debate, which was hosted by CNN. Biden鈥檚 debate performance has left in frustration and concern amid talk that he should not accept the party鈥檚 nomination.
鈥淚f the White House is trying now to prove the vim, vigor 鈥� of the president, I don鈥檛 know how they do that by sending questions first before the interview so that the president knows what鈥檚 coming,鈥� said Blackwell.
Blackwell pointed out that both Lawful-Sanders and Earl Ingram, host of 鈥淭he Earl Ingram Show鈥� in Milwaukee who also interviewed the president this week, asked Biden 鈥渆ssentially the same questions.鈥�
A Biden campaign spokesperson on Saturday did not deny the campaign provided questions, but said, 鈥淲e do not condition interviews on acceptance of these questions.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 not at all an uncommon practice for interviewees to share topics they would prefer. These questions were relevant to the news of the day 鈥� the president was asked about this debate performance as well as what he鈥檇 delivered for black Americans,鈥� spokesperson Lauren Hitt said in a statement.
The Biden campaign said later Saturday it will no longer suggest questions to interviewers.
鈥淲hile interview hosts have always been free to ask whatever questions they please, moving forward we will refrain from offering suggested questions,鈥� a source familiar with the Biden booking operation told CNN.
The-CNN-Wire
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