Revealed: Biden Town Hall Questioners Included Obama Admin Staffer, Wife of Democratic Party Official
Two questioners at the ABC town hall with Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on Thursday had ties to high-profile Democrats.
Although ABC listed his profession as “communications,” Nathan Osburn previously served as a speechwriter for President Barack Obama’s White House, Fox News reported.
“Amy Coney Barrett’s being pushed through at the last minute, even though millions have already voted. So what do you think about ideas from people like Pete Buttigieg and others to put in place safeguards that will help ensure more long-term balance and stability?” Osburn asked Biden.
“And what do you say to LGBTQ Americans and others who are very worried right now about erosions of their rights and our democracy as a whole?”
Biden reversed his previous stance on court packing and told moderator George Stephanopoulos — who served as a communications director for the Bill Clinton White House — that he would take a stand based on how the Republicans handle Barrett’s confirmation.
Osburn worked for the Obama-Biden administration’s Office of Public Affairs at the Commerce Department and at the Small Business Administration.
He was described in The Philadelphia Inquirer as a “former Obama administration speechwriter” and at the LGBTQ-advocacy group Victory Institute as a senior speechwriter for the Small Business Administration.
He also created a “Philly for Pete group” to support former Democratic presidential primary candidate Pete Buttigieg.
The other Democrat-linked questioner was Mieke Haeck, who was presented as a physical therapist from State College, Pennsylvania.
“My youngest daughter is transgender. The Trump administration has attacked the rights of transgender people, banning them from military service, weakening nondiscrimination protections and even removing the word ‘transgender’ from some government websites,” Haeck said.
“How will you as president reverse this dangerous and discriminatory agenda and ensure that the lives and rights of LGBTQ people are protected under U.S. law?”
Biden responded, “I will flat out just change the law.”
Haeck is the wife of Ezra Nanes, a high-profile Pennsylvania Democrat who challenged Republican state Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman in 2018.
Nanes is also an at-large member of the Centre County Democratic Committee.
This is not the first time Democrat-tied questioners have been in attendance at a Biden town hall.
Two “undecided” voters featured during an NBC News town hall on Oct. 5 had declared their support for Biden on MSNBC in August.
“If we get four more years of Trump, good luck, and good luck with the future attracting younger voters,” lawyer Peter Gonzalez said as an MSNBC chyron said he was “voting for Biden.”
Marketing executive Ismael Llano was also identified as “voting for Biden,” but both were “undecided” at NBC’s event.
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