It happened again on Monday. Mr. Biden appeared alongside Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to brief reporters on new efforts to force airlines to compensate passengers when a flight is canceled. As soon as his remarks ended, Mr. Biden turned and walked off, ignoring questions from reporters. This comes after the president claimed Friday that he was doing a “major press conference” that evening. In reality, he was doing an MSNBC interview.

Taking questions from the media promotes public accountability. It also shows that the president is willing to defend his positions and instills confidence that he can do the job. It is widely known that Mr. Biden is gaffe-prone and that news conferences are not his forte. But as he runs for a second term, he should be eager to show he can handle all aspects of the job.

Pick up the microphone, Mr. President. The media is not your enemy.

[No kidding. At the moment, it’s practically the only asset Biden has in his grasp. It’s hard to recall another modern president who got the cover Biden gets from today’s media outlets. They’re not getting much in trade for the surrender of their credibility and dignity, eh? — Ed]