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At its first convention on the author’s economy, Biden’s leadership paid tribute to social media authors. The president hailed them as a “breakthrough in the way we communicate. “
By Sapna Maheshwari
Report from Washington
As soon as President Biden walked into the Indian treaty room in front of the White House on Wednesday, smartphones flew away. Dozens of social media influencers and others who paint with them stood up almost in unison to capture the moment.
Biden turned his back. He then took out his own phone to take selfies with them, before making comments about how the creators represented the future of communication.
“I have several grandchildren and, with all due respect, they do not read the same newspapers or watch the same television as me,” he said. “Everyone pays attention to you. “
Biden seemed to relish the opportunity to engage with influencers, joking that he sought them out to assign him a task and forcing his aides to argue with the organization even after he was scheduled to leave. When a TikTok star known for her videos about taxes took the bar up and asked the Commander in Chief to do the celebratory “Dougie” dance with him, Biden agreed, a moment that, of course, was posted online a few hours later.
Biden’s appearance was part of the first White House conference focused on literary economics. The occasion was a cornerstone of the administration’s efforts to court and celebrate virtual authors as a way to speak directly to Americans in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.
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