Biden waited long to address the mysterious flying objects. Now we know why | Margaret Sullivan

The president's short address didn't do anyone - including himself - much good, as it shed little light on what was going on

After weeks of speculation about a Chinese spy balloon and other weird things in the skies over North America, President Joe Biden on Thursday did what he had to do.

He finally talked about the subject in a formal setting - a brief address to the nation from the White House.

Margaret Sullivan is a Guardian US columnist writing on media, politics and culture