The former White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, has some unique suggestions for her former boss, President Joe Biden, who is currently struggling to pull ahead of his predecessor, Donald Trump, in the polls. Despite the relentless barrage of politically motivated prosecution efforts against him, Biden seems to be losing ground to Trump, and Psaki’s words of advice may hold some valuable insight.
During an appearance on ABC’s “The View,” Psaki defended Biden’s constant avoidance of the press, suggesting that he should instead appear on friendlier platforms that would be less likely to hold his feet to the fire. One of the hosts pointed out that Biden has “held the fewest interviews and press availability of any president since Reagan” and asked Psaki what her advice would be in terms of his accessibility to the press.
Psaki responded, stating that there are plenty of choices when it comes to which outlets he should do interviews with. She then suggested that Biden should make appearances on shows like “The View,” and others that might allow him to reach a larger audience. She even went as far as defending his avoidance of the media, claiming that he should do more interviews with platforms like The View, Howard Stern, and Smartless, where he could discuss policies without being faced with tough questions.
Jen Psaki on Biden avoiding the press:
“So if you’re in the White House, you’re not thinking about, ‘Am I checking the box on doing the most interviews?’ You’re thinking about, ‘Am I doing the most I can to communicate my message to the American people?'” pic.twitter.com/d8k80KqG9v
— Jeff Charles, An Awful Pundit🏴 (@jeffcharlesjr) May 6, 2024
Biden’s lack of press conferences and his tendency to shy away from reporters who may ask difficult questions has been a recurring issue throughout his first term in office. This problem has been pointed out by various media outlets, including The New York Times, a publication that has been known to act as a mouthpiece for the Biden administration. Despite their loyalty, the Times issued a statement blasting the president for his lack of transparency and for avoiding questions from independent journalists.
The Times’ statement further emphasizes that a free press is crucial for the functioning of a democracy, and it’s concerning that the president of the United States has been actively avoiding the media while in office. Psaki herself has been questioned about this issue when she was working as the press secretary. During an interview on CNN, she was asked about Biden’s avoidance of press conferences. In response, she defended him and stated that he takes questions “nearly every day that he’s out in front of the press.”
She also explained that this was not something they recommend because the administration wants to avoid distracting the president with questions about issues like Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, impeachment, and Representative Liz Cheney. According to Psaki, they prefer to focus Biden’s time on addressing matters of more substantial importance, such as the pandemic and the economy.
Biden’s Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Biden taking questions: “that is not something we recommend” pic.twitter.com/sHp4wDrH86
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) May 6, 2021
It’s no secret that Biden’s team has been keen on keeping him away from the press, and Psaki’s words only reinforce this notion. It’s clear that they are well aware of the repercussions of having Biden engage with the media regularly, as it would inevitably result in him showcasing his apparent age issues and cognitive decline. Thus, it makes sense that they would want to limit his exposure and control the narrative whenever possible.
It remains to be seen if Biden will take Psaki’s advice and appear on more friendly platforms to communicate his message to the American people. Only time will tell if this strategy will prove successful in improving his standing in the polls. Despite the criticism and concerns raised about Biden’s accessibility to the press, it’s evident that the administration has chosen to prioritize other matters over scheduling more press conferences. Whether this approach will have any long-lasting consequences on Biden’s presidency is yet to be seen.
