Reporter asks Jen Psaki about President Biden’s lack of TV interviews
A reporter asked the White House press secretary about the president’s lack of local television interviews after Psaki told the press Biden would do more Q&A following the passing of the infrastructure bill.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki was challenged Thursday over claims President Biden would regularly grant local TV interviews following passage of his infrastructure bill.
As one reporter pointed out at Thursday's press briefing, Biden has only granted one local TV hit since the Nov. 6 vote. Cincinnati's Local 12 nabbed the president for an interview on Nov. 8, his first local TV interview more than 10 months into his administration.
"You said one of the things the president is doing is local TV interviews – I think he's only done one so far," the reporter said to Psaki on Thursday.
"Yes," Psaki said.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaks about the Biden administration's plan to fight COVID-19 in Washington on Dec. 2, 2021. (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)
The journalist wondered if Americans would start to see his face more on local TV in the next couple of weeks. Psaki couldn't say, arguing the president's packed schedule was to blame.
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"I would very much like that to happen," Psaki said. "We are always competing with time on the schedule. I'm going to be honest, his schedule has been quite packed. But he would like to do it. We would like to get it on the schedule. So, I don't have anything to predict or preview for you at this point and time, but hopefully, we will be able to add some local interviews in the next couple of weeks."
White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaks during the daily press briefing at the White House on Nov. 12, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Biden has frequently exited the podium after speeches and remarks without taking any questions, including when he's addressed Afghanistan, poor jobs reports, or the Democrats' reconciliation bill and what it would mean for the U.S. economy.
But some White House press have begun to start sharing their frustration with the administration, as evidenced by Thursday's exchange and last week when CBS News Radio correspondent Steven Portnoy shouted at Biden following his speech on the economy ahead of Thanksigivng. Portnoy was hoping to get information on Biden's recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
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"When are you going to answer our questions, sir?" Portnoy asked as Biden left the room.
President Joe Biden announces the release of 50 million barrels of oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve on Nov. 23, 2021. (REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein)