PSAKI says Biden’s lack of press conferences a problem for MEDIA
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday that President Joe Biden’s lack of official press conferences was more of a media problem than a problem for the American people.
“I think this is more of an issue with the White House press corps … and the DC press, than it is of concern to the American public,” Psaki said in an interview that was part of an event. Live Politico Women Rule.
PSAKI answered a definite “yes” when asked if Vice President Kamala Harris receives more criticism because of her status as a woman of color, and also admitted that one of her hardest lessons in the job came after she mocked Space Force.
Publicist Jen Psaki (right) answered questions from Politico’s Anita Kumar during a live event on Women Rule on Wednesday. She said it was more of a media problem than a problem for the American public that President Joe Biden held so few press conferences.
PSAKI pointed to Biden’s habit of doing more informal Q&As with White House reporters when he travels or at events, arguing that he probably answers more questions that way than in holding formal press conferences.
PSAKI, interviewed by Politico’s Anita Kumar, pushed back against the idea that Biden was in any way shy of the press.
Biden has shunned formal press conferences for more informal Q&As with reporters when he travels or at events.
When he holds a press conference, he usually calls on a predefined list of journalists.
“I would say it’s every journalist’s job to push for more access. It’s their job. And if we granted access every time a journalist asked for an interview or access, we wouldn’t be doing probably not necessarily our job,” PSAki said.
She argued that the debate over press conferences is “misunderstood” because “it’s really about how a president uses his time or how he engages with the media.”
“But it’s just not accurate to suggest he’s unreachable or unresponsive to questions,” she added.
She argued that Biden, at a standard press conference, might only answer 10 to 15 questions, while he answers “20, 30 questions a week,” in the more informal get-togethers.
“President Biden has answered questions twice as often at these events as President Trump has at this point,” Psaki also said.
Kumar asked Psaki about her own professional performance, wondering what she considered her biggest mistake.
She said she regretted mocking Space Force’s weeks in administration.
“I regret being flippant at that time and I don’t think there’s a lot of space and room for flippancy in this room because the issues we’re talking about are so important,” a- she noted.
Bloomberg’s Josh Wingrove asked if the president planned to keep Space Force, the sixth branch of the military, championed by Trump but backed by lawmakers from both political parties.
‘Wow, Space Force. It’s today’s plane,’ she replied – referring to being asked if Biden planned to keep the color scheme Trump wanted for the redesigned Air Force One. .
PSAKI said she regretted making fun of the Space Force during the administration’s first weeks. “It has a funny name, even though their work is very important,” she said on Wednesday.
PSAKI said she wasn’t sure that was her “biggest mistake.”
“But he was the one that stuck with me because I think he had an important lesson. And I hadn’t spent a lot of time thinking about Space Force, clearly at the time, it has a funny in name, even though their work is very important,’ she explained.
“And I kind of gave a fun, flippant response. And the lesson I learned from that is – and I knew it – that there is a huge responsibility in speaking on behalf of the government,” she continued. ‘But even in times when you want to be – you could prank like you’re at dinner – you’re not. You speak on behalf of the US government.
She said that while she knew she didn’t need to be serious every moment, “you have to take every question seriously.”
PSAki also admitted during the interview that she sometimes had trouble controlling her temper in the briefing room.
“I’m Irish,” she said, and “I’m a little hot.”
PSAki also said she was not yet sure when she would end in administration.
She originally signed on to stay for the first year.
PSAKI came to the defense of Vice President Kamala Harris over the weekend and gave a succinct response when asked by Kumar if Harris was getting more criticism because she is the first woman and the first woman of color to occupy the position of vice-president.
“Yes,” replied PSAki.
“Critics from outside. Absolutely, she said after a pause.
“I think it’s been easier and harder for some on the right who have gone after her because she’s the first woman, the first woman of color,” the publicist added.
PSAKI answered a definite ‘yes’ when asked if Vice President Kamala Harris (pictured) receives more criticism because of her status as a woman of color
Psaki said that while it may never be publicly acknowledged, there’s “no doubt” the attacks on Harris are in part because she’s a “many times” first.
“It’s a lot to have on your shoulders,” Psaki said, adding that if Harris is to be seen as “the talented and experienced expert, background politician, partner to the president” that she is, instead of this, some of the attacks are “beyond” – and they are because of his identity.
Kumar wanted to know if those attacks were seeping through and impacting Harris’ approval ratings, which are an all-time low for vice presidents.
“I think we’ve seen, it’s no secret Anita, a drop in approval ratings across the board,” Psaki replied. “We are very sober that there are challenges, real challenges that people go through in this country. We are working to try to fix them.
“All going back to COVID,” she said after listing a number of challenges.
She argued that the president and vice president would be the first to say “the buck stops here.”
And the White House was trying to get the job done and not worry too much about the numbers.
“I hope the polls will follow,” Psaki said.