The role of the White House press secretary is undeniably challenging, as they’re tasked with managing media coverage and protecting the president from negative publicity. History has shown that press secretaries often have to spin unpleasant situations to keep up appearances.
Take, for example, Richard Nixon’s press secretary, Ron Ziegler, who had the unenviable job of deflecting questions about Watergate and the Vietnam War. Ziegler’s attempts to cover up the truth were far from subtle, and he’s now remembered for his questionable statements.
Fast forward to the present day, and the Biden administration’s press secretaries, Karine Jean-Pierre and her predecessor Jen Psaki, face a different kind of challenge: shielding President Joe Biden from answering questions in a formal setting. Despite the fact that Biden held a mere nine presidential news conferences in his first year, Jean-Pierre insists that the president is not being protected from the press.
When confronted about the lack of formal interaction, Jean-Pierre defended the president by stating he answers “shouted questions.” While it’s true that Biden has taken impromptu questions on several occasions, this doesn’t excuse the lack of formal press conferences. The press secretary’s response was met with groans from the reporters in the room, signaling their frustration with the situation.
What’s more concerning is that Jean-Pierre’s attempts to explain away Biden’s media avoidance aren’t the worst example of press secretaries deflecting on this issue. That dubious honor goes to Jen Psaki, who once claimed that Biden didn’t take questions during a joint appearance with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi because the media didn’t discuss the topics he wanted to address.
The avoidance of formal press conferences is a worrying trend in the Biden administration, especially when considering the importance of transparency and open dialogue between the president and the media. Twitter users have also expressed their disappointment with Jean-Pierre’s response, revealing that the public is far from satisfied with the situation.
The job of a press secretary is difficult, but the lack of transparency in the Biden White House only makes things worse. With press secretaries resorting to weak excuses to justify the president’s media avoidance, it’s clear that more needs to be done to ensure that the American people receive the information they deserve. Otherwise, the Biden administration risks following in the footsteps of its predecessors, with press secretaries remembered for their obfuscations and embarrassing moments rather than for promoting transparency and open dialogue.
