Jen Psaki admits Biden taking impromptu reporter questions is ‘not something we recommend’
By Brandon Gillespie | Fox News
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White House press secretary Jen Psaki admitted in a CNN podcast published Thursday that President Joe Biden taking impromptu questions from reporters "is not something we recommend."
Psaki made the admission while being interviewed by CNN Senior Political Commentator David Axelrod on his podcast "The Axe Files," and claimed that she, at times, even tells Biden to not take questions from reporters.
The two began discussing the subject when Axelrod asked Psaki about a particular instance when Biden inadvertently ran into CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins at the White House, who proceeded to ask the president if a minimum wage increase to $15 would be included in the coronavirus relief package that was signed into law in March.
Axelrod stated that Biden gave the honest answer that he didn't think the increase would be included in the bill, but him telling that to the reporter must have given Psaki a lot of heartburn and made her ask herself why Biden would be allowed to roll around in the hallways doing impromptu interviews. He then asked Psaki how she managed that.
Psaki laughed off the incident, and explained that it happened after she had already left work and Biden was heading back to his residence. She then claimed that Biden takes questions "nearly every day that he's out in front of the press."
"That is not something we recommend. In fact, a lot of times we say ‘don’t take questions,'" she continued. "But he's going to do what he wants to do because he's the president of the United States."
Psaki then claimed the administration has kept from being distracted by avoiding having Biden do more consistent press conferences in which he would have to answer questions about certain topics. She gave examples of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., impeachment, and Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo. She added that they wanted to focus his time on addressing subjects that they claim the American people care more about, such as the coronavirus pandemic and the economy.
Biden held his first solo press conference on March 25, the 65th day of his term, following heavy criticism from the usually supportive media for not holding one. This marked the longest a president had gone without a news conference after taking office since former President Calvin Coolidge in the 1920s. Biden has also been known to consistently leave announcements, speeches and other events without answering questions from reporters, according to the New York Post.
