‘Any Regret Over It?’: White House Grilled On Shielding Biden From Impromptu Events

2 months ago

‘Any Regret Over It?’: Reporter Grills Karine Jean-Pierre On WH Sheilding Biden From Impromptu Events

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Transcript

00:00We've seen some real anger expressed by donors and Democratic officials sort of how you guys

00:07have handled the President, shielding him away from impromptu settings and denying until

00:13last week that there had really been any age-related slippage.

00:17So I'm wondering if you guys have had a moment to reflect on that strategy, any regret over

00:21it and what you would say to folks who think it's arrogant for there not to be either changes

00:28towards that strategy or with some of the personnel that are around the President?

00:32And you're talking about the strategy specifically about who's around the President?

00:35Is that what you're thinking?

00:36Well, I think it's two parts, right?

00:38One is a kind of small, concentrated group of aides that have been with the President

00:42for a very long time and the other is sort of systematic decisions to shield the President

00:47from the impromptu moments that we've seen in previous administrations, whether it's

00:52press conferences or interviews or, you know, just being out in the public more frequently.

00:57I mean, look, a couple things there, too.

01:02This year the President has done more than 40 interviews and unscripted, right?

01:08Those interviews are unscripted.

01:10He has done more than 500 gaggles, right, of course, unscripted, talking directly to

01:16many of you.

01:17Let me just finish.

01:21And so he enjoys doing that, he enjoys engaging with all of you, and we're going to continue

01:27making sure that happens.

01:30I will say this, obviously this is a President that was a Senator for 36 years, he was a

01:36Vice President, as you all know, I'm just repeating things that you all know, for eight

01:39years, and so he has long-time advisors that have been here with him for a long time.

01:47I don't think that's unusual.

01:49He also has people who are new to the administration that also advise him.

01:56Look, I've been in meetings with the President where it's been a diverse group of people,

02:00and he sees us and he knows the reason why we're sitting in front of him is that we have

02:05something to share, and he wants to hear from all of us.

02:08I've heard him say, hey, what do you think?

02:11What do you think?

02:13And so my experience has been that that world is indeed open, and that he does get to hear

02:22from a diverse group of people.

02:23That has been my experience, but it is not unusual for someone who has been around for

02:31that long of time to have a group of people that's been around him for a minute, right?

02:38And I think that makes sense.

02:39There's nothing about that that is nonsensical, that actually makes sense, and we're going

02:44to continue to get him out in front of all of you to take your questions at a steady

02:51drumbeat.

02:52I have two questions.

02:53One is just a logistical one, which is you mentioned the press conference.

02:54Yeah.

02:55Is that going to be kind of the real big boy press conference?

02:56Did you say big boy press conference?

02:57Like one of these two and twos that might be a little more limited.

03:07So I believe, and I know you guys are holding me to it, I believe it's a solo press conference.

03:11We'll certainly have more to share with all of you as we get closer to next week.

03:16More thematically.

03:17We support the big boy press conference.

03:21Big boy Justin over here is asking some big boy questions.

03:24Okay.

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‘Any Regret Over It?’: White House Grilled On Shielding Biden From Impromptu Events

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