President Biden's recent interview with liberal radio talk show host Howard Stern and other selective interviews have sparked concerns from media outlets about his avoidance of accountability and rigorous questioning.
President Biden's plea to the media at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, urging them to "rise up to the seriousness of the moment" and take former President Trump's rhetoric seriously, has been met with mixed reactions. While some media outlets have echoed Biden's call for a more responsible approach to reporting, others have criticized the president for not living up to his own standards in terms of media engagement.
One of the most notable recent examples of Biden's selective media interactions is his interview with Howard Stern, a liberal radio talk show host known for his shock jock past and unwavering support for Biden. During the interview, Stern praised Biden profusely and avoided asking tough questions, while Biden engaged in storytelling and made questionable claims. This interview has been seen as a snub to The New York Times, which has been publicly critical of Biden for avoiding interviews with independent journalists.
In a blistering statement, The Times accused Biden of "systematically avoiding interviews and questions from major news organizations," establishing a "dangerous precedent" for future presidents. The statement also highlighted the president's lack of press conferences and sit-down interviews compared to his predecessors.
The Times' criticism is not isolated. Other media outlets have expressed concern over Biden's interview choices, which have largely favored friendly outlets or interviews where he faces little scrutiny. Biden has granted interviews to local news outlets on the campaign trail, but these often generate less attention than high-profile interviews on national platforms.
Biden's avoidance of adversarial interviews has led to a series of friendly interviews with individuals like "Late Night" host Seth Meyers, liberal MSNBC host Jonathan Capehart, and Hollywood allies Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett. This pattern has raised questions about Biden's willingness to engage in rigorous questioning and his commitment to transparency and accountability.
Earlier this year, Biden skipped the traditional pre-Super Bowl interview with CBS, following a similar decision the previous year with Fox News. These moves have further fueled concerns about the president's media accessibility.
In contrast to Biden's interviews, his running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris, has engaged in interviews with both friendly and adversarial outlets. She has addressed topics like criticism of her laughter and her role as a "Momala" to her husband's children.
Biden's selective media engagements have drawn comparisons to the adversarial interviews he faced with PBS NewsHour's Judy Woodruff and ABC's David Muir over his classified documents scandal. Since then, his interviews have largely been with friendly outlets or those that avoided tough questioning.
The president's avoidance of scrutiny and rigorous questioning raises concerns about his commitment to transparency and accountability. It also sets a precedent for future presidents who may seek to avoid critical media coverage. Whether Biden heeds the media's calls to "rise up to the seriousness of the moment" remains to be seen.
