CNN’s Brian Stelter was faced backlash for what appeared to be a softball interview with White House press secretary Jen Psaki, in which his first question focused on what the media “gets wrong” in covering the Biden White House.
Stelter began the interview with, “The White House press secretary faces some unique challenges. Busy summer ahead – infrastructure, election reform.”
“What does the press get wrong when covering Biden’s agenda? When you watch the news, when you read the news, what do you think we get wrong?” he asked.
“Some of our muscles have atrophied,” Psaki responded, suggesting that the media may have forgotten the amount of time it takes to get legislation passed when criticizing the administration.
“I don’t know if that’s the press getting it wrong,” Psaki continued. “I’ll leave you to the critique of that, Brian.”
Newsbusters news analyst Nicholas Fondacaro accused Stelter’s opening questions of “bootlicking.”
Bootlicking: On Today's so-called "Reliable Sources," CNN's Brian Stelter begins his interview with WH Press Sec. Jen Psaki by asking her "what does the press get wrong?" He then follows up by asking her about her feelings, noting that she seems frustrated sometimes. pic.twitter.com/n7hBojQQl4
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) June 6, 2021
What a subservient, obsequious question for anyone in media to be earnestly asking the President’s mouthpiece. @brianstelter can’t wait to grovel before Democrats when he wakes up in the morning. https://t.co/Q7BUrVKeNn
— Erik Soderstrom (@soderstrom) June 6, 2021
Our corrupt media are absolutely nothing more than propagandists and should be treated as such. https://t.co/qwxAz40Eyj
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) June 6, 2021
Later on during the interview, Stelter asked Psaki to offer more advice for journalists, urging her to share guidance for reporters “to stay close to the truth in this world of lies.”
Several other biased questions included, “Five months in, do you feel like that you’ve made any progress with … defeating the lies?” and “Given the craziness we’re seeing from the GOP, what kind of country is this going to be?”
The hardest-hitting question Stelter asked Psaki by far was why President Biden hasn’t held more than one solo press conference, which Psaki scooted past, noting that he “takes questions several times a week.”
Biden has only held a single formal press conference since taking office in January. @PressSec won't commit to more. "He takes questions several times a week" in less formal settings, she notes pic.twitter.com/SiUeTdv7O6
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) June 6, 2021
Once again, pressing issues that were notably absent were questions about Biden’s ongoing border crisis and the White House’s continued blind trust in chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci despite his new email controversy.