White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki snapped at a reporter on Friday after the reporter asked her whether President Joe Biden would make a decision about if the U.S. will participate in the Olympics given that the president had just weighed in on political issues in Georgia and said that he would “strongly support” Major League Baseball essentially boycotting holding the All Star Game and Draft in the state.
“The President had voiced his support for MLB making a decision about the All-Star Game in Georgia,” the reporter said. “I’m wondering, when can we expect a final determination from the President about the United States participating in the Beijing Olympics, given that he said the Chinese President doesn’t have a democratic bone in his body?”
“Well, I think the U.S. Olympic Committee would play a big role in—” Psaki deflected.
“But he’s weighed in on Major League Baseball here in United States,” the reporter responded.
“He actually didn’t,” Psaki claimed. “I think, I don’t know if you heard the, the answer, the question and the answer that happened a few minutes ago where we addressed this, and I answered the question. And I gave you a little more context, but maybe you weren’t paying attention to that part.”
Biden weighed in on Major League Baseball, responding to a question from ESPN this week on whether he would support the league moving the All Star Game and Draft out of the state of Georgia.
“I think today’s professional athletes are acting incredibly responsibly,” Biden said. “I would strongly support them doing that.”
WATCH:
.@RealClearNews's @PhilipWegmann asks Jen Psaki if the Biden White House is so adamant about having MLB move its All-Star Game from Georgia because of the voting law, why aren't they calling for a boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing?!
Psaki did NOT like this question. pic.twitter.com/1GbTxRsmhC
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) April 2, 2021
Psaki’s response drew condemnation from critics.
“This is an absolutely fair question, and Psaki dodging the question by attacking [the reporter] is the exact kind of nonsense that people went after Trump’s press secretaries for,” one commentator wrote online. “Biden willingly went down this rabbit hole with MLB, so the Olympics being in China is a fair question.”
“Jen Psaki’s refusal to answer tells us all we need to know about this White House’s priorities,” another commented.
TRANSCRIPT:
REPORTER: Thank you. I’ll follow up. And then, you know, the President had voiced his support for MLB making a decision about the All-Star Game in Georgia. I’m wondering, when can we expect a final determination from the President about the United States participating in the Beijing Olympics, given that he said the Chinese President doesn’t have a democratic bone in his body?
JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Well, I think the U.S. Olympic Committee would play a big role in —
PSAKI: But he’s weighed in on Major League Baseball here in United States.
PSAKI: He actually didn’t — I think — I don’t know if you heard the — the answer — the question and the answer that happened a few minutes ago where we addressed this, and I answered the question. So — and I gave you a little more context, but maybe you weren’t paying attention to that part.