Joe Biden’s favorite ice cream flavor. Kamala Harris’ oh-so-cool Timberland boots. The Biden family dogs. Playing Mario Kart at Camp David with the Biden grandkids. The president’s early bedtime and fires in the Oval Office fireplace. These are just a handful of the softball topics the corporate media have fawned over since even before Biden took office, a drastic reversal of tone to their antagonistic coverage of the Trump administration.
But the corporate media fan club isn’t enough to keep Biden, Harris, and White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki from repeatedly snapping at the occasional reporter who asks a real question. When topics more substantive than ice cream crop up, Biden often falls back on his defensive “Give me a break,” or worse.
Trump certainly lost patience with the media too, after they repeatedly smeared him and invented scandals, like the one insisting he tear-gassed “peaceful protesters” for a photo op at Lafayette Park when it was actually Democrat D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s police who used tear gas on the crowds. But far from the hostile relationship between the press and the Trump administration, Biden has no reason nor excuse to be so snappy with the media, most of whom continue their one-sided love affair unfazed.
Here are 15 times Biden, Harris, and Psaki couldn’t handle substantive questions and snapped at the messengers instead.
1. ‘120 Days’
Just Monday, President Biden snapped at the media and made a factual gaffe in the same sentence. In response to a reporter’s question at the G7 summit about steel and aluminum sanctions, Biden cut him off with the words, “A hundred and twenty days. Give me a break. Need time.” Actually, Biden has been in office for 25 days more than that.
Joe Biden tells a reporter “I’m gonna get in trouble with my staff,” then says he’s been in office for 120 days.
It’s been 145 days. pic.twitter.com/slPkuGhI5v
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 13, 2021
2. ‘That’s a Hell of a Lie’
On the campaign trail in 2020, a reporter asked about the president’s son Hunter and his shady business dealings “There is no controversy about my son!” Biden snapped. “That’s a hell of a lie!”
https://twitter.com/AndrewSolender/status/1320149216761683969
3. ‘Only You Would Ask That’
When Fox News’ Peter Doocy asked Biden in 2019 about revelations that scandal-plagued Hunter had a child he’d previously denied, Biden told him, “Only you would ask that.”
“You’re a good man. Classy,” Biden added with a sarcastic smile.
Doocy: Mr. Vice President I’m wondering if you have a comment on this report & court filing out of AR that your son Hunter just made you a Grandfather again.
Biden: No that’s a private matter I have no comment. But only you would ask that. You're a good man, good man. Classy. pic.twitter.com/FwV2sJNuHK
— Pat Ward (@WardDPatrick) November 22, 2019
4. ‘You’re Getting Nervous, Man’
CBS reporter Ed O’Keefe asked candidate Biden why he wouldn’t accept an apology from Sen. Bernie Sanders over an op-ed by a Sanders supporter accusing Biden of corruption. Turning to face O’Keefe and reaching for his shoulders, Biden bizarrely snapped “Why why why why why why why!” in the reporter’s face. “You’re getting nervous, man, calm down,” he continued.
5. ‘I’m Not Going To Negotiate With You On That’
On Biden’s “infrastructure” plan, CNN reporter Jeremy Diamond asked, “Where is the room for negotiations with Republicans? What parts of your plan are you willing to do away with, given the definition of infrastructure here is so different?”
Placing a patronizing hand on the reporter’s shoulder, Biden retorted with an awkward laugh, “I’m not going to negotiate with you on that.”
President Biden says, "Well, I'm not gonna negotiate with you on that" to CNN's @JDiamond1 when asked about his willingness to compromise on the infrastructure bill. pic.twitter.com/uInXERdOpY
— The Recount (@therecount) April 5, 2021
6. ‘I’m Worried About You’
When a reporter questioned the president why he continued to wear a mask after being vaccinated, Biden responded, “because I’m worried about you.” After an awkward silence, he quickly added, “It’s a joke, it’s a joke.”
A reporter just called out Biden for wearing a mask after being vaccinated and around others who are vaccinated.
Biden's flustered response: "Because I'm worried about you— no, it's a joke. It's a joke." pic.twitter.com/1Uv8HGcKqG
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) May 7, 2021
7. ‘You’re Not Telling The Truth Here’
Univision’s Jorge Ramos interviewed Biden about the Obama administration’s policies of putting minors who cross the border unaccompanied into what the press called “cages” under Trump.
“Many people would say they were cages,” Ramos noted of the facilities. “Look, you know you’re not telling the truth here about the comparison of the two things,” Biden snapped back.
BREAKING: Joe Biden admits that he and President Obama locked migrant children in cages inside DHS detention facilities at the border.
Biden said they did it to “Keep kids safe.”
I’ve been reporting this for years.
FACT: Obama locked kids in cageshttps://t.co/nvborp5WKW
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) February 15, 2020
8. ‘Right Up Your Alley’
After CBS reporter Bo Erickson asked for Biden’s response to The New York Post’s revelations of incriminating emails on Hunter Biden’s laptop, Biden called it “another smear campaign,” and snapped at Erickson: “Right up your alley, those are the questions you always ask.”
I asked Joe Biden: What is your response to the NYPost story about your son, sir?
He called it a “smear campaign” and then went after me. “I know you’d ask it. I have no response, it’s another smear campaign, right up your alley, those are the questions you always ask.” pic.twitter.com/Eo6VD4TqxD
— Bo Erickson CBS (@BoKnowsNews) October 17, 2020
9. ‘Why Are You the Only Guy that Always Shouts out Questions’
After Erickson asked Biden whether he would “encourage teachers’ unions to cooperate more to bring kids back to classrooms,” Biden snapped at Erickson again. “Why are you the only guy that always shouts out questions?” the president responded.
VIDEO – Joe Biden to CBS’s Bo Erickson: ‘Why Are You the Only Guy that Always Shouts out Questions?’ https://t.co/1TXoGQoiib
— Grabien (@GrabienMedia) November 23, 2020
10. ‘Give Me a Break’
Biden is well-known for the phrase “give me a break,” but it was particularly notable when he used it to snap at reporters on only his second day in office. When asked whether his administration’s vaccine goals were high enough, the new president retorted, “When I announced it, you guys said it was not possible. Come on, give me a break, man.”
In reality, corporate media outlets called vaccine goals impossible under the Trump administration. By the time Biden entered office — with the vaccine rollout already well established by Trump — CNN senior medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta called Biden’s vaccine goal “very doable.” Even the reporter’s question asking if Biden’s goal was “high enough” reflects the change in the media’s attitude.
President Biden replies "give me a break, man" to a reporter asking about vaccine rollout pic.twitter.com/o3SGC1UxBk
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) January 21, 2021
It’s not just Biden snapping at the media. Vice President Kamala Harris was criticized recently for her numerous instances of snapping at questions about her failure to visit the U.S.-Mexico border amid an ongoing illegal immigration crisis.
11. ‘I Haven’t Been To Europe’
When NBC’s Lester Holt asked if she had future plans to visit the border, noting she hadn’t yet been, Harris snapped, “And I haven’t been to Europe.” Biden assigned charge of the border crisis to Harris in March. Meanwhile, apprehensions of migrants trying to cross the border illegally are breaking record highs.
.@LesterHoltNBC in NBC News Exclusive: “You haven’t been to the border.”
Vice President Kamala Harris: “And I haven’t been to Europe.” pic.twitter.com/ryjkhb69GX
— The Recount (@therecount) June 8, 2021
12. ‘I’ve Been to the Border and I Will Go Again’
Just days after snapping at Holt, Harris lashed out again in response to questions about the border crisis. “Why not go to the border as well?” a reporter asked the vice president in Mexico City. “Listen, I’ve been to the border before and I’ll go again,” Harris said with her trademark laugh.
Kamala Harris on the border crisis: "As with any intractable issue, we cannot be simplistic and assume that there is only one element or way of approaching the overall problem … I've been to the border before, and I will go again." pic.twitter.com/qW89iS00rm
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) June 8, 2021
13. ‘I’m Not Finished’
When Univision’s Ilia Calderon asked Harris when she was going to the border, she snapped, “I’m not finished.”
“I’m not finished!”
Another cringeworthy answer from Kamala about whether she will go to the border… pic.twitter.com/7VcPxLnMHr
— Kayleigh McEnany (@kayleighmcenany) June 11, 2021
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki is clearly taking cues on how to treat the press from her bosses, running up her own tally of snappy responses.
14. ‘The VP Is Allowed to Get a Snack’
When the New York Post’s Steven Nelson asked Psaki why Harris took time to visit a Chicago bakery instead of going to the border, Psaki retorted, “She got a snack. I think she’s allowed to do that.”
Reporter: VP Harris was seen at a bakery in Chicago, is she still working on immigration?
Psaki: ‘The VP was visiting Chicago to talk about COVID … while she was there, like many Americans, she got a snack. I think she’s allowed to do that.’ pic.twitter.com/x0WD6WPFVf
— NowThis Impact (@nowthisimpact) April 8, 2021
15. ‘I Don’t Appreciate The Putting Words In My Mouth’
Politico’s Anita Kumar asked Psaki about the administration’s policy toward China during a briefing in February. “That sounds a lot like the strategy is not to talk to [Xi Jinping] at this time because you’re talking about speaking to allies and making other calls first. Have they requested a call?” Kumar asked. “I don’t have anything more for you … I don’t appreciate the putting words in my mouth,” Psaki retorted.
Jen Psaki: ‘I don’t appreciate the putting words in my mouth’ pic.twitter.com/6uONysc1ME
— NowThis Impact (@nowthisimpact) February 7, 2021