The chaos at the White House press briefing last week was an absolute disgrace. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre allowed the cast of “Ted Lasso” to hijack the briefing and then proceeded to target one reporter for daring to challenge her.
Simon Ateba of Today News Africa had been asking questions for over seven months, but he had yet to receive an answer from Jean-Pierre. It’s no wonder why he was so frustrated and felt the need to make a statement. He accused her of making “a mockery of the First Amendment”.
The press corps was quick to react, yelling at Ateba to stop and apologize. However, Jean-Pierre remained silent and allowed the chaos to escalate. It was only after AP reporter Zeke Miller apologized to her on behalf of the press corps that she finally spoke up, scolding Ateba for his lack of decorum.
And that’s the problem with the Biden Administration’s attitude towards the press. They’re incredibly friendly to the media, allowing them to attend events, ask questions, and even invite Hollywood stars to the White House. But, at the same time, they’re also quick to silence dissent and punish reporters who ask tough questions.
It’s absolutely ridiculous that Jean-Pierre has refused to meet with Ateba until 2024 and it’s even more ridiculous that she’s allowed to pick and choose which reporters she will allow to ask questions. The press corps should be able to ask questions without fear of retribution and the White House should be held to the same standards as any other branch of government.
This administration is all about controlling the narrative, and they have no qualms about using their power to do so. They don’t care about the First Amendment or the American people. They only care about their own agenda and silencing anyone who doesn’t agree with it.
This incident is just another example of the Biden Administration’s disregard for the First Amendment and its attempts to control the narrative. We need to hold them accountable and call them out for their hypocrisy. We can’t allow them to continue to get away with this kind of behavior— It’s time to vote these clowns out.