White House reporter Jennifer Haberkorn expressed her disappointment with the Joe Biden campaign's reliance on celebrities for publicity, particularly at a recent lavish fundraiser in New York City, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The event, which featured appearances from former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, was preceded by an interview on the SmartLess podcast hosted by actors Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes.
Haberkorn highlighted the disparity in access to President Biden, noting, "Number of times Jason Bateman has done a sit-down interview with President Biden: 2. Nearly every print reporter who covers the White House: 0."
This observation drew attention to the administration's preference for celebrity interactions over engagement with traditional media.
The fundraiser, described as "record-breaking," saw the participation of several other prominent figures, including Stephen Colbert and Lizzo, further emphasizing the star-studded nature of the event.
Criticism of Biden's media accessibility has been ongoing, with concerns raised about his limited engagement with journalists.
The President has been faulted for prioritizing light-hearted interviews over substantive discussions, such as opting for an interview with Colbert instead of the traditional pre-Super Bowl interview.
An article from October 2023 in TheWashington Post highlighted Biden's avoidance of press conferences and limited interactions with major news outlets, contrasting it with his earlier commitments to fostering better media relations post-Trump era.
The piece noted that Biden had granted a sit-down interview solely to the Associated Press'sJosh Boak by that time, although he has since increased his engagement with print reporters.
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This instance is not the first time Biden has guest starred on the SmartLess podcast, having appeared on the show in November 2022.
The latest podcast interview with Obama, Clinton, and Biden stirred further discussion about the administration's media approach.
Haberkorn's observations on Twitter gained traction among her journalistic colleagues, with notable figures like Andrew Feinberg, Grace Segers, Corbin Bolies, Annah Aschbrenner, and Lucas Tomlinson sharing her sentiments.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Biden chose to attend the fundraiser with Obama and Clinton over the wake of murdered NYPD officer Jonathan Diller on Friday.
Ohio Republican Senator J.D. Vance put the blame for Diller's murder on Biden in a recent X post.
He wrote, "Joe Biden has promoted a culture that places criminals above victims and predators over cops. Donald Trump offers a different path. America gets to choose in November."