President Biden’s team knows that their honeymoon in the national media is coming to an end, so they are preparing to speak directly to the American people through local reporters and avoid distractions with their anti-Trump approach to ignoring Twitter.
Why does it matter: The White House controlled the narrative for the first 12 days with daily themes and choreographed executive orders, but its communicators know they must be innovative as the press intensifies its independent scrutiny and tries to sell initiatives like a coronavirus relief package.
- “It will get more difficult,” said Pili Tobar, deputy director of communications for the White House. “Discipline is the name of the game.”
The strategy: Vice President Kamala Harris inaugurated an approach last week, giving interviews to newspapers and TV stations in West Virginia and Arizona. These are two states where Biden will need the votes of Democratic senators to approve his $ 1.9 trillion aid project in COVID.
- But that end is fraught with risks and may have backfired in West Virginia. Senator Joe Manchin told a local station, “This is not a way for us to work together.”
Biden officials also plan to create more of their own content and relive a version of “West Wing Week”, a series of behind-the-scenes videos produced by the Obama White House.
- White House press secretary Jen Psaki has already answered questions presented by the public and followed by a team from “The Circus”, a cable program popular with politicians.
- There are additional plans for disclosure via Skype, YouTube and Twitter.
- “We are going to have fun with some of the old traditions,” said Kate Berner, also deputy director of communications for the White House.
Message management: The White House is being especially careful with its most valuable communication currency: Biden’s own pronouncements.
- The advisers spent that capital by placing the president at the center of the stage to sign executive orders and comment on the day’s story. This provides new images and catchphrases for the network’s evening news.
- They save him by limiting Biden’s exposure to journalists. The president answered questions from only five shortlisted reporters on Monday, but Biden himself called Fox News’ Peter Doocy and also made some news comments to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins after she met him in a corridor at west wing.
Between the lines: Psaki did not take the reporters’ bait in the instruction room when they asked questions about Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) Controversial statements.
- Psaki said he did not want to “raise conspiracy theories”.
- Berner added: “We haven’t lost our minds over what is happening on Twitter or what the press is asking the Lower Press (at the White House).”