Psaki Refuses to Say Which Officials Attended Testing Meeting, Snaps “I Just Answered Your Question” When Pressed

On 1/18/2022, Press Secretary Jen Psaki refused to reveal which administration officials attended an October meeting where health experts proposed mass-distributing COVID tests to homes before Christmas — a plan that was rejected. Psaki snapped at the reporter, saying “I think I just answered your question, which you may not have been listening.” She also confirmed Biden “stands by” his speech comparing opponents to George Wallace and Bull Connor, and refused to release visitor logs from Biden’s Delaware residence despite the president spending a quarter of his first year there.

The October Meeting That Could Have Prevented the Testing Crisis

A reporter cited a Vanity Fair report revealing that on October 22, 2021, health experts from Harvard and the Rockefeller Foundation proposed a plan on a Zoom call with administration officials to mass-distribute coronavirus tests to homes before Christmas to prevent a winter surge. Three days later, the idea was killed.

“Which administration officials attended that October 22nd meeting? For example, did Doctors Fauci and Walensky participate, and was President Biden personally briefed at the time on that recommendation before it was passed over?” the reporter asked.

Psaki deflected. “We’ve done a lot of what was discussed in that meeting, including massively expanding our testing program and capacity,” she said. “The issue at the time was that the market had not expanded enough to at that moment in time be able to launch the website we’re launching tomorrow.”

The reporter pressed again for names. Psaki snapped: “I think I just answered your question, which you may not have been listening. Maybe you were waiting to read your next question, which is fine.”

“I hear what you’re saying, but that’s not the question I asked,” the reporter replied. “I didn’t get the answers there, but I’ll move on to another one.”

A Quarter of His Presidency in Delaware

The reporter then raised a sensitive transparency issue. Data showed Biden had spent at least part of a quarter of his days as president in Delaware. “Will the White House be reconsidering the decision not to release visitor log information from his Delaware residences?” the reporter asked.

Psaki defended Biden’s Delaware trips. “The President goes to Delaware because it’s his home. It’s also where his son and his former wife are buried,” she said. She noted the administration released White House visitor logs — “a step further than the prior administration” — but made no commitment to extend that transparency to Delaware.

Biden “Stands By” Comparing Opponents to Segregationists

A reporter asked whether Biden’s divisive Atlanta speech — comparing opponents of voting rights bills to George Wallace, Bull Connor, and Jefferson Davis — was “too aggressive or divisive” and whether the rhetoric was “conducive to getting folks who are opposed on board.”

Psaki defended every word. “The president delivered a powerful speech about the protection of people’s fundamental rights,” she said. “It was not a partisan speech. He stands by everything he said in that speech.”

FAA and 5G Crisis

The briefing also addressed an impending crisis over 5G wireless deployment near airports. Airlines had warned that if the president did not intervene, “the nation’s commerce will grind to a halt” and “the vast majority of the traveling and shipping public will essentially be grounded.”

Psaki acknowledged the stakes but focused on a solution. “If there are hundreds or thousands of flights that are grounded, that means not just disruptions to passenger travel, that also means cargo operations,” she said. When asked whether the FAA had “dropped the ball” by having two years to plan, Psaki said: “There’ll be lots of time to look back and see how we got here.”

Biden’s One-Year Assessment

With Biden’s first anniversary approaching amid stalled legislation, surging COVID, and 40-year-high inflation, a reporter asked for an honest assessment. Psaki framed it as fighting for ambitious goals. “His view is that it’s never a good idea not to shoot for the moon with what your proposals are,” she said. “Sometimes, oftentimes, you don’t get everything done in the first year.”

A news recap summarized the state of play: “His push to change Senate rules — dead. Build Back Better — at best stalled. Vaccine mandate for big businesses — blocked. Consumer prices — soaring. COVID hospitalizations — surging. COVID tests and treatments — in short supply.”

Key Takeaways

Psaki refused to name which officials attended an October meeting where experts proposed mass-distributing tests before Christmas, snapping at the reporter: “Maybe you were waiting to read your next question.”
Biden spent a quarter of his first year in Delaware; the White House refused to release visitor logs from his residences there.
Psaki said Biden “stands by everything he said” in his Atlanta speech comparing voting rights opponents to George Wallace, Bull Connor, and Jefferson Davis.
Airlines warned of commerce grinding to a halt over 5G deployment near airports; Psaki said the FAA “had two years” to plan but focused on finding a near-term solution.
At his one-year mark, Biden faced stalled legislation, blocked mandates, record inflation, surging COVID, and testing shortages.

Transcript Highlights

The following is transcribed from the video audio (unverified — AI-generated from audio).

Which administration officials attended that October 22nd meeting? Was President Biden personally briefed? I think I just answered your question, which you may not have been listening.
The President goes to Delaware because it’s his home. It’s also where his son and his former wife are buried.
He stands by everything he said in that speech.
The nation’s commerce will grind to a halt. The vast majority of the traveling and shipping public will essentially be grounded.
It’s never a good idea not to shoot for the moon with what your proposals are. Sometimes you don’t get everything done in the first year.
I didn’t get the answers there, but I’ll move on to another one.

Full transcript: 1698 words transcribed via Whisper AI.