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White House Press Secretary Scolds Journo for ‘Inappropriate’ Biden Remark

After an NBC News reporter invited the president to come tell the media of his intention to stay in the race himself, another journalist jumped in to quip, “If he’s awake.”

A reporter was reprimanded by a colleague and White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Wednesday for quipping that President Joe Biden might be able to address the media “if he’s awake.” The journalist’s crack came after Kelly O’Donnell, a political reporter for NBC News who also serves as the president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, asked Jean-Pierre about Biden’s intention to remain in the race. “You’re saying he’s absolutely running?” O’Donnell asked. After Jean-Pierre confirmed it, O’Donnell said she “would invite the president to come here and tell us that directly”—only for an off-camera voice to interject, “If he’s awake.” Pointing over her shoulder without turning around, O’Donnell said, “That’s inappropriate.” Jean-Pierre then jumped in: “As you heard from your colleague, the president of the WHCA, that’s inappropriate.” The journalist was identified by RNC Research, an X account run by Donald Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee, as James Rosen, the right-wing channel Newsmax’s chief White House correspondent.