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President Joe Biden will not participate in a pregame interview on CBS ahead of next week’s Super Bowl, the network confirmed Saturday, marking the second year in a row that Biden has declined a pregame interview request after a period of ups and downs. became. Last year with Fox.
important facts
An interview with Biden before the Super Bowl had been discussed in recent weeks between Paramount Global and White House officials, but the offer was recently rejected, Variety first reported.
It was not immediately clear whether CBS News had a particular correspondent in mind for the interview.
Biden has interviewed several CBS correspondents during his presidency, including CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell, 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Perry, Robert Costa and Ed O’Keefe. is allowed.
The White House did not immediately respond to Forbes’ request for comment.
important quotes
White House press secretary Ben LaBolt told Variety: “We hope viewers enjoyed the game they were watching.”
amazing facts
Biden is not the first sitting president to break away from the traditional Super Bowl interview. Former President Donald Trump took the stand after controversy over NBC’s coverage of his administration in 2018 and Trump’s criticism of the NFL for allowing players to kneel during the national anthem to protest police violence against Black people. , declined to talk to NBC.
Main background
Presidential pregame interviews before the Super Bowl began with former President George W. Bush appearing with CBS’s Jim Nantz in 2004. Former President Barack Obama then made the interview a regular tradition throughout his two terms in office after taking office in 2009. Pregame interviews typically vary in format and include live interviews with a mix of news anchors and morning show hosts as well as pre-recorded interviews. Fox relies on its lineup of conservative cable hosts, a decision that led to a heated exchange between Obama and former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly in 2014. Last year, Fox and White House officials accused the other of pulling the show. Biden interview before the Super Bowl. Fox then announced that Fox Soul, a streaming service for Black viewers, would interview Biden instead, but that interview was later canceled by Fox. according to to White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
Points to note
The Super Bowl is the premier event for American media, drawing well over 100 million viewers in recent years, with tens of millions tuning in for the pregame show. This year’s game between the reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers is especially exciting due to the expected appearance of pop superstar Taylor Swift, who is dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. .
References
President Biden refuses Super Bowl interview for second year in a row (variety)
Fox said Biden’s traditional Super Bowl interview would resume despite the disruption, but Fox News said otherwise (forbes)
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