President Joe Biden’s recent joint interview with former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama on the comedy podcast “Smartless” reflects his media strategy as he faces a high-stakes reelection with democracy at risk. While some may perceive Biden as avoiding the media, he has actually engaged in a fair number of interviews, particularly with the Black and Hispanic press. By speaking with outlets reaching specific constituency groups, Biden’s campaign aims to connect directly with the voters who will decide the election in November.
This focus on new and non-traditional forms of media has led Biden to participate in fewer one-on-one sit-down interviews with the national press compared to his predecessors. Biden’s decision to skip traditional events like the pre-Super Bowl interview has raised questions about his engagement with the country’s largest audience. While bypassing the Beltway press allows Biden to avoid repeated scrutiny on uncomfortable topics like his age, it also raises concerns about facing tough questioning on the 2024 campaign, domestic policy, and foreign affairs.
While Biden and his team have been critical of how the press has covered his campaign, particularly regarding issues like Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report and the president’s age, interviews with national news media are essential for facing tough lines of questioning and maintaining accountability. By prioritizing interviews with specific constituency groups and non-traditional media outlets, Biden has been able to communicate directly with voters and focus on substantive issues that matter to them, rather than those that dominate the Beltway and New York media.
Although Biden is not the first to employ a bypass-the-Beltway strategy, as Obama famously appeared on “Between Two Ferns” and Trump used social media extensively, the increasing need to reach larger audiences suggests that Biden may need to participate in interviews with broader reach in the future. As the 2024 campaign progresses, the strategy of bypassing traditional news media outlets may only be sustainable for so long. Ultimately, engaging with a variety of media platforms and outlets, including both traditional and non-traditional forms, will be crucial for Biden to communicate his message effectively and reach a diverse range of voters.
The Biden campaign’s goal is to prioritize interviews that reach specific communities and constituent groups to connect directly with the voters who will determine the outcome of the election. By engaging with local media outlets, Biden is able to communicate his message and priorities to a diverse range of Americans, particularly those who may feel underserved by the traditional press. Although criticism of Biden’s media strategy persists, his team believes that focusing on outlets with targeted reach is an essential component of a communication strategy that is inclusive of new media entities and platforms with broad audiences. Ultimately, balancing engagement with both traditional and non-traditional media sources will be key for Biden’s reelection efforts in November.