We reported earlier how the decision has been made that President Biden will not be sitting for the traditional interview during the Super Bowl next weekend. This has been an informal tradition held by the host network’s news division each year, but this marks the second consecutive year Biden will elide this practice. However, the press is covering this year’s declined invite in a distinctly different fashion.

See: Biden Can't Handle Softball Super Bowl Halftime Interview, Chickens Out for Second Year in a Row

Last year’s Super Bowl was broadcast on the Fox Network, but the White House was resistant to sitting with anyone from Fox News, and this became grist for the news outlets to slander the network. The coverage was rather uniform last February: Biden is rightfully bypassing the news network that has been hostile towards him, and Fox was a news outlet of disrepute. 

When Donald Trump spurned the NBC News interview in 2018, it was deemed a hostile break from Super Bowl tradition, but last year, Biden's similar break was sold as understandable. At CNN, Oliver Darcy highlighted the contentious nature of things, noting Biden “frequently spars” with the network. “Biden’s Fox News snub was the latest example of the Democratic president continuing to ice out the right-wing channel and decline requests to sit down with its hosts and anchors.” NBC News joined in with its highlighting of the discord between the two sides. 

The disagreement over an interview that typically lasts about 10 minutes and airs as millions of Americans tune in for what’s often the most-watched television event of the year suggests simmering tensions between the Biden White House and Fox may be reaching new heights. He previously sat for Super Bowl interviews with news anchors for CBS and NBC when the networks hosted the game in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

The New York Times also pointed to a feud brewing between both camps: “Mr. Biden had participated when NBC and CBS aired the game. But he balked at this year’s host: Fox, whose cable news network…has a less-than-cordial relationship with the current White House.” Likewise Politico ("The White House was unwilling to reward a network that houses prime-time hosts who mercilessly assail the administration and Democrats"), and The Hill as well.

Fox News, the top-watched cable news network, has aggressively covered Biden’s campaign and presidency, with several of its leading prime-time hosts routinely criticizing his administration, policies and family business dealings. Biden has butted heads with Fox News White House corresopndent [sic] Peter Doocy throughout his administration, calling him a "stupid son of a bitch."

This year, there are no such deflections to be made. As Bob Hoge mentioned in his initial report, CBS would most likely provide a soothing, or at least non-aggressive sit-down with this administration. So the explanations for this year’s avoidance are either rather sedate or dutifully carried out by these same news outlets, spinning for the White House like a receiver who just crossed the goal line and leaves the pigskin rotating in the grass.

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CNN dutifully explains, “Biden advisers tell CNN they see skipping the interview as a strategic decision to give Americans a break from the politics of the 2024 campaign. Advisers say they’re seeing people already expressing fatigue with election news and want to avoid piling on.” Uh huh, riiiiight… Over at The Hill, we only have a static delivery about Biden declining to sit for the interview. Same for the New York Times, with complete disinterest in exploring the reasons behind this move.

Making this bifurcated coverage all the more notable is how much this should have benefitted Biden. This being an election year, when any and all exposure is beneficial is reason enough, having such a massive audience with which to campaign in front of for free is almost priceless. (Ad space this year is going for $7 million for a 30-second slot, so CBS offering the White House up to 4-5 minutes for the interview was an immense gift.) 

Now look at the fact that many polls show the president struggling or trailing Donald Trump outright. That would become yet another need for free airtime. Additionally, Joe just had new job approval figures come out showing him hitting new lows in approval rating. How does avoiding a free public forum of immense size make any sense for a campaign?!

He’s hurting with his own voters, and there is growing sentiment within his party to have him step aside from the ticket. Seeing this willingness to step aside from this level of outreach is another indication of how much he is damaging his own image with any exposure. There must be close to zero confidence Biden could come off looking well in a controlled setting if they are calling a lid on what is easily the largest television audience of the year.