‘This Is Going To Be A Hell Of A Segue!’ CNN Reporter And Biden Budget Spox Bond Over Beyonce At Briefing

In a lighter moment at a press briefing, CNN’s Phil Mattingly bonded with White House Budget Director Shalanda Young over their shared membership in the Beyhive, the fandom devoted to music superstar Beyoncé.

Office of Management and Budget Director Young took questions at Tuesday’s press briefing to go over the particulars of the bipartisan debt limit deal that was reached over the weekend.

But first, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre noted Mattingly’s recent attendance at a Paris show, prompting stunned envy from Young:

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Phil, who just came back from Beyoncé, in Paris. (Laughter.)

MS. YOUNG: You did not.

Q It was great. It was a great concert. It was my wife’s 40th birthday present. That’s not bad.

MS. YOUNG: I have feelings right now. (Laughter.)

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: (Laughs.) I feel you.

Q Can we talk about it after, in a very lengthy interview? We can do that at the very end of it.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Phil has feelings, too. (Laughter.)

Q This is going to be a hell of a segue. (Laughter.)

The appropriations adjustments —

MS. YOUNG: Yep.

Q — they’re a pretty critical part of the agreement, I think.

Later, Mattingly and Jean-Pierre bantered about the pop superstar a little more, as Mattingly thanked Jean-Pierre for “blowing me up” and cagily refused to be pinned down when asked what his favorite Bey song might be at the moment:

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead.

Q Just following — thanks for blowing me up on that.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I know, but I have a question for you. (Laughter.) What’s your — what your favorite Beyoncé song?

Q I — there’s too many to list — (laughter) — on camera in this moment.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Smart ques- — smart answer. Smart answer.

Q It was — it was a good concert. That’s what I will say.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Phil.

Watch above via The White House.

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