‘I Could Go For Hours’: Psaki Addresses Kerfuffle in First Briefing Since Reporter Revolt

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki addressed the elephant in the room during the first briefing since reporters in the back 5 rows revolted against an Associated Press reporter for ending a briefing while others still had questions.

At Monday’s White House press briefing, New York Post correspondent Steven Nelson and Chicago Sun-Times Washington Bureau Chief Lynn Sweet led a revolt after AP’s Josh Boak said “Thanks, Jen,” which is the traditional way to declare the end of the briefing, and Psaki left after one final shouted question.

Boak told them, “Look, if you want to yell at me, I’m in the booth. You can do that there,” then bounced. CBS News Radio correspondent and White House Correspondents Association President Steve Portnoy tagged in, and the debate raged for another ten minutes.

At Wednesday’s White House press briefing, Psaki concluded her “topper” — the portion of the briefing during which the press secretary makes announcements prior to reporters’ questions — by addressing the flap:

Let me finally say, I heard there was a little kerfuffle in here after the briefing the other day.

I just want to say that what we’re going to do today is we’re going to try to start with a third and fourth row, and 5th and 6th row, get more people’s questions answered.

We are always happy to answer questions from here. I could go on for hours, just sit in your seats. But we also know you all have a lot on your plates, so what we try to do, for everybody’s knowledge, is balance between all the things reporters and all of you have focused on, and trying to be informative in this briefing room, but we also are here (motions to lower press office) as people have follow-up questions.

Josh, let me have you start, kick us off.

Boak did, indeed, kick off the briefing, but then Psaki moved to the back five rows for the next several questions. Although Boak ended Monday’s briefing before Psaki could get out of the second row, it is her custom to move around the room as much as possible.

Watch above via C-Span.