Hilarity Ensues When Newsmax Reporter — Not Fox — Claims Prize for ‘Most Hungover Reporter’ At Jean-Pierre White House Briefing

Hilarity ensued when Newsmax’s James Rosen claimed his reward from White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre for an unusual prize: “Most Hungover Reporter.”

At Thursday’s White House briefing, as Jean-Pierre tried to move on from a still-questioning Peter Doocy, Rosen threw his hat into the ring for next turn by citing an unusual promise that Jean-Pierre made the night before, and which she promised to make good on after calling on Fox Business correspondent Ed Lawrence:

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m going to the back. I’m going to the back. I’m going to the back.

Go ahead.

MR. LAWRENCE: Yeah, thanks, Karine. On a different topic —

Q That’s not the back. That’s the middle.

MR. LAWRENCE: — so the incoming —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: We’ll keep — we’ll keep going.

MR. ROSEN: Also, I’m the most hungover in the room, as you promised yesterday. (Laughter.)

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Oh, are you? (Laughs.) Okay. I’m coming back.

MR. ROSEN: My head is killing me. Wow.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: You’re right. I said that I would go to the most hungover person in the room. You’re right. (Laughter.) Go ahead. That was the promise I made last night. You’re absolutely right.

Go ahead.

MR. LAWRENCE: So the incoming House leader has announced that he will create a select committee on China, and I wanted to get the President’s thoughts about this committee. Do we need another set of eyeballs on the U.S. policies towards China?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, we’re going to — I would refer you to the committee on its internal committee — committee process here — to Congress, I would refer you to.

Under President Biden, we are more prepared to outcompete China, protect our national security, and advance a free and open Indo-Pacific than ever before. We look forward to continue working with Congress on these priorities — priorities where — you know, important issues, our top priority on this. But I refer you to Congress.

MR. LAWRENCE: But there doesn’t need to be a review of the whole relationship with China?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Again, I would refer you to Congress on their internal process here. All right. All right.

Unfortunately, Jean-Pierre ended the briefing before she could call on Rosen due to a disruption from another reporter.

Jean-Pierre had attended and delivered remarks at the White House Correspondents Association holiday party, where she issued the challenge in question.

Watch above via The White House.

Correction: An earlier version of this story identified Mr. Lawrence as winner of the “Most Hungover” prize. Mr. Lawrence was granted the next question, but was not the Most Hungover Reporter. We regret the error.