White House Reporters Crack Up As The Words ‘Are You a Swifty?’ Get Uttered In Briefing Room

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and the press corps had a laugh over the introduction of Taylor Swift fandom into the briefing room lexicon.

Jean-Pierre has undergone one hellish bombardment after another over the classified documents discovered by Biden aides in private storage spaces — including his Wilmington home — which are now under investigation by Special Counsel Robert Hur.

At a White House briefing earlier this week, Jean-Pierre got a little humor break by virtue of the congressional hearing on Ticketmaster, which caused the phrase “Are you a Swifty?’ to become part of the briefing room’s historical record:

JORDAN FABIAN: And then, switching topics. On Ticketmaster, there was this hearing in the Senate today. Given the White House’s concern about monopoly power, you know, does the White House believe the Live Nation-Ticketmaster merger should be unwound, given what we’ve heard today from senators expressing that concern as well?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Are you a “Swifty”? Is that what it’s called? I don’t know. (Laughter.)

JORDAN FABIAN: I’m asking on behalf of all the Swifties, Karine. (Laughter.)

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Things that you learn.

So, look, President Biden is a strong proponent of increasing competition in our economy. As he said last year when he signed the landmark executive order on competition, and I quote, “The heart of American capitalism is a simple idea: open and fair competition,” but “Capitalism without competition isn’t capitalism; it’s exploitation.”

So, I’ll say one more thing about the executive order. It establishes a whole-of-government effort to promote competition in the American economy, because we know the lack of competition leads to higher prices and worse service.

So, again, you know, capitalism without competition isn’t capitalism; it’s exploitation. And that’s why he’s made — he’s really made an effort with his executive actions to deal with something that truly matters to the American people.

JORDAN FABIAN: Does the same concern apply to —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: And the Swifties, apparently. (Laughter.)

JORDAN FABIAN: Does the same concern apply to Google, which is facing a new DOJ action today?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I’m not going to get into DOJ action or what DOJ is potentially — any legal matters that they potentially are taking. What I will say is — more broadly, is how the President is a proponent for increasing competition in our economy, and he has shown that through his actions.

Watch above via The White House.

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