Reporters Grill Psaki About Biden’s ‘MAGA Crowd’ Comments: Should He ‘Have Done More’ To ‘Try And Reach Out To Those People’

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was grilled over President Joe Biden’s torching of the “MAGA Crowd,” including by one reporter who asked if Biden should have done more to “reach out” to former President Donald Trump’s supporters.

During a brief Q&A Wednesday morning, Biden tore into Republicans as he responded to a question about the draft Supreme Court decision that would strike down Roe v. Wade, telling reporters that “this MAGA crowd is really the most extreme political organization that’s existed in American history.”

At Psaki’s briefing later that afternoon, no fewer than three reporters pressed her about Biden’s remarks.

First, CNN White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins asked if Biden is previewing a midterm strategy, and followed up by wondering if Biden deliberately avoided using his predecessor’s name.

Psaki used the opportunity to slam Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for targeting Disney, and to rip Republicans over abortion rights and the cost of prescription drugs:

MS. COLLINS: Today, the President was sharply critical of the MAGA crowd and the MAGA agenda. Is that what we should expect to be his message going into the midterms?

MS. PSAKI: Well, I think, for those of you who’ve been covering him for some time, you’ve heard him say — and maybe back more to the campaign trail, less as President — “Don’t compare me to the Almighty. Compare me to the alternative.” And I would expect you will hear him with that mantra much more out there over the next coming months.

You know, he is so- — he has been struck, clearly, because he has talked about this — as you mentioned, Kaitlan — this morning and he also has made comments over the last several days about the direction of some in the Republican Party — the MAGA direction of some in the Republican Party. And he’s been struck by the hold his predecessor seems to have on far too many members — not all, but far too many members of the party.

And what we’re seeing — the latest antics are — made clear that they are at war with Mickey Mouse, they’re against allowing women to make choices about their own healthcare, against lowering the cost of prescription drugs. And if that remains their platform, the President’s view is: That is out of whack with the mainstream of the country.

Now, at the same time, he’s always believed that — in working with Republicans in good faith and finding ways to do that. And he will continue to do that, but he is going to also call out — and you will see him call out more — places where he feels there are extreme va- — policies and extreme comments and extreme positions that are, unfortunately, overtaking far too much of the party.

MS. COLLINS: And you just said “his predecessor.” Today, he seemed to purposefully say “my predecessor.” He did not say “Trump”; he said “MAGA” instead of “Trump.” Is that deliberate?

MS. PSAKI: Well, as far as I know, he’s not on the ballot. A number of his — of Republicans who have seemed to be under the whim of his predecessor are, so that’s who he’s going to focus his efforts on.

Another reporter raised the specter of a Trump-controlled Congress when votes are counted in the next presidential election, asking “does [President Biden] view that as Trump gaining more control over the Senate and the process for potentially what happens two years from now?”

Psaki used the question as a chance to repeat her earlier criticisms, and expand on them:

AFP White House correspondent Sebastian Smith noted that “The MAGA Crowd” constitutes “almost half the people who voted in 2020” (46.9 percent to Biden’s 51.3 percent),) and asked whether Biden “could have done more early on to try and reach out to those people?”

“And does the ‘extreme’ rhetoric basically signal that, you know, there’s no going back now, and they’re sort of out of, you know, beyond the pale for him and — yeah?” Smith added.

Psaki’s response did not include a belief that more outreach was in order:

I think what the President — one, the President will be judged by Americans by his actions and what he does to make their lives better.

And the point he’s making is that there are — the platform of and the policies of many — far too many of these Republicans — these “MAGA Republicans,” as he refers to them — follow the whims of calling out Mickey Mouse and opposing policies that will help make the lives better of many, many Americans who may have voted for Trump, may have been independent, may be Democrats — including lowering the cost of prescription drugs, lowering the cost of eldercare, doing more to expand access to healthcare. And his view is that a lot of these policy positions and the rhetoric is extreme. And that follows what we saw a pattern of by his — his predecessor.

But he is going to continue to look for ways to work together — and work together with Republicans in good faith where there’s opportunity. And he believes you can do both.

Watch above via The White House and AP.

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