What do they think this is, the Obama administration?

It might be the same Obama people at the helm, but the guy out front makes a big difference. The media is willing to go a long way for Biden and the Democrats. But he’s no Obama. And there are limits to what they’re willing to do. Ask softball questions, sure. Submit questions in advance? That’s pushing it.

 White House reporters are riled up by President Biden’s communications staff asking for a sneak peek into what questions they plan to ask during press secretary Jen Psaki’s briefings.

The issue came up during a White House Correspondents’ Association video call on Friday. Print reporters were encouraged by WHCA leaders to push back against these requests, which were detailed in written communications and by sources who spoke with the Daily Beast.

“While it’s a relief to see briefings return, particularly with a commitment to factual information, the press can’t really do its job in the briefing room if the White House is picking and choosing the questions they want,” one White House correspondent said. “That’s not really a free press at all.”

“It pissed off enough reporters for people to flag it for the [WHCA] to deal with it,” another source told the outlet.

A commitment to factual information based on pre-submitted questions.

This isn’t truly political. Reporters these days rarely ask Democrats any tough questions. And Jen Psaki briefings just consist of reporters getting quotes for their articles summing things up. There’s nothing challenging here for either side. But it is apparently challenging for Psaki. And this is the Psaki factor at work.

All Psaki really has to do is read her notes, go out and respond to some softballs with vague answers. It’s easy. But not for her.

Psaki expecting to get notes from the press on what she should be dealing with is pathetic when the press is already throwing softballs at her. That’s like a celebrity who agrees to a softball appearance on late night asking for an earpiece and someone to read the questions to her ahead of time.

It’s a pathetic reminder of just how inept Psaki is.