But the lack of interviews reflects the bunker mentality this White House has taken with the media — particularly the extensive back-and-forths where reporters can follow-up, push, and prod. Biden has been especially wary of talking to print publications; he has yet to do an interview with reporters from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Associated Press, or Reuters.

He has done three print interviews as president: a joint one with first lady JILL BIDEN for People Magazine, a conversation with one of his favorite columnists, DAVID BROOKS of the New York Times, and with EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE for his book about the 2020 campaign that was excerpted in The Atlantic on May 25 (the interview was just after the Inauguration).

A White House official told POLITICO that the preference for television was in large part because the medium simply reaches more people. But the official also argued that the D.C. press, print included, is too focused on process, which is not the message Biden wants to get to voters. That, combined with Biden’s well-documented blooper reel, doesn’t give the White House much enthusiasm for extensive sitdowns.