Welcome to POLITICO’s West Wing Playbook, your guide to the people and power centers in the Biden administration. With Allie Bice. Send tips | Subscribe here| Email Alex | Email Max More than a month after the White House Correspondents’ Association reimposed Covid-19 restrictions in response to the Omicron variant, some reporters were clearly getting frustrated. One White House reporter caused a stir in the briefing room last week after trying to attend the press briefing despite not having an assigned seat for the day. According to one tipster who was present for the incident, the reporter loudly complained that the arrangement — in which only about a dozen reporters were allowed to attend each day’s briefing, on a rotating basis — was unscientific, didn’t make any sense, and was “ridiculous.” By Friday, the restrictions had been lifted. By Monday, the White House briefing room returned to full capacity. It marked the end — for now — to a chapter in the Covid fight that caused headaches for the journalists assembled in the White House press corps, many of whom either caught the virus (like this reporter) or were repeatedly alerted that they were in close contact with someone else who did. It was a sign that some of the restrictive measures to fight the pandemic — measures that have also limited press access to the White House — may be winding down. But the more relaxed approach to Covid protocols hasn’t been universal. Other official events in recent days have been a reminder that Covid continues to warp the White House’s at times rocky relationship with the press. On Thursday, Time magazine’s MOLLY BALL traveled to New York for President JOE BIDEN’s visit with New York Mayor ERIC ADAMS to discuss crime policy and prevention. But when she arrived, Ball was told the room couldn’t accommodate any additional press beyond pre-approved local reporters and the small traveling pool representing the WHCA. One person with knowledge of the plans told West Wing Playbook that one reason she was not allowed in was that the room was at “Covid capacity.” This didn’t sit well with Ball, who fired off a series of tweets criticizing the White House for limiting press to an event that was held in a large auditorium. “Apparently Joe Biden wants to be seen with Eric Adams so badly that the White House is...not letting the national media cover it!” she wrote. The situation resulted in a game of finger pointing. According to Ball, the mayor’s office said it was leaving the national press setup to the White House while the White House said the WHCA decided on which reporters were allowed in the pool to cover the event. The WHCA didn’t wade in publicly, but the organization has in the past agitated for more open press events on the road. The White House has been inconsistent about credentialing reporters for out-of-town events, and tends to like to travel with a smaller group of reporters for most of those trips, another sign of the lengths Biden aides continue to go to limit potential exposures to Covid-19 while the president is on the road. A few recent events, like the president’s voting rights speech in Georgia, have been “open press”— meaning that any reporter can attend if credentialed. But many other events have been limited to a small group of pool reporters. White House events, like the president’s marathon two hour press conference last month, have also had limited press capacity, requiring reporters to register early to get a spot. One White House reporter told West Wing Playbook that they had registered for a number of media appearances with the president, including today’s meeting with German Chancellor OLAF SCHOLZ, but were not approved by the White House to attend. Some of this can be chalked up to the highly contagious Omicron variant. But Biden also has largely limited his media availability to impromptu sessions after set events. He’s avoided campaign style rallies outside the White House, setting him apart from his predecessors but mirroring his 2020 campaign approach, even before Covid drove the campaign online. For some reporters it’s been irritating. But there have been a few silver linings. Some journalists have acknowledged that the reduced capacity briefings have generally been higher quality, allowing reporters to ask more detailed questions and follow ups, and keeping journalists from stepping on each others’ toes. “Generally speaking, reporters have benefited from the ability to come in, have the floor, and ask multiple questions,” one White House reporter told us. TEXT US — Did we miss something about frustrated reporters covering the WH? Send us an email or text and we will try to include your thoughts in the next day’s edition. Can be anonymous, on background, etc. Email us at westwingtips@politico.com or you can text/Signal Alex at 8183240098 or Max at 7143455427. Do you work in the Biden administration? Are you in touch with the White House? Are you ERIC LANDER, the head of OSTP? Email/text us! Please?
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