White House press secretary shuts down Fox News question about Biden call to hospital ER

Psaki shuts down attempt to link hospital care access with vaccine mandates

White House press secretary Jen Psaki cut off an attempt by Fox News’ Peter Doocy to connect vaccine mandates with a friend of the president struggling to get hospital care.

Earlier this week, Joe Biden said that he called a hospital in Pennsylvania to ask why a good friend’s wife was having trouble being admitted for care.

He was informed that the hospital was overloaded with patients suffering from Covid-19.

Mr Doocy, White House correspondent for Fox News and Ms Psaki’s regular sparring partner in press briefings, began by asking if the president was trying to get his friend admitted over other people awaiting treatment.

“That certainly was not his intention,” Ms Psaki replied. “He was not trying to do that. He was checking in on a friend.”

Changing tack, Mr Doocy switched to the subject of vaccine mandates.

“Do you know if this particular hospital was having staffing shortages because they have a vaccine mandate and maybe some folks have had to leave because they don’t want to get vaccinated?” he asked.

The press secretary shot back: “I would love for you to account for me where that is the issue more so than the number of unvaccinated who are filling emergency rooms and filling ICU beds. That is the problem in hospitals across the country.”

Ms Psaki moved swiftly on to the next reporter’s question.