White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre had a lighthearted exchange with Fox News reporter Peter Doocy on Thursday, making a quick joke in response to one of his recent questions about Vice President Kamala Harris.
The previous day, Doocy had stirred a bit of drama by questioning Harris’ speech patterns, a query that Jean-Pierre dismissed as unimportant. Doocy had asked why Harris’ accent seemed to change between events in Detroit and Pittsburgh, referring to what is commonly known as “code-switching,” a natural way people adjust their speech depending on the audience or setting.
“Since when does the Vice President have what sounds like a Southern accent?” Doocy inquired. Jean-Pierre quickly shot back, asking, “Do you think Americans seriously think that this is an important question?” She called the query “insane” and firmly stated, “We are so moving on.”
However, Jean-Pierre was ready for another exchange when Doocy returned with a question during Wednesday’s press briefing. This time, he pointed out, “President Biden’s approval rating is soaring, it’s up 13 percent all the way to 48 percent. Does it bother the president that people are so pleased that he’s retiring?”
Jean-Pierre, with a playful tone, seized the moment to poke fun at Doocy’s earlier question about accents. “Am I hearing a little twang in your voice?” she asked with a smile, to which Doocy replied, “I know better,” drawing laughter from the press room.
The interaction showcased the often tense but occasionally humorous back-and-forth that has developed between Jean-Pierre and Doocy during press briefings. While the press secretary and the reporter frequently spar over tough questions, this exchange brought a lighter moment to the otherwise serious business of the briefing room.