Former first lady Jill Biden said there is a “Jill Biden media double standard” when comparing coverage of the Biden years to reporting on the current White House, saying, according to Fox News Digital, “You know, if Joe would have done any one of the things that are occurring now, he would have been excoriated.”
Jill Biden media double standard
In a June appearance to promote her memoir A View from the East Wing, Jill Biden argued press coverage shows uneven treatment of similar actions across administrations. Fox News Digital reported the remark as part of a wider book-tour conversation with Whoopi Goldberg at the 92nd Street Y.
What Jill Biden said
The comment came during a June event in New York tied to the book tour. Biden said the administration might have missed opportunities to humanize itself to reporters, suggesting “maybe we could have done more to reach out to the press to be more open so that they understood us as real people and not sort of these figureheads,” Fox News Digital reported.
She then offered the clearest version of the double-standard claim: “You know, if Joe would have done any one of the things that are occurring now, I mean he would have been excoriated,” which drew a laugh from Goldberg, according to Fox News Digital.
Biden also pushed back at intra-party criticism of the memoir, saying the book contains “one chapter on politics” and challenging a former White House spokesman directly: “I want to say to Andrew: Call me up, and say it to my face, buddy,” Fox News Digital reported, referencing Andrew Bates.
Jill Biden media double standard: how she framed it
Biden paired two related themes. First, she acknowledged the Biden team may not have done enough to build warmer relationships with reporters, which she suggested affected tone and empathy in coverage. Second, she argued that comparable conduct is judged differently today — the essence of her double-standard charge.
Her comments were framed as personal observations from a book tour conversation, not as a formal policy critique or a detailed inventory of comparative cases.
Reactions and pushback
Responses were mixed. The New York Post reported that Andrew Bates questioned the need to reopen intra-party disputes publicly; that account was subsequently cited in broader media coverage. Some Democratic critics said the memoir risks reviving painful 2024 primary arguments, while Biden has sought to downplay politics as a small portion of her book.
Press commentary varied: some outlets treated Biden’s line as a rhetorical attempt to shift focus from intra-party quarrels to perceived media behavior, while others characterized it as a familiar partisan critique of coverage.
Why it matters
Claims of unequal press treatment can shape narratives ahead of an election cycle. If influential voices argue coverage is biased, it can lower public trust in reporting and sharpen partisan messaging strategies heading into 2024.
For Democrats, the tension is between internal debates over how candid a memoir should be and the strategic value of calling out perceived media unfairness to rally skeptical voters. For journalists, the exchange reinforces ongoing debates about standards, consistency and the political context of reporting.
Practically, the exchange may matter most for message discipline and headlines in the short term, but such assertions can be amplified by campaigns and sympathetic outlets — affecting the contours of coverage and public perception as 2024 approaches.
Source attribution and next steps
This article is based on reporting by Fox News Digital of Jill Biden’s June interview and book events. Fox News Digital reported the quoted lines and noted it reached out to the White House for comment and did not immediately receive a response. The New York Post was cited in reporting about Andrew Bates’ reaction.
Read the Fox News Digital report here: Fox News: Jill Biden claims Joe would be ‘excoriated’.
FAQ
What did Jill Biden say about a media double standard?
During a June book-tour conversation, Biden said, according to Fox News Digital, that “if Joe would have done any one of the things that are occurring now, he would have been excoriated,” arguing the press treats similar actions unevenly.
How did Andrew Bates respond to the memoir criticism?
The New York Post reported Bates questioned reopening painful intra-party discussions; Biden has defended the memoir and told critics the book contains only “one chapter on politics.”
Could this change how press covers 2024 election controversies?
On its own, such a claim is unlikely to alter newsroom standards, but it can influence public perception and campaign messaging. Observers will watch whether parties use allegations of bias to shape narratives before the next election.
