MSNBC host Chris Matthews confronted Joe Biden’s campaign adviser Symone Sanders about the former vice president’s refusal to participate in televised interviews on cable news.
On Friday night, Matthews was discussing Biden’s fourth-place finish in Iowa when he asked Sanders if her candidate’s weak showing in the nation’s first election was the reason Biden would be appearing on a Sunday morning show for the first time in more than a year.
“Why now, after all these months of refusing to do these programs and I know everybody’s been after them. And they will be. I’ve been after him for a year too. Everybody’s been after him. He’s finally agreed to do an interview program on Sunday. Why has he changed his strategy now?” Matthews asked.
Sanders denied that Biden’s Sunday appearance on ABC This Week is a sign of a strategy shift for the vice president’s campaign. She added, “I just don’t think folks should read too much into this. I know the media wants to write our campaign off.”
“No, no, no. I want Joe Biden on my show,” Matthews interjected. “What, are you crazy? Are you crazy? I want him on the show. I want a piece of the guy. I’ve always wanted to interview him.”
He continued, “You guys won’t come out and meet it. You’ve been hiding from us.”
Sanders said that Biden’s campaign has been prioritizing local news outlets in Iowa and New Hampshire rather than nationwide programs. Matthews claimed the campaign should consider appearing before the “2 million viewers” of his show, adding, “Please, release Joe Biden. Release him. Unleash him.”
CNN host Jake Tapper has also criticized the Biden campaign for dodging cable news interviews. Last Sunday, he lauded Pete Buttigieg for appearing on his show by jabbing the former vice president for refusing to take tough questions on air.
