The day before President Joe Biden's eldest granddaughter Naomi married Peter Neal at the White House on Saturday, November 19th, Press Secretary Karen Jean-Pierre stated that "they have decided to make this wedding private. It is a family event. It is -- and we are going to respect Naomi and Peter's wishes."
Indeed, this is what occurred. The nuptials were a celebration that was kept from the leering eyes of the public. One exception was granted, however, to Vogue reporter Chloe Malle and photographer Norman Jean Roy, who were given exclusive access to the First Family last week for a photo shoot.
That "special digital cover," containing the collection of pictures and interviews with the Bidens, was published on Monday. And it drew the ire of members of the White House Press Corps.
Bloomberg News White House correspondent Nancy Cook quoted Jean-Pierre in a retweet of Vogue's story, implying that the White House had not been forthright about who would be permitted to attend the wedding.
"There is a photo in the spread of the bride and groom with their wedding cake. Wonder if that was also shot days before? I have no idea either way, just asking," Cook added.
Similarly, Katie Rogers, a White House correspondent for The New York Times, posted that she "had reporting in Oct about Vogue being tapped to cover this and I was waved off. Official explanation is that Vogue wasn't there the day of. Loophole = the family staged a 'wedding at the WH' shoot beforehand. 'Private' per Jean-Pierre = not for the White House press corps."
CNN White House correspondent Kate Bennett also complained that "they WERE there — the reception photo, the kissing the groom on the White House lawn video, the family photo, them going up the stairs to the residence…"
A short while later, Ashley Parker, the senior national political correspondent for The Washington Post, accused the Bidens of dishonesty and equated it with the unending torrent of falsehoods that flowed from former President Donald Trump and his administration.
"I spent four years covering the Trump WH and two years covering the Biden WH. What's fascinating is that they both lie, albeit in v different ways. Trump team was shameless, whereas Biden team is too cute by half," Parker said.
Reactions to Parker were harsh.
"The prolonged meltdown over Naomi Biden and her husband not inviting the WH Press Corp to their wedding is really something. Just because something occurs at the White House, that doesn't make it public. What's next, demanding the Bidens let you sleep in their bed?" Drew Savicki asked.
"'Joe Biden won't let us film him in the shower, is that a problem for transparency?'" he continued. "I could be wrong here but Naomi Biden and her husband are not government officials. Why should they be obligated to invite the WH Press Corps?"
"I disagree with this political viewpoint. I believe that Trump lying about the winner of the 2020 election is substantive much worse than the Biden White House only inviting select reporters to Naomi Biden's wedding, and that it is irresponsible for reporters to compare the two," said senior Vox correspondent Ian Millhiser. "I do not believe that the fact that I am a journalist entitles me to attend Naomi Biden's wedding."
'It's not up to the White House to decide who covers Naomi Biden's wedding. The Constitution reserves that power for the state legislatures," joked Semafor politics reporter David Weigel
"Are you f'ng kidding me with this?!? Comparing lying about a deadly pandemic, lying about AN ELECTION HE LOST (for starters) is anything related to the private wedding of the President's granddaughter!!!! Have we learned NOTHING!??!" Jo responded to Parker.
"This is the kind of false equivalence that misleads people," Occupy Democrats Executive Editor Grant Stern wrote next.
"I remain skeptical about your abilities as a journalist," replied BrooklynDad_Defiant!.
"If you believe there's a comparison between Trump WH and Biden WH when it comes to lying, then you're a liar," quipped Chidi.
"Let's be honest: DC reporters wanted access to Naomi Biden's wedding to get access to her dad, Hunter," MSNBC columnist Marisa Kabas opined. "Pretending to be mad that vogue did a photoshoot two days earlier and framing it as some conspiracy rings pretty false."
Grace Segers of New Republic tried to offer an explanation.
"I think the frustration here is that press *was* invited to cover the wedding - but select press, in a curated way, and it feels like a microcosm of how the WH press is treated," she tweeted.
But that too was immediately panned.
Cook, Rogers, and Bennett, meanwhile, were not spared the internet's sardonic wrath.
"Of all the things demanding our attention days, the last thing to garner mine is reporters' faux outrage over not being invited to turn a private family celebration into grist for the media mill. I love news, but this isn't it," Qannaq fired back at Rogers.
"Oh good grief. Are you really complaining because the bride and her family didn't want the WH press corp causing scenes at her wedding?" Catherine pondered.
McKenzie Wilson, the communications director for Data Progress, shared an astute observation.
"It said in the article under the wedding cake photo 'Photographs by Corbin Gurkin,' who must have been their wedding photographer: https://corbingurkin.com," she pointed out on Cook's thread.
SayMaySmith drew an inescapably obvious conclusion.
"The Bidens excluded the White House press corps from the wedding because they didn't want you shouting questions at the grandfather of the bride the whole time," they said. "And judging by the hissy fit you're throwing they made the right decision."
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