NBC News White House correspondent Peter Alexander asked Psaki during Friday’s press briefing about the phrase that became an online sensation last month. It started when an NBC reporter at a NASCAR Xfinity Series race incorrectly reported that fans in the stands were chanting "Let’s Go Brandon" following a victory by driver Brandon Brown, when they were really shouting, "F--k Joe Biden!"
Memes, jokes, and comments immediately began to spread across the internet posted by users mocking NBC’s coverage during the interview. The "F--k Joe Biden!" chants, which began at some large sporting events across the country as the president’s poll numbers sagged, have now been replaced in some venues with the cheeky "Let’s Go Brandon!"
"Across this country we’ve seen this new phenomenon lately, chanted at sporting events and on signs, the phrase is ‘Let’s Go Brandon,’ a sort of code for a profane slogan attacking President Biden," Alexander said. "What does the president make of that?"
"I don’t think he spends much time focused on it or thinking about it," Psaki answered while smirking.
Alexander then followed up, "The president said when he came into office on Inauguration Day… he was going to help get rid of the uncivil war in this country. So I guess through that lens right now, does the president think there are things he can do differently, or how does he react this this stuff … when it is one of his primary promises?"
Psaki said "it takes two to move toward a more civil discourse" and insisted Biden wants to "govern for all Americans."
Q Jen, can I ask you about COVID very quickly?
MS. PSAKI: Sure.
Q And welcome back, by the way.
MS. PSAKI: Thank you.
Q The Colorado governor just signed an executive order making everyone 18 and older eligible for a booster shot, which defies guidance from the FDA and from the CDC, which says that the booster shot should only go to those who are at higher risk or seniors. What does the White House make of that decision and move?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we, here in the federal government, are guided by science and our country’s public health officials who are constantly reviewing the data to make their own independent, evidence-based decisions.
As you noted, this isn’t currently the guidance that’s being projected by our health and medical experts because they are looking at and understanding the data. So, we would certainly continue to advise leaders across the country to abide by public health guidelines coming from the federal government.
Q If I can, quickly, just to detail your own experience: Do you have any lingering symptoms? Have you had anything that stuck with you?
MS. PSAKI: I do not, fortunately. And as I noted earlier, I was — experienced a little bit of light fatigue in the first couple of days but none that prevented me from participating in meetings here, engaging with the President and the team on the road, and certainly probably calling members of my team so many times they were tired of hearing from me.
Q As it relates to the White House, has the White House determined whether it is safe to hold holiday parties, and will the White House do so this year?
MS. PSAKI: You know, it’s going to look a little bit different, Peter, and I don’t have anything to outline for you at this point in time. But certainly we expect to celebrate the holiday season. And we’ll have more details, I expect, in the coming weeks on that for you.
Q So, for clarity, when you say it’s going to look different, that means there will be holiday parties and they will look different but you’re not going to detail how they’ll look different yet?
MS. PSAKI: We’ll have more to convey to all of you about what it will look like, and I just don’t have those details at this point in time.
Q Let me ask one last question if I can, quickly. Across this country, we’ve seen this new phenomenon lately chanted at sporting events and on signs. The phrase is, “Let’s go, Brandon.” A sort of code for a profane slogan attacking President Biden. What does the President make of that?
MS. PSAKI: I don’t think he spends much time focused on it or thinking about it.
Q The President said when he came into office on Inauguration Day — he said he was going to help get rid of the “uncivil war” in this country. So I guess, through that lens right now, does the President think there are things that he can do differently? Or how does he react to the stuff he sees out there when it is one of his primary promises or desires to help bring Americans together?
MS. PSAKI: Well, it takes two to move towards a more civil engagement and discourse in this country. And the President is going to continue to operate, as you said, from the promise he made early on, which is that he wants to govern for all Americans.
He’s going to deliver for all Americans, as is evidenced by the infrastructure bill that he’s going to sign on Monday, that’s going to help expand broadband to everyone, no matter your political party, no matter whether you voted for him or not. That’s going to replace lead pipes, make sure kids have clean drinking water, whether you’re a Democrat or Republican or not political at all.
That’s how he’s going to govern. And certainly we’re hopeful we’ll have partners to move toward more civil discourse with in the future.
Q Thank you.