Psaki: We’re Not Always Best On Messaging To Everyone On Vaccines, For Conservatives We Contacted NASCAR

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said during Monday’s news conference that the current administration has realized that it is not always going to be the most effective communicator to reach certain groups of people on vaccines and so they have decided to reach out to conservatives by contacting NASCAR, among others.

“We’re also looking for — we’ve run PSAs on ‘The Deadliest Catch,’” Psaki said. “We’re engaged with NASCAR and Country Music TV. We’re looking for a range of creative ways to get directly connected to white conservative communities. We won’t always be the best messengers, but we’re still trying to meet people where they are but also empower local organizations.”

.@PressSec on White House efforts to strengthen vaccine confidence in “white conservative communities”:

“We’ve run PSAs on the Deadliest Catch, we’re engaged with NASCAR and Country Music TV” pic.twitter.com/yX51FkuSOH

— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) April 12, 2021

When later asked about whether they are part of the problem by having “a pessimistic message towards some Americans who are skeptical of this administration” and who are hesitant about taking vaccines, Psaki said, “we recognize we’re not always the best messengers.”

“That’s why we’re working with these local organizations and groups — because we certainly know that President Biden and Vice President Harris may not be the right voices in a range of communities across the country. Two, we believe that part of our objective is to model public health guidelines, and that means continuing to wear masks, continuing to hand wash, social distance, because there is still ongoing research on what is most effective and how to prevent … the pandemic traveling further.”

“The question is: How do you — how do you strike that balance between being a model of the public health guidelines and also not contributing to the sense of hopelessness, perhaps, among people who are skeptical to take the vaccine and maybe feel like getting it would not make a difference in their lives anyway?” the reporter pressed.

“I think a big part of what we’re trying to do is provide accurate information about what getting a vaccine will enable the American people to do; hence, the President gave a primetime address where he said, if when you get the vaccine when the vaccine is accessible to you and you get it, we can work towards having backyard barbecues,” Psaki said. “He — we’ve also had a number of officials out there to convey, and we’ve had — obviously, the CDC has put out guidance that says, ‘If you’re vaccinated, if your neighbors are vaccinated, you can have dinner inside together.’ It’s a pandemic. We don’t think it’s easy. We know it’s difficult. It’s required a lot of sacrifice. But at the same time, we’re trying to provide accurate, public health-based guidance on what people can do once they have taken the vaccine.”

Great questions from @OliviaNuzzi to Jen Psaki about why are administration officials still wearing masks despite having long been vaccinated and discouraging people from doing things we used to do (like socializing). She made the point about it contributing to vaccine hesitancy. pic.twitter.com/dVYhU0nuxU

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) April 12, 2021

TRANSCRIPT:

QUESTION:  The New York Times, last week, came out with a story that Mississippi was having a hard time getting folks vaccinated.  But it’s not just Mississippi; it’s a bunch of other rural states — Ohio, Oklahoma.  They’re at 34 percent vaccination rate. Even so, opening up vaccines to out-of-staters — I know we talked a little bit about before —

JEN PSAKI, PRESS SECRETARY:  Yeah.

QUESTION:  — the preliminary steps — but has the White House been in touch with these governors to see what they can do now? Because, of course, this impacts herd immunity and the goals of the White House just to get these shots in arms.

PSAKI: Well, there are a number of steps that we’ve taken in the recent weeks, including launching the Community Corps, which is our program to provide fact-based messages into the hands of local messengers. So we’ve now — we’re now working with more than 4,000 organizations that have signed up so far across the country, including in a number of the states that you mentioned. We’re also investing $3 billion to states and community-based organizations to strengthen vaccine confidence in the highest-risk and hardest-hit communities.  And often, people think of that as just Black and brown communities, and that is not.  As you’ve noted, that is also conservative communities, white evangelicals.  It’s a range of communities around the country. What we’ve found to be most effective is to work with these local organizations — so, faith-based organizations, community health organizations, civic leaders, and others who can really get this message deeply in communities. We’ve also had a number of our members of our COVID team, from Dr. Fauci and Fran- — and Dr. Collins — participate — as an example — participate in a range of media interviews.  You know, an example is Dr. Collins participated in “The 700 Club.”  Dr. Nunez-Smith hosted a faith leaders roundtable.  We’re also looking for — we’ve run PSAs on “The Deadliest Catch.”  We’re engaged with NASCAR and Country Music TV. We’re looking for a range of creative ways to get directly connected to white conservative communities.  We won’t always be the best messengers, but we’re still trying to meet people where they are but also empower local organizations.

QUESTION: And just a quick follow-up: Do you — does the White House endorse these states opening up their vaccines to folks from out of state?  You know, these — these do expire, so rather than them sitting on the shelf, they are going to go to somebody else.

PSAKI: Well, these states are all going to have their own implementation plans, and we certainly work with them to advise how to distribute the vaccines most — as equitably as possibly — as possible and as effectively and efficiently around states. No state is 100 percent vaccinated, as — as we know.  So our focus has been working with them on how to get them to the communities that are the hardest hit. 

…

QUESTION: To follow up on Brittany’s question about vaccines: Do you think that the White House has had any part in this — in having, sort of, maybe a pessimistic message towards some Americans who are skeptical of this administration, who — for partisan reasons or otherwise — to see vaccinated people in the Cabinet or the President continuing to wear masks around each other, or hearing that things won’t be back to normal as the vaccine continues to be distributed?  Do you think that that is having a negative effect at all?

PSAKI: On people — make sure I understand your question.

QUESTION: Of people who are skeptical.

PSAKI: On people not taking the vaccine?

QUESTION: Yeah, of people who are skeptical of the vaccine and who don’t trust the Biden administration.

PSAKI: Well, look, I think, one, we recognize we’re not always the best messengers.  That’s why we’re working with these local organizations and groups — because we certainly know that President Biden and Vice President Harris may not be the right voices in a range of communities across the country. Two, we believe that part of our objective is to model public health guidelines, and that means continuing to wear masks, continuing to handwash, social distance, because there is still ongoing research on what is most effective and how to prevent distribution and it — the va- — I’m sorry, the pandemic traveling further.  So I’m not sure I’m understanding your question maybe.

QUESTION: The question is: How do you — how do you strike that balance between being a model of the public health guidelines and also not contributing to the sense of hopelessness, perhaps, among people who are skeptical to take the vaccine and maybe feel like getting it would not make a difference in their lives anyway?

PSAKI: Sure. Yeah, I think a big part of what we’re trying to do is provide accurate information about what getting a vaccine will enable the American people to do; hence, the President gave a primetime address where he said, if when you get the vac- — if you — when the vaccine is accessible to you and you get it, we can work towards having backyard barbecues. He — we’ve also had a number of officials out there to convey, and we’ve had — obviously, the CDC has put out guidance that says, “If you’re vaccinated, if your neighbors are vaccinated, you can have dinner inside together.”  It’s a pandemic.  We don’t think it’s easy.  We know it’s difficult.  It’s required a lot of sacrifice.  But at the same time, we’re trying to provide accurate, public health-based guidance on what people can do once they have taken the vaccine. 

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