Jen Psaki struggled to clarify statements made by President Biden supporting the MLB’s decision to move their All-Star game from Atlanta to protest against Georgia’s new election protecting laws.
Biden told ESPN last week that he “strongly supported” moving the game away from Atlanta before MLB made the choice to pull the game.
“I believe our athletes are behaving responsibly. I would greatly support them doing this,” Biden said when asked about moving the game. “People look to them. They are real leaders.”
Biden also labeled the new election law as “Jim Crow on steroids.”
On Friday last week, the MLB announced that they would be pulling the game, triggering criticism from conservatives. Even some Georgia Democrats who opposed the law showed disappointment with the league for damaging the local economy.
Now on Monday, Psaki attempted to get around responsibility for the boycott, saying that the president was only supporting MLB players.
“He was not saying what the MLB should do, that they should move the game,” she said. “That was their choice, and they made it, and as he said, he certainly supports that.”
She says Biden’s comments should be taken into “context.”
But when she was asked if Biden supported the decision to remove the game, Psaki hesitated.
“He backs them being able to choose, and respond to their players’ needs, because many of those players are affected by these laws,” she said.
When asked if she was taking Biden’s comments back, Psaki said, “I’m trying to explain to everyone what he said.”
“I’m not calling for anyone on behalf of the president to take a step in response to the law in Georgia,” she said.
Author: Scott Dowdy
