Biden Decides to Forego Annual Super Bowl Interview for Second Consecutive Year

On Sunday, the White House told Variety that President Joe Biden will skip out on the annual Super Bowl pregame interview, which incumbent presidents have used in the past to boost polling numbers.

“We hope viewers enjoy watching what they tuned in for — the game,” White House spokesman Ben LaBolt told the publication.

For years, a pre-Super Bowl interview with the sitting president had been customary, drawing significant attention and viewership. However, this tradition appears to be waning, as Biden has opted not to participate in such an interview for the second consecutive year. CBS News is set to broadcast Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11, confirming that discussions with the White House had taken place but ultimately did not result in an interview agreement.

The absence of a presidential interview during the Super Bowl pregame festivities is notable, especially in light of the upcoming 2024 presidential election and recent significant events, such as U.S. military interventions in the Middle East and the divided political landscape.

Adding to this year’s Super Bowl narrative is the notion involving pop star Taylor Swift, who supported Biden in the 2020 election. Some conservative figures, such as former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, have promulgated a conspiracy theory that the game might be rigged in favor of the Kansas City Chiefs, whose tight end Travis Kelce is romantically linked to Swift. They say a potential platform for Swift to make a political endorsement of Biden during the high-profile event.