The White House Correspondents’ Dinner awarded Washington Post reporter Matt Viser the Aldo Beckman on Saturday for “overall excellence” in capturing “the spirit of Joe Biden” based upon stories regarding Biden’s brother and his Catholic faith.
The award was presented to him by ABC News correspondent Karen Travers among several other honors delivered that night to reporters. During the ceremony, Travers noted that the judges awarded Viser based on his efforts to cover “the spirit of Joe Biden” during his time in the presidency.
“The judges say Matt Viser stood out among his competitors for work that went beyond the humdrum of covering the managed events of the presidency in the White House. Viser captured the spirit of Joe Biden, particularly with stories about the President’s brother and how his Catholic faith influenced his strategic vision of the office,” Travers announced.
“The WHCA is pleased to give the Aldo Beckman award to Matt Viser,” she concluded.
The award was previously announced earlier this month by the Washington Post who celebrated the news in a press announcement.
“This prestigious award acknowledges Matt’s singular body of work as a White House reporter. He has unearthed new information about Biden’s background and relationships, painting a complicated and convincing portrait of a man who has survived numerous struggles, personal and political, and not always gracefully. Matt’s patient reporting and nuanced, authoritative writing has stood out in a highly competitive beat, and his warm collegiality makes him a beloved member of The Post’s first-in-class White House team,” the PR team wrote.
While Viser’s coverage of Biden’s brother James back in May 2022 alluded to his “complicated” history regarding certain business deals, Viser also referenced him as the “family helper” during Biden’s political career.
“James Biden has in many ways always been the protector in the Biden family, the one who made sure the machinery ran while his brother soared; President Biden as recently as late last year referred to him as ‘my brother Jimmy, who fixes everything.’ He has been there for the bad times, comforting family members in distress, visiting the bedside of loved ones, getting them into rehab when needed. He was by his brother’s side at his first wedding, was at the hospital when Beau died, found a neurosurgeon when Joe had a brain aneurysm,” Viser wrote.
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Viser also referred to Biden as “deeply Catholic” in a ridiculed analysis published back in June 2021, despite being at odds with many bishops.
“Biden is arguably the most observant president in decades, and his faith is a core part of his identity,” Viser wrote at the time.
The award was also lambasted by conservatives as a another example of media bias.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas., wrote, “When corporate media ‘journalists’ preen for being awarded ‘best propagandist for the White House’…they are not journalists.”
“A really telling story about the modern media: journalist is given an award by other journalists for playing press flak for a Dem President,” Washington Free Beacon staff writer Drew Holden tweeted.
“How brave!” Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton exclaimed.
Newsbusters executive editor Tim Graham joked, “Cheers to Matt Viser, Biden Adviser! At this dinner, you get awards for kissing the president’s ….rosary. Fake. News. on the Devout Catholic.”
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