In response to increasing criticism that President Obama should not have spent time appearing on ESPN to make his NCAA college basketball predictions, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney disputed that it was a distraction. Carney said, "yes I do think it was appropriate."

Carney defended Obama saying, about the position of president, "it's a hard job, it requires a lot." Furthermore, Carney said it was a "very brief interview" where Obama was also able to ask Americans to take the time to make donations to charities to help the Japanese.