Any day now, we will see Jen Psaki’s last day as Press Secretary to President Biden. I for one will be very sad.
Word is that Jen (we are close personal friends so she is just Jen to me) will apparently have her own show on a streaming network, which will do wonders for Peacock but won’t do a lot to put Jen Psaki in front of the world where she can do the most good.
So I’m bummed about that.
Jen Psaki has been a class act and she will certainly be a hard act to follow – I’m pretty sure the bar for Press Secretary has been raised for all time. I hope someone puts together all her best clips!
Feel free to link to any great ones in the comments.
Open thread.
Old School
Did Jen Psaki officially announce she was leaving? It was all “sources say” when all the reports came out a month or so back.
SpaceUnit
I was sort of hoping she’d run for office. She’d be a real bright light for the Dems.
Leto
I’m sure Peter Douchey will thank that person for getting all his kink material gathered in one place.
MisterForkbeard
@Old School: It’s been pretty much confirmed, IIRC. They were even talking about it at the WHCD over the weekend.
Ben Cisco
She’s done an outstanding job – another example of the right person in the right place at the right time. She’s going to be a hard act to follow but I do hope someone is up to the task.
Kay
WG, geg6 said she would do a guest post on student loans. She knows a lot about them- it’s her work- and I would like to read it. Perhaps others would too.
WaterGirl
@Old School: I saw something last week that said they were going to officially announce “after the White House Correspondence Dinner”.
They also specifically said “leaving in May”. Hence my suspicion that this will happen any day now.
waysel
That’s so cool that you’re close friends with Jen Psaki! I’m very sad that she’s leaving such an important post. She has been just fabulous.
WaterGirl
@Kay: I sent her email about an hour ago, and she has already agreed to write something. :-)
But I appreciate the heads-up – I might easily have missed the earlier discussion.
WaterGirl
@waysel: I thought it was obviously that I was mocking myself for just calling her “Jen”, but I would LOVE to know her in real life. I bet she’s a hoot.
Brachiator
@Ben Cisco:
Absolutely agree with you on this. She has represented the administration, and the American people, with a refreshing combination of honesty and competence.
I thought I read that she might go to MSNBC. Maybe Trevor Noah mentioned it at the correspondents dinner. I am a bit worried since the various streaming services are having problems. Hope she does okay.
Kay
@WaterGirl:
Oh, thanks. I said I would ask.
JPL
@WaterGirl: OT Thank you for keeping us informed about Imm and little Imma. Even if I don’t have time to read them when you post them, I take the time later to scan for updates.
I really appreciate it.
StringOnAStick
It seems like WH Press Secretary is a job with a 12 to 18 month time span, probably because it is such intense work. That Jen has had to deal daily with a WH press corpse that seems to get dumber by the minute, I can’t blame her for wanting it to be over with. As I recall, the person who stood in for her when she was out with Covid was pretty good at the snap back too, and if she’s chosen then perhaps she’ll ramp up to Jen level fairly quickly.
WaterGirl
@JPL: I tried to give updates in the typical posts where one would normally find Imm – morning threads and the Sunday Garden Chat.
CaseyL
@StringOnAStick: Yes! I was trying to remember her name – I think it’s Kate Bedingfield – and thinking she’d do great as the new PressSec. The actual Asst Press Secretary , Karine Jean-Pierre, was good, too, though a little soft-spoken for my taste. (Though that could be an advantage; the more softly one speaks, the more closely the audience listens. Usually.)
WaterGirl
Kate Bedingfield is my choice for who to replace Jen. Though I think there may be someone higher on the totem pole than she is – Karine Jean Pierre – I think Kate B the best one in that office who is not Jen.
Still waiting for Joe and jen to call and ask for my input. ?♀️
NotMax
Open Thread?
Good fun when not trying too hard to drive home the premise. In the “Available this month only on Prime” listings, Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy.
JoyceH
@StringOnAStick:
Yeah, that’s about the size of it, and most of the WH jobs are similar. Staying longer than 2 years is unusual. One of things that was most unrealistic about West Wing, I contend, was that the same characters stayed in the White House for eight long years. Of course, it makes sense for fiction, the public like THOSE characters and want to keep following their stories.
And I have to say that Psaki has been the only real life press secretary in my memory who could probably go toe to toe with CJ Cregg in the category of Press Secretary Greatness.
Kent
Democrats have a very deep pool of young talent. No one is irreplaceable. This isn’t a Senate Seat that is lost if she resigns. I’m sure Biden can find someone just as bright, quick, engaging, and articulate as Jen Psaki. As the military says…”next up”
waysel
@WaterGirl: Aw,shux. Ya got me!
WaterGirl
@Kent:
That would be Kate Bedingfield. But I still love Jen and will miss her!
Ohio Mom
I have a vague memory of some Juicers not being all that impressed with Psaki at first — the main complaint was too many “ums” and similar space fillers.
I’ll try to keep that in mind while watching the next one, and give her a chance to get comfortable.
Emerald
They should give her Meet the Press. Nobody’s ever met the press any better than she has.
Elizabelle
@Emerald: That’s a great idea.
However: NBC corporate. Would rather obfuscate than confront the issues facing us.
Weirdly, I think there would be a real audience for an actual hardhitting — and also entertaining — news show. The late night show prove that.
Matt McIrvin
@Kent:
It’s kind of remarkable to hear that, given that I’ve heard so much complaining in the past decade or two about how Democrats have no farm team and it’s just an endless dying gerontocracy.
Lapassionara
@Emerald: fantastic idea! What a show that would be.
debbie
@Leto:
Along with his lost-puppy facial expressions!
trollhattan
@WaterGirl:
Just don’t fuck up when it’s your turn to bring snacks and juice for Saturday soccer game.
She seems to be an Obama discovery, holding three different positions in his admin. Joe’s Rolodex has been perhaps his greatest asset–his team might be the most solid administration of my lifetime.
debbie
@StringOnAStick:
It has to be so draining to have to think so quickly and frame a response instantaneously without losing your temper and calling the questioner an idiot. I’d go home every night and sit in the corner drooling, trying to recover. It’s such a stressful job.
Elizabelle
You know, I really wish that the incoming press secretary would not call on Peter Doocy at all. Don’t give him a forum.
I do not see how it is of any use
I think the White House needs to stop treating Fox News as an actual news organization. It is only incidentally so, as cover for rightwing propaganda.
WaterGirl
@Emerald: No kidding! I would watch that in a heartbeat, and I haven’t watched a Sunday morning show in nearly 15 years.
laura
Jen Psaki will be missed, and she’ll be a hard act to follow, but she’s got very young children who wont stay young. I hope she does really great and rewarding work and gets a balance that doesn’t sacrafice family life. I’m optimistic about any who may get the job because the talent and the knowledge base in the White House Comms Office has been impressive to date.
WaterGirl
@laura: Her twitter account says 2 kids under 5!
Amazing. I bet she’s a great mom!
Pro tip, kids: Do not try to lie to your mom.
Leto
@Elizabelle: agreed; just because they’re in the room doesn’t mean you need to call on them. They’re going to report the coverage the same whether you call on them or not: “Ha, Biden is dodging our questions; what does he have to hide?” “Ha, Biden can’t answer our questions; what does he have to hide?” Another thing Obama was miles ahead of the curve on. Tried to ban them and all the rest of the dipshits threw a fit. Hey dipshits, any self reflection on that action? Any navel gazing? No? Fuck all ya’ll.
mrmoshpotato
@Emerald:
Press the Meat would have to be a serious show then.
Elizabelle
@Leto: I think the FTF NY Times gave them cover, with the 3-part series on Tucker and his
AmericanWhite Nationalism.Someone said that Biden sees Fox News as a real problem.
Act like it. Ban their asses (in both senses, and maybe more than just two.)
trollhattan
UK seems to have decided to bring out a bigger hammer to use vs. Russia. IIUC the bolded item is used to target artillery, a tool for countering Russia’s siege-style bombarding all the Ukrainian cities within reach. And the US howitzers we’re providing can lob “smart” shells that target things while in the air. No idea if they’re labeled “Acme.”
debbie
Am I the only one not to know there were raging fires in Siberia?
Translation: This is how it is in Siberia now. There is no one to extinguish large-scale fires, because there are more important things to do – a stupid war of conquest in Ukraine. All money and resources go to the killing of citizens of a foreign country. And these idiots don’t give a shit about their own. Let it burn.
Scott
@NotMax: That was a PBS Great Performances documentary back in 2013. Really good. Well worth watching
Elizabelle
Ah, the UK. That reminds me. The FTF NY Times put up an interesting live video interview with Tony Blair today, being interviewed by Peter (Fucking) Baker, on Russia and Ukraine. It was actually quite good, IMHO.
And Baker worked in calling the Afghanistan withdrawal a “debacle”, as you knew he would.
Anyway: worth a watch. Youtube link: don’t even have to give the Times a click.
Sure Lurkalot
She’s been terrific and I totally understand her moving on. Like many of you said, it’s a hard job to do for long.
I do wish she would move on to something other than streaming content but with two young kids, she probably wants to make up for lost time. Hopefully she’s destined for more.
Leto
@Elizabelle: that FTFNYT piece should go down along side the glowing review of Hitler as some of the most egregious journalistic malpractice committed. Include the “BUTTER E-MAILS” for the fucking trifecta.
@trollhattan: I would think a Patriot style system, along with a Phalanx system, would be better than a howitzer with a smart round, but I’m glad we’re increasing aid.
Spanky
Don’t take MTP away from Chuckie! He’ll have to move back into the basement!
Signed, Mrs. Todd
Elizabelle
@Leto: I haven’t read it yet, but I think the Times articles were allegedly very hard on Tucker Carlson. Not a glowing review. To see.
But the Times has a lot to atone for. Emails, emails, emails. And the ruthless cluelessness of Dean Baquet (doing the publishers’ bidding).
Leto
@debbie: WaPo had an article about this a few days ago. Talking about the climate impact this was having, as well as the fact that all the responders were fighting in Ukraine. It is indeed dumb.
@Elizabelle: have you seen the pictures coming out of Portugal of the angry Brits being forced to confront their dumbass Brexit decision? At the Malaga airport, airport officials put in a separate UK non-EU passport line versus the Irish EU passport line. “Why is the leopard eating my face!” Yes, we all told you there would be consequences for your actions.
Ken
I dunno. She seems overprepared.
Elizabelle
@Leto: No! But fabulous. Do you have a link of the Portugal (or Spain?) photos/stories? Would love to see that.
What dumbshits. Brexit was a complete self-own.
At least in the US,
Trumphole LOST the popular vote. By millions.cain
@debbie:
You know, she’s probably goes home, gets a very stiff drink(s) and then run the video of the day’s press meeting and then yell what she really wanted to say!
Leto
@Elizabelle: I have the link from Imgur: Furious Brits. I also have: It’s called Brexit stupid. The second one shows it’s from the UK’s Daily Mirror? Either way, hilarious.
cain
@Elizabelle:
They won’t own up to it. They live in a world different from us. They live in….. the twilight zone.
SpaceUnit
@Ken:
I’m sure that would be somebody’s narrative.
I’d also like to see her do media training for the Democratic Party, teach folks how to quickly demolish bullshit frames while staying on point and smiling. Jen Fu, as it were.
Elizabelle
@Leto: People Of Brexit.
I will give this a look. Thanks.
Elizabelle
@Leto: Oh gawd. The comments from the first link are perfect. A website of jackals.
“This is like quitting a job and complaining that you don’t get the employee discount anymore.”
This one, ouch: “Brits, the Americans of Europe.”
“Brexit and find out.”
Someone wrote that his uncle is complaining that “this isn’t the Brexit we voted for.” Well, yes, dumbass.
Patricia Kayden
trollhattan
@debbie: Seems awfully early in the year for boreal forest fires but guess it’s becoming common now. Certainly a cause for concern in tandem with the melting permafrost.
Leto
@Elizabelle: Imgur kicked out most of the Trumpshites, and has a near zero tolerance for most conservative bullshit. Plus you get cat/dog pics/videos and just a ton of other fun stuff. They can get a bit bothsiderie with a touch of progressiveness, but there’s a good number of commenters who will tamp down that bullshit. Not perfect but there’s a lot of laughs to be had.
And yes, it’s exactly the Brexit you voted for. Dumbass.
Gin & Tonic
@Leto: Walter Duranty tops that list of malpractice.
lowtechcyclist
@Patricia Kayden: That tweet is wrong. The Democrats have a 46-45 advantage among the 907 respondents to that poll. So basically that’s WAY too close to tell who’s ahead among the voting public at large.
But a statistical tie is still a hell of a lot better than a 10-point hole, and it may be just a wee bit too soon to give up on the midterms.
Another Scott
@Elizabelle: OTOH, someone on Twitter said the term of art for the accompanying photos are something like “glamour shots” (but that’s not the term). FTFNYT knows that most people aren’t going to read a 15,000 word series on a guy, they’ll skim the headlines and the pretty pictures and come away with a favorable impression. Or at least, “He’s not so bad; maybe he’s got a point…” Grr…
Cheers,
Scott.
Elizabelle
@lowtechcyclist: Bad people and lazy pundits (a subset) want us to give up on the midterms.
And we haven’t even had the June hearings on January 6th.
Elizabelle
@Another Scott: I miss Eric Boehlert.
Another Scott
@Elizabelle:
Independent.co.uk:
(Emphasis added.) TFG won 46.9% of the vote in 2020.
First Past the Post (plurality wins and often gets a disproportionate share of the seats/power) has big problems. Instant Runoff or similar reforms so that the majority actually has a reasonable say is something that should happen, but the devil’s in the details).
Cheers,
Scott.
SpaceUnit
Regarding polls: These days I always assume that any published poll is as likely an attempt to move public opinion ( and set some BS meme in motion ) as it is to accurately gauge it. The MSM’s political reporting has been in the tank for repubs since forever, and I don’t know why anyone would think that its polling would be any different.
Leto
@Another Scott: “In your heart, you know he’s right” – Barry Goldwater ad
Wvng
I vividly remember the very first time she ran a press briefing in the WH. She was just breathtakingly good right out of the gate, so smart, so honest, and such a shift from the massive dishonesty from the podium of the previous four years. I will miss her.
Elizabelle
@Another Scott: I did not know those specifics. No UK party has won a majority of the vote since 1931. Wow.
Brachiator
@Leto:
I have seen some comments from UK based pundits on this. Some Brits are furious that they must defer to the Irish.
But Brits who don’t do foreign travel don’t care about this. They voted for BREXIT to keep immigrants out of the country and they are grimly determined to hold on to the lie that this will make their lives better.
NotMax
@Leto
“In your guts you know he’s nuts.”
Freemark
Jen Psaki has been the best Press Secretary since at least the start of the television age. Some say we just think that because of what preceded her but those people are wrong.
Leto
@Brachiator:
And then there were the Brits who were living abroad (Spain, Portugal, France) who, when they found out that Brexit meant they’d lose their EU citizenship, thus losing their ability to live in those countries, were like, “Wait, this isn’t what we meant! We want to stay!” (Nope, you’re not; those countries said GTFO) Both Brits are the same. They didn’t want those people in their country, but wanted to retain all the privileges. I was there in the run up to Brexit, during, and for a few years after. This is all those dumbshits spoke about. “I didn’t realize it would be like this!” They’re still saying that. The farmers didn’t realize all the subsidies they were receiving from the EU. The travelers didn’t realize how simple travel was. The lorry drivers didn’t understand that there was going to be a 5+ hour backlog at the Chunnel. It goes on and on and on.
A lot of people did, and tried to warn that this would happen. They were blown off. Called egg heads, saying shit was overblown. But now… now it’s finally coming into full fruition of just how massive a blunder it is. And it’ll continue to snowball from here. You’ve been relegated. You’ve gone from the Premier League to the National League. Cheerio!
Brachiator
@Leto:
You nailed it. Those who tried to warn about the probable bad consequences of BREXIT were dismissed as fearful Remoaners. Experts were dismissed or ignored.
It’s just as bad as the MAGA nonsense that Trump was pushing.
James E Powell
I don’t know if she’d want to do it, but if NBC gave Jen Psaki the Meet the Press job, especially in this election year, it would turn the show into the Sunday morning ratings champion. People of our political ilk don’t watch those shows. Sure, some people hate watch or to document the atrocities as Duncan Black used to say. But most of us only learn about what happens there from people who watch so we don’t have to
Psaki would bring a large & loyal crowd to the show.
Ken B
@Elizabelle:
I think the SubPrime Court killing Roe under the well established Constitutional principle of ‘We’ve got five votes’ may be a bigger problem for the GOP this year.
Especially coupled with the gleeful abandon with which the Red States are setting out to ban it. A lot of people are going to get a very rude awakening.
Frankly, any rocks that get dumped in the GOP’s electoral boat are fine with me.
(Edited for clarity and to add some thoughts I meant to type before accidentally posting).
Nancy
@Ben Cisco:
Kind of like Miles O’Brien on DS9.
competent, not a push-over and funny
Yes, I do live in the Star Trek universe