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Tick tock motherfuckers!

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

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Text STOP to opt out of updates on war plans.

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You are here: Home / Politics / Media / Open Thread: Jen Psaki Is Getting Her Own Sunday Show

Open Thread: Jen Psaki Is Getting Her Own Sunday Show

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Per the NYTimes, “Jen Psaki, Once the Voice of Biden, Moves to an Anchor Chair”:

Rachel Maddow is teaching her to use a teleprompter, so far with mixed results. Mika Brzezinski offered tips on pinning down squirrelly guests. Nicolle Wallace invited her to editorial meetings, and Andrea Mitchell is tutoring her on interviewing techniques.

Jen Psaki spent the last two decades jousting with journalists. She’s about to find out what it’s like on the other side of the anchor desk…

It’s a quick transition to full-time anchor for Ms. Psaki, 44, whose deft defenses of the Biden administration — and feisty tête-à-têtes with Fox News’s Peter Doocy — made her a cult figure of sorts among liberals. She spawned the TikTok hashtag #psakibomb and was gently parodied on “Saturday Night Live.”

Now she’ll take charge of an hourlong program on a Biden-friendly network, mixing policy and political discussions with lighter fare like human-interest profiles of politicians, celebrities and athletes. (One of her dream guests: Joe Burrow, the quarterback of her husband’s hometown Cincinnati Bengals.)…

For her part, Ms. Psaki said that MSNBC viewers could expect to see her authentic self — and that “I am not going on television to be a mouthpiece.”

“I’m very conscious of the fact that people know who I am because I was standing behind a podium speaking on behalf of Joe Biden,” she said in an interview from her new office in NBC’s Washington bureau, where a framed New York Times crossword (“___ Psaki, White House communications director under Obama”) followed her from the West Wing.

“I am not going to gratuitously attack him, nor am I going to gratuitously applaud him,” she said. “If he deserves applause, I will applaud him. If he deserves critique, I will critique him.”…

Ms. Psaki, who took a few months off over the summer traveling with family, said the debut of “Inside” meant that her political career was officially over. “I am not joining a re-elect ever again,” she said. “Nor do I have any plans to go back to government. Ever.”

How about running for office?

“God forbid,” Ms. Psaki said. “That’s my worst nightmare.”

Back in November:

… Most people know Psaki because, as White House press secretary, she was one of the most visible members of the Biden administration. But she cut her teeth at the White House during the Obama years, and has worked in private consulting and communications roles, along with serving as a CNN commentator. She didn’t work on Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign, but after he’d won in November, the transition team asked her to come on as press secretary for the first year or so. “I knew I was only going to stay for a period of time,” Psaki said, noting that “hiring and building a team of people…who you could kind of hand the baton to” was part of the transition team’s pitch to her. “I had always wanted to do that job”—she’d lost out on the role twice under Obama—but “had already done so much government and so much public service” that she was ready for a new chapter. “I knew that before I started,” Psaki said. “So this last experience was like icing.”

After nearly 16 months in the Brady briefing room, where she sparred with reporters—notably, Fox News’ Peter Doocy—and dropped innumerable “Psaki bombs,” as her fans on social media would say, Psaki exited the White House in May and enjoyed a summer off. “It took me a while to not feel completely exhausted,” she said. She traveled with her family and read books and did Transcendental Meditation training at the recommendation of former Biden COVID czar Jeffrey Zients’s wife. “​​I ran into her at his going-away party and she was like, You have to think about doing this when you leave,” she said. Does Psaki see herself going back at any point? She shut down the question before I could even finish asking it. “If somebody wants to wheel me out to be the ambassador to a warm place when I’m 100, I’m not gonna turn them down,” she said. “But I feel like I’ve had my government experience and career many times over, and I’m very grateful for that, but I am not looking back.”

That’s good news for MSNBC, which, like its competitors, has been navigating a post-Trump ratings drop and talent shake-ups. Psaki is one of the “clearest, yet most passionate, yet most knowledgeable communicators that I’ve seen in a long time,” said MSNBC president Rashida Jones. “We’ve seen her both on Meet the Press and on MSNBC talk about some areas where she thinks the current administration and the Democratic Party should be thinking differently, should be operating differently,” said Jones. “I think that’s what makes her so valuable to us. Because she’s an insider, she knows how those universes work”—what is “actually doable,” and “what should be thought about differently.”…

What was the biggest difference between working for the past two Democratic presidents? Psaki says it boils down to Obama being an introvert and the fact that she’s “never met a more extroverted person” than Biden—something that was a challenge during COVID. Psaki said that at a certain point White House staff felt Biden “wasn’t having as much fun on trips, and so we just started bringing members of Congress and elected officials with us”—noting “that would not have been President Obama’s dream at all”—who would tell Biden “how things were being digested in their districts or their communities.” Being able to “connect in a way to the outside world” gave the president “a little extra pep in his step,” said Psaki…

Reader Interactions

69Comments

  2. 2.

    mrmoshpotato

    Andrea Mitchell is tutoring her on interviewing techniques.

    What?  Mrs. Greenspan is tutoring one of the greatest press secretaries on how to ask a bunch of softball questions?  When does Chuckles Todd coach her on letting Republicans lie to her face?

    ETA – oh, and Mika offered tips on pinning down squirrelly guests.  BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

    ETA2 – ok, my laughter didn’t mess up the margins. :)

  4. 4.

    Sure Lurkalot

    MSNBC is a Biden friendly network? Fuck that fucking noise. It’s unwatchable except for brief stints in the evening. I don’t need opines from David Jolly, Steve Schmidt or Charlie Sykes and countless other never trump losers. Why is my “liberal” news station chock full of Republicans?

    I will give Jen Psaki the benefit of the doubt but I’m sorry in advance that I won’t be surprised if she falls down the bothsides rathole, real fast. It’s the business model and paychex are good.

  6. 6.

    mrmoshpotato

    @Sure Lurkalot:

    MSNBC is a Biden friendly network? Fuck that fucking noise. It’s unwatchable except for brief stints in the evening. I don’t need opines from David Jolly, Steve Schmidt or Charlie Sykes and countless other never trump losers. Why is my “liberal” news station chock full of Republicans? 

    Do you listen to The Professional Left podcast?

    YouTube link – if you prefer

  7. 7.

    Bupalos

    Gross. Going to join Andrea Mitchell’s vapid club. I’m surprised. Cable news. Couldn’t be more disappointed

  8. 8.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    I’ll tune in if I have nothing better to do of a Sunday morning.

    If I don’t like it, I won’t watch anymore.

  9. 9.

    Sister Golden Bear

    Second night without electricity, after Tuesday’s windstorm downed countless trees and power lines. 55 degrees inside the house, probably will drop further since we’re having freezing temps tonight, and already having snow in the hills.

    No word from PG&E, no ETA for when power will be restored. But hey, what’s 120,000 people in the Bay Area without electricity, shareholder dividends are the only thing that matters, amirite?

  10. 10.

    BellyCat

    I prefer to dream Psaki will be just as amazing as she has been amazing. Miss her blunt poignancy. A boy can dream…

  11. 11.

    ian

    @Sure Lurkalot:

    I won’t be surprised if she falls down the bothsides rathole

    This is the second time in as many days I have seen this argument floated here.

    Why do you think she will become a supplicant at the high and mighty church of bothsiderism? (h/t Driftglass)

  12. 12.

    BeautifulPlumage

    This:

    “…said MSNBC president Rashida Jones. “We’ve seen her both on Meet the Press and on MSNBC talk about some areas where she thinks the current administration and the Democratic Party should be thinking differently, should be operating differently,” said Jones. “I think that’s what makes her so valuable to us.”

    I’m hearing “we can use her to keep focus on ‘dems in disarray’ rather than the MAGA inability to govern & the threat to democracy.”

    It’s never the repubs fault…

  13. 13.

    Jackie

    I’m looking forward to her new show. She’s been doing great as a commentator on various MSNBC shows. I wish her success!

  14. 14.

    BruceFromOhio

    I would happily watch Jen Psaki read the online menu of the local bbq joint. And ripping on one articles take on who she gets advice from misses the point.

    Ms. P has an interest in telling the story. You can think what you want to, but you might consider cutting her a little slack. Lady friend didn’t just fall off the hay truck.

  17. 17.

    eclare

    I am undecided about Jen’s show and could probably make a case for success or failure.  So I’ll wait and see.

  18. 18.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    I was going to debut my fun small town troubles post starring Brookings Fred Meyer Store Manager Henry Johnson tonight but I was hijacked by a customer today and was delayed in putting it all together in time for east coasters to read it. I’ll start on it in an open thread tomorrow. In the meantime here are some words of wisdom from Henry the Brookings, Oregon Fred Meyer store manager.

    “It’s not my money. Besides, we’ll probably need it tomorrow anyway.”

    This is his response when reminded that for the last week a rental car has been sitting in the Fred Meyer parking lot that needs to be returned to the airport in Crescent City, CA. What’s the witty part is that he returned it a couple of days later, right before they needed to rent one again. Probably since he didn’t want to explain to accounting why there was one vehicle rental receipt for two separate travel dates.

    Now those are the kind of tough, high-quality management skillz that Kroger/Fred Meyer hired him to make! Stay tuned for tomorrow’s installation, it only gets better… :)

  19. 19.

    BruceFromOhio

    @BeautifulPlumage: I see it differently. Here’s someone who knows how to hold a blade, and might suggest where to make some cuts. The President recently illuminated the target-rich environment of slow-moving and poorly informed GQP leaders and representatives.

    It is 622 days until the 2024 national election.

    That is what I would call an ‘investment opportunity.’

  21. 21.

    BeautifulPlumage

    OT: It’s been 10 days since Missy crossed the bridge and I miss her very much. I still look for her when I come home and hear those little noises when she jumped in the stool to the cedar chest to the bed. I still want to fill her water every morning and do all of our little rituals.

    I know I’ll eventually invite another kitty or 2 to live with me, but I need to pass through this grief part first. *sigh*

    (please give your furry/feathery/scaley ones an extra schritch from me tonight)

  22. 22.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Have some good news to counteract your pre-disappointment in the coming and inevitable betraaayal by Jen Psaki that is in no way foreshadowed by any public comment she has ever made to my knowledge

    Jacob Rubashkin @JacobRubashkin
    Joe Biden has a positive approval rating among registered voters for the first time in years, per the latest NPR/PBS/Marist Poll.
    49% approve / 45% disapprove 2/13-15, 1210 RVs, mixed mode, ±3.5

    and that’s before his trip to Kiev. In fact, I think it’s the aftermath of the horrors of The Week of The Balloons

  24. 24.

    BeautifulPlumage

    @BruceFromOhio: I appreciate this sentiment and I respect Jen Psaki. I’ll give her a few shows in before I judge. I just don’t appreciate that both articles emphasized her ability to critique Biden & the Democratic Party. We’re not seeing that same focus on republican faults when it comes to leadership & messaging.

  26. 26.

    David 🌈☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: ​
      Country always comes together during a balloon crisis.

    that said, nothing like a jaw dropping jobs report to create goodwill.

    People who either lived through or read about the early 80s know Reagan lost nearly 30 seats during his first midterm and his approval rating was 35% with 56% disapproving on 1.31.83. Then the economy got better and his numbers reversed.

  28. 28.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Jackie: they’re making a great show of how he walked into the local McDonald’s and declared that he was buying, and I keep thinking, aren’t all the beverages there, from the coffee to the self-serve fountain drinks, made with the local tap water?

  29. 29.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    @eclare:

    Fred Meyer regularly sends store personnel to other stores to assist when there are problems at that store. It can be numerous people out sick, explaining the setup of a new sales campaign or whatever. The company likes to throw lots of money at employees who travel to help in other stores (car rental, food, lodging).

    In this case, Henry was too lazy to return the car after the employee returned. I’m sure that the powers that be at Fred Meyer corporate wouldn’t be too pleased about paying for a rental car that just sat in their parking lot accruing daily costs.

    There’s lots of this crap he has pulled and this asshole has pissed me off for the last time so it’s time to do laundry. Yes there is an ulterior motive to my posts and you will all understand why tomorrow.

  31. 31.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @David 🌈☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch: when I find myself drifting into speculation on 2024, I remind myself we’re a good year away from having any idea what the political atmosphere (mostly the economy) will be when things really get going. My rule of thumb for a presidential year is June. September for mid-terms.

  36. 36.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Probably a good rule of thumb. I remember back in May of last year goblue72 was insisting that Dems were going to lose the midterms completely and that the results were set in stone 6 months out. Glad he was wrong.

    Why June for presidential years and September for midterms, out of curiosity?

  38. 38.

    Jackie

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): Oh, yes, he has his own labeled water, steak, wine… and who knows what else.

    My warning about the Trump bottled water comes from something I saw on the news about a bottled water company located about 20 miles downstream from E. Palestine suspending  operation pending “water safety concerns.”

  39. 39.

    CaseyL

    @Odie Hugh Manatee:

    I have to confess I miss shopping at Fred Meyer (I no longer do so, for Reasons) – though I also have to say shopping is a lot more fun when it’s no longer one-stop.  More farmers markets, more specialty groceries.  It’s a real credit to Fred Meyer that they pay for employees from other stores to help out the short-staffed ones: I’ve never heard of that before.

    I’m looking forward to hearing your saga, getting a glimpse into the Fred Meyer, uh, culture.

  40. 40.

    Jackie

    Buttigieg is getting results! How much of this is due to the E. Palestine train derailment?

    “Norfolk Southern has reached a sick leave agreement for members of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way – Employes Division, the railroad announced Wednesday.

    The agreement, which could affect approximately 3,000 workers who are responsible for maintaining NS’ track and infrastructure, allows BMWED members up to seven paid sick days per year. BMWED members previously had no sick leave, although there was short-term disability provided through the Railroad Retirement Board.

    “Norfolk Southern’s success is built upon the incredible work our craft railroaders perform every day, and we are committed to improving their quality of life in partnership with our union leaders,” NS President and CEO Alan Shaw said in a release.”

    https://www.freightwaves.com/news/norfolk-southern-maintenance-of-way-workers-reach-deal-on-sick-leave

  42. 42.

    BeautifulPlumage

    @CaseyL: I do have a FM rewards card (because they don’t make you give ALL your info) but I prefer our Grocery Outlet stores for  a lot of my groceries because I like the one-off variation of their selection. Probably doesn’t work families with picky/specific brands-type eaters.

    Yay to the farmers markets and specialty stores, though. We have DK Market in Renton which has quite the selection of foods from many areas which I’ve never seen at FM. The dried bean section, all the spices, pickled things from various East European countries, etc, etc.

    If you ever come up “north” you should check it out.

  43. 43.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    @CaseyL:

    That cross-store help is often because the stores are short-staffed and getting way behind. It seems that the corporate answer to this is to shuffle people around rather than hiring more people. What ends up happening is the store giving up the work body suffers until the worker returns as is also short-staffed.

    This didn’t start happening until after Kroger bought Fred Meyer.

  45. 45.

    Jackie

    More fun news! McCarthy may need to get on bended knees to Democrats:

    “16 House Republicans have never voted to raise the debt ceiling — even under former President Trump — complicating Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) hand as he seeks to browbeat the Biden administration into spending cuts.

    Why it matters: The entrenched opposition means McCarthy could need Democratic votes for any package that ties hiking the debt ceiling to budget cuts.”

    https://www.axios.com/2023/02/23/republican-no-votes-raise-debt-ceiling-suspension
    😂🤣😂🤣😂

  50. 50.

    CaseyL

    @BeautifulPlumage: I would *love* a BJ Meetup for Seattle & Environs!  It has been far too long.  Let’s see who else would ben interested, maybe in one of the threads tomorrow.

    @Odie Hugh Manatee:

    This didn’t start happening until after Kroger bought Fred Meyer.

    And that is one of my Reasons for no longer shopping there.  But the coup de gras was when they put Elaine Chao on the BOD.  Chao is corruption personified, and the only reason to bring her on board is to also be corrupt, so … adios, Fred Meyer.

  51. 51.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    @CaseyL:

    Every year there are cuts to everything to improve the bottom line. It’s just little stuff, like changing their bulk coffee bags from ones with the brand name printed on them to plain brown bags. It’s always fun figuring out what changes each year brings.

  52. 52.

    Alison Rose

    @HumboldtBlue: Whereabouts on the coast are you? Have a friend up in Eureka, I wonder what it’s like there. Here in SR it’s already down to 35 and gonna drop more overnight. Times like this I really fucking miss having central heat.

  56. 56.

    JustRuss

    @Odie Hugh Manatee:This didn’t start happening until after Kroger bought Fred Meyer.

    My sister-in-law used to clean the Fred Meyer CEO’s house, before the buyout.  Nice folks, they’d sometimes let her use it when they were travelling.  Very nice house, as you’d expect.

  60. 60.

    Chief Oshkosh

    @BeautifulPlumage: I’m sorry for your loss. It took me a while to become less sad after my last kitty passed, and then two more years before adopting rescue twins. In hindsight, I should have gone right to the shelter, but everyone is different.

  61. 61.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    @JustRuss:

    The original owners of Fred Meyer were awesome and the employees loved working for them. The medical benefits rocked and the pay, while not the best was at least above average. Overall though, the employees were quite happy with it. Kroger taking over didn’t change much at first but eventually things went to cut-cut-cut to feed Conglomo, I mean Kroger.

    Now conditions, work and pay sucks so bad that many employees view coming to work on any given day as an option and they like exercise that option often. The union just came in to this store at the end of December so it will be interesting to see if things improve for the covered workers (not all are covered).

  63. 63.

    Baud

    I really enjoyed Chris Hayes’s Sunday show back in the day.  Then he got a prime time slot and it was never the same.

  64. 64.

    Chris T.

    @Odie Hugh Manatee:

    … eventually things went to cut-cut-cut to feed Conglomo, I mean Kroger

    Worse news yet: Safewalbertskromeyer is becoming all one big entity. They already bought up the Haggen chain as well (Safewalbertskromeyggen?).

  66. 66.

    SFAW

    and feisty tête-à-têtes with Fox News’s Peter Doocy

    OK, I realize I’m a curmudgeonly old fart, but don’t they have any competent editors at the FTFTFNYT?

  67. 67.

    SFAW

    @Jackie: ​
     

    (I have no idea where TFG fills his bottles, but does anyone else?)

    Knowing that evil, cheap-ass, grifting mofo, probably pre-Erin-Brockovich Hinkley, CA.

  69. 69.

    Jinchi

    @Jackie: ​
     Oh, yes, he has his own labeled water, steak, wine… and who knows what else.

    Best case scenario: He simply has his staff buy bottles from the local Kwik-E-Mart and slap Trump/2024 stickers over the original label.

    More likely scenario: He got a great deal on water from a guy in Flint Michigan and has been spending the last several years trying to pawn it off.

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