I’m confident more than 10, possibly 100 people here think I dislike Jen Psaki. They are mistaken.
Some have hurled insults at me in public or private for my occasional criticisms of Psaki, suggesting all kinds of unkind things about my character and what sort of end I should meet for my heresy. It’s bound to happen again.
Today I’m here to praise Psaki for doing her job with professionalism under difficult circumstances.
Psaki is the White House Press Secretary. She previously had an equivalent position at the Sate Department during the Obama Administration (which provided AP’s Matt Lee endless entertainment and Psaki OTJ training).
Like all Press Secretaries, Psaki is obligated to represent the the organization/leader she serves, to present them in the best light, promote the narrative they wish, spin issues and facts to gain advantage, and when that can't be done, to deflect, stonewall or even attack members of the press, who also have a job to do that entails piercing the defensive shield. It’s all fair game.
As a citizen and member of the public, I try to be objective and fair to both sides, and often I have come to the defense of White House Press Corps members that have become the object of ridicule here because they challenged Psaki, or were treated unfairly or dismissively by Psaki, usually when they got under her skin when she was deflecting or selling obvious B.S.
Today her press conference was a master class in professionalism in every respect. She handled some challenging questions from the press with intelligence, and even when she did not have a good factual answer or was deflecting, she was in command of the room, handling every member of the press with respect and professionalism, and reframed some important and thorny issues in a positive light with clever rhetoric.
This does not mean I bought everything she said, but usually when I watch these sessions, some obvious gaping holes come to mind and I immediately know what I would ask as follow-up were I in the room. Today, there was only one such case; that is remarkable.
Well-earned praise: Good work, Jen. Please try to keep it up, the boss needs your help.
Behold: