White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki will leave the Biden administration in May and join MSNBC, according to a report from Sara Fischer of Axios.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki is in exclusive talks with MSNBC to join the network after she leaves the White House around May, according to a source close to the matter.
Why it matters: It’s been speculated for weeks that Psaki would leave the White House for a TV gig. White House communications staffers often negotiate TV jobs once they leave an administration.
Psaki, who has served as press secretary since Biden took office, is expected to host a show for MSNBC on NBCUniversal’s streaming platform, Peacock.
In addition to those duties, Psaki will also be a part of the network’s live programming, but won’t replace Rachel Maddow in the 9:00 p.m. timeslot. There had been rumors that Psaki would be the permanent replacement for Maddow, who is currently on hiatus.
Axios also notes that streaming platforms such as Peacock have opened up new opportunities for top talent such as Psaki to host their own shows without it necessitating a major shift in in the live TV broadcast portion of the network.
Psaki has become known for using facts instead of spin in response to questions from reporters, especially Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy, who recently tried to trip her up on the issue of gas prices, only to be slapped down by Psaki, who told him:
“Let me give you the facts here. I know that can be inconvenient but I think they’re important in this moment.”
Here’s what we know about Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO): He’s an apologist for the Capitol insurrection and attempted coup that took place on January 6, 2021.
Hawley is also trying to make a name for himself because he plans to run for president one day and doesn’t care how many people he has to slag or destroy in order to get his name in the headlines and pretend that he’s a decent, moral person.
The perfect example of Hawley’s ambition and cutthroat tactics can be found in his attempt to smear Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, who has been nominated by President Joe Biden to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.
Hawley fired off a series of tweets accusing Jackson of being soft on people caught with child porn:
Judge Jackson has yet to address her alarming record on child porn offenders. But rather than ask her questions, the Washington Post is regurgitating White House talking points. Their “fact check” questions & my answers below. Now go ask the person nominated for the Supreme Court pic.twitter.com/jNLt6CArIT
So other than these juvenile histrionics, the White House has no substantive answers for the judicial record of a person they nominated https://t.co/PEE0eB0XNt
When White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was asked about the disgusting insinuation made by Hawley, it quickly became clear that the administration stands behind Judge Jackson and also that Psaki has some questions of her own for the senator:
“What I would say, though — because there are others in the Senate who have made faulty accusations about Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s record and specifically about her record on child sex crimes, so let me just take the opportunity to clear that up — not that most people have confusion about it.
“But in the vast majority of cases involving child sex crimes, the sentences Judge Jackson imposed were consistent with or above what the government or U.S. probation recommended. For example, there are — there are arguments that have been made out there by Senator Hawley and others that — where he took a snippet of a transcript out of context, when, in fact, Judge Jackson was repeating something a witness said in order to ask a question about their testimony.”
When another reporter asked about Hawley’s tweets, Psaki put the niceties aside and took a verbal tire iron to the Missouri senator, remarking:
“Well, I’m not sure that someone who refused to tell people whether or not he would vote for Roy Moore is an effective and credible messenger on this.”
Remember Roy Moore? He’s the Alabama GOP Senate candidate who was accused of propositioning and having sex with underage girls on several occasions, as the Washington Post reported:
Leigh Corfman says she was 14 years old when an older man approached her outside a courtroom in Etowah County, Ala. She was sitting on a wooden bench with her mother, they both recall, when the man introduced himself as Roy Moore.
Days later, she says, he picked her up around the corner from her house in Gadsden, drove her about 30 minutes to his home in the woods, told her how pretty she was and kissed her. On a second visit, she says, he took off her shirt and pants and removed his clothes. He touched her over her bra and underpants, she says, and guided her hand to touch him over his underwear.
Josh Hawley refused to condemn Moore for that behavior, so maybe it’s time the FBI had a long look at the senator’s computer and cell phone, too.
At Wednesday’s White House Press Briefing, Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy tried to use snark and sarcasm to get the best of press secretary Jen Psaki, but he soon found out what a mistake that was.
“Why did you guys decide to rebrand the rise in gas prices as the #PutinPriceHike?”
Psaki responded:
“I mean if you want to use that on Fox, I welcome that.”
And that’s when Doocy turned up the sarcasm:
“I think it will get a lot of airtime because we heard the president warn for months that gas prices are rising because of the supply chain and because of post-pandemic demand. If you guys knew for months that this was going to be the hashtag #PutinPriceHike, why are we just hearing that now?”
Calmly, Psaki replied:
“As you know, events in the world, including an invasion by Russia of a foreign country does prompt instability and volatility in the global oil markets. And there are all sorts of issues that could impact that. That’s what we’re seeing now.”
That led Doocy to inquire for what seems like the 10 millionth time about the 9,000 oil and gas leases across the U.S. that aren’t being used:
“Would President Biden cut red tape to make that possible?”
The press secretary responded with a question of her own:
“What red tape needs to be cut? They have the permits, they have the capacity to do it. What’s holding them up?”
Rather than accept that and move on, Doocy used more snark:
“Does President Biden think each of these 9,000 leases that are available have oil or gas in them? When you say that, this represents a fundamental misunderstanding as to how this process works.”
That’s when Psaki took the Fox reporter to school on the subject:
“That should not require us inviting them to do that. What additional permits do they need? The leases are there, the permits are there. I don’t think they need an embroidered invitation to drill. They are oil companies.
“The permits have been granted, Peter. These are private sector companies. We recognize that. Many of them are making record profits. We see that. … We’re asking them to use the approved permits, to use the unused space and go and get more supply out of the ground in our own country.”
Doocy then turned (also for the 10 millionth time) to the Keystone XL pipeline, which led Psaki to reply:
“Why don’t you tell me what that would help address?”
Doocy:
“You say all options are on the table. Is restarting the Keystone pipeline one of them?”
Psaki shut Doocy down with facts and logic:
“If you’re trying to bring about more supply, that does not address any problem. We’re already getting that oil, Peter. The pipeline is just the delivery mechanism. It is not an oil field.”
Poor little Doocy. He keeps trying to start an argument with Jen Psaki and all he gets is another ass whipping.
You would think that Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy would have learned by now that when you try to confront White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki with bullshit and half-truths, you’re going to get called out for all the world to see.
And yet Doocy once again decided to try and challenge Psaki at Monday’s press briefing, this time suggesting that the Biden administration was trying to have it both ways when it came to the rising price of gasoline in the United States, asking her:
“It sounds like you guys are blaming Putin for the increase in gas prices. But weren’t gas prices going up anyway because of post-pandemic supply-chain issues?”
Psaki responded that recent spikes in the price of gasoline are “a direct result of the invasion of Ukraine.”
Doocy then inquired:
“So, you say you’re going to do everything you can to reduce the impact that high gas prices has on Americans. We’re asking other countries to think about pumping more oil. Why not just do it here?”
The press secretary began to explain:
“Federal policies are not limiting the supplies of oil and gas…”
But Doocy couldn’t wait for Psaki to finish, interrupting her to remark:
“There was an executive order [President Joe Biden’s] first week that halted new oil and gas leases on public land.”
That’s when Psaki laid the brutal truth on Doocy, along with some snark to make the moment as unpleasant as possible for him:
“Let me give you the facts here. I know that can be inconvenient but I think they’re important in this moment.”
The facts Psaki shared were to the point: “There are 9,000 permits that are not being used.” And she added:
“So the suggestion that we’re not allowing companies to drill is inaccurate. The suggestion that that is what is hindering or preventing gas prices from coming down is inaccurate.”
Doocy:
“Wait, you guys think asking Saudi Arabia or Venezuela or Iran is reducing our dependence on foreign oil?”
Once again, Psaki used facts and a bit of biting commentary to shut down Doocy:
“I don’t think anyone is advocating for Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon, perhaps, except for the former president, who pulled us out of the [nuclear] deal.”
You’d think Doocy would learn. But he doesn’t. Then again, maybe that’s for the best since we get to watch Jen Psaki masterfully troll him to his face on a daily basis.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was more than ready for a ridiculous line of questioning from Fox News reporter Jacqui Heinrich at the daily press briefing.
Specifically, Heinrich asked why the U.S. government isn’t increasing domestic oil production, even though such an increase would have to come from oil companies, not the White House:
“On gas, you just said that, you know, less supply raises prices, it’s not in our strategic interest to reduce the supply. We also know, you know, the president as recently as yesterday talked about increasing domestic manufacturing to bring down prices on inflated items like goods. So why not apply the same logic to energy and increase domestic production here?”
Psaki calmly responded:
“Well, there are 9000 approved oil leases that the oil companies are not tapping into currently. So I would ask them that question.”
Heinrich:
“Is there nothing that the administration can do to get those providers back to pre-pandemic levels?”
The press secretary had the perfect comeback:
“Do you think the oil companies don’t have enough money to drill on the places that have been preapproved?”
That led the Fox reporter to whine:
“Just asking.”
Again, Psaki leveled Heinrich with her response:
“I would, I would point that question to them and we can talk about it more tomorrow when you learn more.”
From there, Heinrich moved on to another favorite Fox News/right-wing talking point:
“Do you think that opening the Keystone pipeline and having more energy-friendly policies might do that?”
Once again, Psaki used facts to destroy the Fox reporter’s idiotic query:
“The Keystone Pipeline has never been operational. It would take years for that to have any impact. I know a number of members of Congress have suggested that, but that is a proposed solution that has no relationship or would have no impact on what the problem is.”
However, Heinrich decided to continue the questions, even though she had already made a fool of herself:
“So during those years where it would take to bring down prices, as you’re saying, we should just continue to buy Russian oil?”
Psaki:
“Well, again, Jacqui, I think you’re familiar with a number of steps. We’ve taken a historic release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Well, let me finish what we can do over time and what this is all a reminder of in the president’s view. Is there a need to reduce our reliance on oil. The Europeans need to do that. We need to do that, if we do more to invest in clean energy, more to invest in other sources of energy. That’s exactly what we can do to prevent this from happening in the future. We welcome any Republicans from joining us in that effort.”
Seemingly determined to get the last word, Heinrich remarked:
“As long as we’re buying Russian oil, though, aren’t we financing the war?”
Psaki made it clear the possibility of banning all oil imports from Russia remains on the table:
“Well, Jacqui, again, it’s only about 10 percent of what we’re importing. I’ve not made any announcement about any decision on that front. But our objective here and our focus is making sure that any step we take maximizes the impact on President Putin and minimizes it on the American people. And anyone who’s calling for an end to the carveout should be clear that that would raise prices.”
Jen Psaki is a national treasure.
Here’s the video:
Asked if steps were being considered to boost US oil production, Psaki says, "You think the oil companies don't have enough money to drill on the places that have been pre-approved?…I would point that question to them and we can talk about it more tomorrow when you learn more." pic.twitter.com/0LtadaIuhQ
