Jen Psaki: Vogue Celebrates Mediocrity
By Emma Bennett
Since leaving a hot mess in Afghanistan, the border, and everywhere else, President Biden can barely hold down the press podium for ten minutes before darting off to Camp David. As the country jumps from crisis to crisis, there’s abundant material for interrogating White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, who has a lot to answer for with Biden off the grid (mentally and physically).
Rather than hard-hitting journalism, however, most of the Biden administration’s press coverage has been a lot of hand-holding. Aside from Fox News’s Peter Doocy, it’s rare to see a reporter put Psaki in the hot seat. Most would rather just feed Psaki softball questions or inquire about the president's favorite ice cream flavor. In comparison to Kayleigh McEnany’s tenure, Psaki’s treatment as press secretary has been a walk in the park. Leave it to Vogue and others, then, to eulogize Psaki for being mediocre. A scripted phonograph, a professional bullshitter, and a boring piece of toast, Psaki fails to impress, and Vogue should stop pretending otherwise.
In her recent piece interviewing Psaki, Vogue contributor Lizzie Widdicombe seemed to be more excited about exploring the West Wing than actually spending the day shadowing the press secretary. Not that we can blame her. It’s easy to imagine that such an itinerary would be a snoozefest.
Throughout the piece, the praise Widdicombe showers on Psaki is so excessive it’s nauseating. “When Psaki first appeared in the press briefing room, in January 2021, there was a collective swoon from roughly half the country,” she writes. I guess Widdicombe was just absent for the last four years when a Harvard-educated bombshell held the position. And yet, the author acknowledges that Psaki isn’t actually spectacular or even talented by any means, she just scores better by default when judged next to her predecessor, she claims. “Like her boss, Psaki was being graded on a curve,” she adds. Psaki may perform poorly, but at least she gets extra credit for simply not being Trump’s press representative. Yikes! What an insult.
Widdicombe cites New Yorker writer Jelani Cobb, who tweeted, “I really should not be impressed with a calm, professional, and factual press briefing, but I am where I am.” Whether Widdicombe realizes it or not, at least half of all Americans don’t look to Vogue or the New Yorker for candid profile pieces on political figures. Because we know they either don’t represent conservatives or they do but in a disparaging light. Widdicombe acts like McEnany’s demeanor was problematic, but for roughly 70 million Americans, it was just what the doctor ordered.
When Kayleigh McEnany served as press secretary, she answered many dishonest and politically motivated questions with ease and conviction. And she gave the heat right back to the media, taking no prisoners. She exhibited a toughness that was inspiring and real. For conservatives, it was comforting to know they had an ally who didn’t shy from confronting the hostile press and cutting through the spin and hyperbole to reveal the truth.
Today, these same Americans are disappointed, if not disgusted, to watch Psaki be treated with kid gloves by the press, as if it’s all rainbows, butterflies, and chocolate chip ice cream. While there’s no question accountability and transparency can be ugly, that’s what Psaki signed up for. In the interview, Psaki emphasized how she and Biden want to prioritize reassuring the public rather than informing them. “We need to project calm, openness to engagement, governing for all people and healing the frayed nerves of the American people.” Yeah, Jen, our nerves have been frayed. Frayed by the lies and deceit of the Democratic party and the Biden administration.
As a global superpower, America doesn’t have it pretty and perfect all the time. It’s misleading and irresponsible for Vogue to suggest that because Psaki’s press briefings seem tamer and more peaceful than McEnany’s, she’s supposedly doing Americans a service. Press conferences are not tea parties for Psaki and CNN reporters to exchange friendly banter while the Middle East burns and the border spirals into fiasco. The American public deserves the facts and a promise to fix the nation’s problems, nothing less.
Psaki also shared in the interview that she became a mother during her time as White House Communications Director under former President Obama. She told Vogue that this experience prepared her for the role of press secretary. “I’ve also been through legislative battles. I’ve been through global crises. I’ve been through, unfortunately, many mass shootings,” she said. Stunning and brave.
We discover later in the piece that Psaki also wowed Widdicombe when she shared her ability to express multiple emotions and self-defining characteristics...like any normal human being. She shared that she is “friendly and joyful, and sometimes tough, and sometimes straightforward.” A truly complex, multi-faced individual. Widdicombe might think Psaki is special, but from the TC girl’s vantage point, Psaki is unprepared, unprofessional, and rude. And no, I wouldn't call Psaki nice, and that’s not because she deems it diminishing or sexist. I just don't think it applies.
Where were the Vogue profile puff pieces on Kayleigh McEnany, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, or Dana Perino? Is it a coincidence that these press secretaries as well as First Lady Melania Trump didn’t get featured? Why is Jen Psaki being idolized and glorified by Vogue for mediocrity? Because liberal magazines support liberal administrations, and they’d rather die than admit that conservative women have excelled in Psaki’s position. Why couldn't Psaki make it through her interview without invoking President Trump and Republicans? Guess I’ll have to circle back on that one.
Photo via @theconservateur
