World has a ‘massive crush’ on Joe Biden’s press secretary Jen Psaki
US President Joe Biden’s new press secretary has discovered new-found fame as she greeted media on her first day on the job.
US President Joe Biden’s new press secretary Jen Psaki has discovered new-found fame as she greeted media on her first day on the job, pledging to share “accurate information” with America and the world.
Publications and insiders across the globe, including Donald Trump’s niece, praised the 42-year-old’s “impressive” debut address to the media, where she pledged to restore “truth” and “transparency” to the White House briefing room.
It was the first White House media briefing since December 15. You can see it in full here.
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Wearing not one, but two masks, but taking them off to speak to reporters, Ms Psaki’s introduction was an olive branch to waiting media, with Vox praising: “No insults or meltdowns”.
Though a relatively uneventful briefing, there were some juicy bits, including insight into Mr Trump’s letter to Mr Biden, in which she called it “both generous and gracious”.
Day 1 Press Briefings: Trump admin vs. Biden admin pic.twitter.com/S5wd57YrSr
— The Recount (@therecount) January 21, 2021
And the sane world has a massive crush on you after that briefing today! #TruthIsSexy ‘let’s do this again tomorrow.’ 🔥
— Dana Goldberg (@DGComedy) January 21, 2021
Ms Psaki took numerous questions as she highlighted the first day in office for Mr Biden, who wasted no time enacting his promises to the people.
He signed 15 executive orders, including rejoining the World Health Organisation, implementing a national mask mandate on federal property and rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement.
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He ended some of Mr Trump’s most controversial policies, including the travel ban on majority Muslim countries and halting construction of the US Mexico border wall.
He said there was no time to start like today, and in doing so, would fill at least some of those promises.
He also swore in 1000 federal appointees and saw his first cabinet picks sworn in.
As the new US President took to the huge task before him, so did Ms Psaki, an unenviable role of attempting to forge a new road ahead without the cries of “fake news”.
She promised: “I will never lie to you” and committed to “sharing information even when it is hard to hear”.
I can tell you from experience it's not an easy job to stand at that podium especially your first time. @jrpsaki made it look easy.
— Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) January 21, 2021
Jen Psaki just held a press briefing and didn’t lie once. Psaki was clear and respectful to reporters. Mind blown.
— Scott Dworkin (@funder) January 21, 2021
My friend @jrpsaki is a @PressSec that America deserves.
— Liz Allen (@LizMarieAllen) January 21, 2021
Truth and good faith are restored to the WH briefing room.
Ms Psaki told the media just seven hours after the 46th President was sworn into office that he has asked her to work to rebuild the trust of the American people as part of an all-female senior communications team.
“He asked me to ensure we’re communicating about the policies across the Biden Harris administration and the work his team is doing every single day on behalf of all American people,” she said.
“There will be times where we see things differently in this room … that’s OK. That’s part of our democracy, and rebuilding trust with the American people will be central to our focus in the press office and in the White House every single day.”
WHO IS JEN PSAKI?
Ms Psaki, 42, was born in Stamford, Connecticut. She has Greek, Irish and Polish ancestry.
She attended the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia and majored in English and sociology.
She previously served as the spokesperson for the United States Department of State and held various senior press and communications roles in the Obama White House.
Her salary as press secretary is thought to be about (USD) $183,000 per year. Her net worth is estimated to be about (USD) $2 million.
Jen Psaki is blowing me away.
— Mary L Trump (@MaryLTrump) January 21, 2021
Jen Psaki handled economic issues when we got to the White House in 2009. She briefed from the podium at the State Department. She later became the White House communications director. There's literally no one better prepared for the @PressSec job and it shows.
— Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) January 21, 2021
President Biden press secretary Jen Psaki is a real life reincarnation of CJ Cregg of West Wing television series fame. Impressive start. Personable, professional, factual. Been a while since we've seen that in the White House press briefing room.
— Don Martin (@DonMartinCTV) January 21, 2021
NEW TONE FROM THE WHITE HOUSE
Ms Psaki’s pledge to hold daily briefings has also been praised by Washington journalists who had grown accustomed to the erratic schedule and response from the Trump administration over the past four years.
“While Psaki’s remarks were aimed at reporters in the briefing room, her audience was just as much the American people in an effort to reinforce that the Biden administration was turning a page from the recent past of obfuscation and outright lies,” wrote Politico’s Matthew Choi.
“Psaki’s debut appearance was a diametric contrast to the first news briefing of the Trump presidency, where then-press secretary Sean Spicer insisted that Trump’s inauguration crowd was the largest in US history — a claim that was quickly proved false with aerial photos of the event.”
She said regular briefings with health professionals will also return as the US continues to suffer through the coronavirus pandemic. Those briefings dried up under President Trump as he “lost interest in the fight against the pandemic”, according to the Times.
“She was asked questions and answered them. She didn’t attack the press. She pledged daily briefings. All in all, it was a relatively normal process,” wrote the Huffington Post’s Josephine Harvey.
Doesn’t get much better than @jrpsaki. Glad to see poise, transparency and truth at the @PressSec podium again.
— Joe Kennedy III (@RepJoeKennedy) January 21, 2021
Such a contrast between Jen Psaki’s debut and Sean Spicer’s crowd size rant four years ago. Spicer’s comments set the tone for four years of falsehoods and worse. Did Psaki’s first appearance set the tone for the next 4-8 years? pic.twitter.com/M8y5uhjjJa
— James Hohmann (@jameshohmann) January 21, 2021
Great to hear @jrpsaki quote @POTUS in Oval today saying "What's next?'
— Lawrence O'Donnell (@Lawrence) January 21, 2021
(Yes, that was Martin Sheen's last line in pilot of West Wing.)
Though a successful briefing, Ms Psaki’s appearance was not her first in the White House; she worked for President Barack Obama’s press team prior to her role with President Biden, and was also a spokesperson for the State Department.
“Biden’s first day, and Psaki’s first day, sent a message that functional government is back,” wrote CNN’s Brian Stelter.
Press Secretary Jen Psaki: "I'd love to take your questions."
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) January 21, 2021
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki says she plans to hold daily White House briefings Monday through Friday.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) January 21, 2021
What a change.
Strong briefing from @jrpsaki from the first question to the last. Great to see a pro back at that podium. One small issue i loved was Jen stood up there and took questions until the senior reporter ended it. No running off when things get tough. Great job.
— Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) January 21, 2021
OMG… amazing and refreshing to hear White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaking truth, facts & reality to the media on Biden‘s first day.
— Billy Baldwin (@BillyBaldwin) January 21, 2021
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