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CLASS ACT: Jen Psaki Gets Emotional and Sheds a Tear Saying Farewell in Her Final Briefing — and It’s Perfect

We at this site recall a day, just a few days after January 6th, when it appeared – obviously, Kayleigh McEnany had been crying prior to the briefing, red puffy eyes, far less makeup. She appeared human and seemed as though her shield was down. She couldn’t aggressively fight back during questions regarding January 6th, no matter how hard she had tried.

We bring up Kayleigh only to highlight the differences in the approach between the two contrasting press secretaries. Jen Psaki held more press briefings in her short 17ish month tenure than Trump’s press secretaries had in their entire term. Psaki didn’t come to battle with the press, she didn’t hate the people sitting in the chairs (Trump called the media the enemy of the people, of course, Kayleigh tore into them), Biden wasn’t her “audience of one,” and she didn’t tell the reporters what they should be covering and how to do their jobs, then slam her notebook shut and stomp out the door. She congratulated Peter Doocy for getting married.

She did her job, and she did it well. The press secretary job is notorious for wearing people down, more than perhaps any other job in the White House other than possibly the president. It is very typical for them to have at least two every term. So Jen is moving on but she clearly enjoyed working with the people in the room.

Psaki walks out for the last time…she will be missed.

From Axios: [1]

Outgoing White House press secretary Jen Psaki teared up during her last briefing on Friday, thanking President Biden for the opportunity to serve in the role. “I promised myself I wasn’t going to get emotional,” she said. She also thanked the reporters in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room room for their “pivotal role.”

“At times we have disagreed. That is democracy in action. That is it working. Without accountability, without debate, government is not as strong,” she said. “Thank you for what you do, thank you for making me better and most importantly thank you for the work every day you do to make this country stronger.”

And from The Hill [2]:

“People always ask me … whether Washington is rotten, whether everyone is corrupt here and nothing good happens and we all just argue with each other,” she said. “I, having done this job, believe the absolute opposite is true.”

Biden picked Karine Jean-Pierre to replace Psaki as WH press secretary. I’m sure she’ll be a fantastic press secretary, although Psaki will be greatly missed.

You have to be younger to grind through the pace, yet you need wisdom, discretion, and humility. That is one tough package to find. Psaki had it all and will now move on to a position where she’ll still be part of our lives and we’ll get to hear her real analysis. We’ll miss her and yet we’re excited that she’s coming to us stronger and freer.

Nice.

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[email protected], @JasonMiciak, with Nicole Hickman