Jen Psaki has begun to make me feel sorry for her. Here she is, White House press secretary for a completely opaque government, fielding questions from increasingly irritated reporters every day — and she’s not even good at lying or evading questions, poor thing!
It’s not her fault the Biden campaign chose her over someone who could look you in the eyes and lie like there’s no tomorrow without flinching. I’m not sure why they couldn’t find a political strategist better suited to spin the Biden administration’s colossal setbacks, gaffes, and flip-flopping stances, but I doubt Psaki does either, given her lack of knowledge.
We can’t fault her for having little substantive to say in support of President Joe Biden, who once compared the lifting of mask mandates to “Neanderthal thought,” now that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have loosened their mask-wearing recommendations.
With its current recommendations, which now kindly suggest that Americans do not need to wear masks in most situations — at least if they are completely vaccinated — the CDC has been accused of actually playing politics under Biden.
This is inconvenient for Biden, who just a few months ago said of states repealing mask laws, “The last thing we need is Neanderthal thought,” Meaning “all is good, take off your masks, forget it.” It’s still important.”
So, what did Psaki do when Fox News reporter Peter Doocy asked: “So, what happened to President Biden saying in March that lifting mask mandates before any adult American goes and gets a shot is ‘Neanderthal thinking?”
So, what happened to that, Jen?
Psaki searched for a response on her feet and came up with a gloriously worded complete and utter non-answer.
In case you wanted an extra cringe with your facepalm, she did refer to Biden as “our North Star,” despite the fact that she recently admitted he shouldn’t be taking impromptu questions from reporters.
“Well, first, let me say that the president, our North Star, has been listening to the guidance of our health and medical experts and teams, and that’s exactly what we’re doing in this case,” she began.
“The CDC, the doctors, and medical experts there, were the ones who determined what this guidance would be, based on their own data, and what the timeline would be. That was not a decision directed by, made by the White House. The White House was informed of that decision, just to give people assurance of that,” she continued.
Did you hear her response?
No, neither did Doocy, but he tried again, this time wondering whether Biden believes states like Mississippi and Texas governed with a paleolithic level of intellect.
“Well, again, I would say that even with this guidance that’s out there, the guidance is not telling states and localities exactly how they should implement,” she non-answered again.
“As you know, there are some localities and states in the country that have higher rates of vaccination than others, some communities that have higher rates of vaccinations than others. And we even know, as this is being implemented, that different localities, businesses will implement it in the way that they feel will help ensure their community is safe,” she continued.
“But I know I am reassured by listening to the guidance of health and medical experts, not political decision-making. So, that’s the point we’re at now,” she added.
Now you know that local governments have the authority to determine the practicality and feasibility of continuing COVID-19 mandates (who knew?). However, you have no idea if Biden really feels they should be compared to cavemen for doing so, or what this loose-tongued POTUS has to say in response to this very awkward irony.
It’s really very infuriating, given that the states were just following the CDC guidelines — and yes, Jen, they are just guidelines — and making their own decisions based on the evidence available in their respective areas.
That was the crux of Biden’s March remarks, in which he essentially demanded that every state keep its mask mandate, regardless of how their states varied from others in terms of COVID-19 cases and vaccination rates.
The CDC and the Biden administration are trailing red states that chose to reopen when it was safe to do so and are doing well.
Jen Psaki doesn’t have much to say about Biden because he doesn’t have anything to say about himself. But what else is new?
Watch it here: The Hill/Youtube
Sources: westernjournal.com (1), westernjournal.com (2), westernjournal.com (3), westernjournal.com (4), westernjournal.com (5), westernjournal.com (6), westernjournal.com (7), westernjournal.com (8), westernjournal.com (9), whitehouse.gov, westernjournal.com (10), westernjournal.com (11) ,westernjournal.com (12) ,westernjournal.com (13), westernjournal.com (14), westernjournal.com (15)