Posted on 10/15/2024 1:07:10 AM PDT by TigerClaws
Biden press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has been blocking national security spokesperson John Kirby from joining her at the podium at White House press briefings, people familiar with the matter tell Axios.
Why it matters: It's the latest twist in the years-long tense relationship between the White House's two senior spokespeople.
Kirby, President Biden's top spokesperson for foreign affairs, joined Jean-Pierre for most briefings after Israel was attacked on Oct. 7, 2023. But for the past two-plus months Kirby has been mostly absent in the briefing room, even as the fighting in the Middle East has continued to escalate.
By the numbers: Kirby's diminished presence coincided with the departure this summer of Anita Dunn, the White House's top communications aide. Jean-Pierre has asserted more control over the briefing room since then.
In the 20 briefings since Dunn announced her departure on July 30, Kirby has joined Jean-Pierre at just three — about 15% of the time. In the 64 briefings this year before July 30, Kirby joined Jean-Pierre at the podium 35 times — about 55% of the briefings.
Since Dunn left, Jean-Pierre has pushed back each time Kirby has suggested appearing at the briefing, a person familiar with the process told Axios.
With the two of them at odds, the decision had to go all the way up to White House chief of staff Jeff Zients to make a final call.
The intrigue: Jean-Pierre has long privately fumed about Kirby's role.
Having both of them at the podium was what Biden wanted, but Jean-Pierre thought that Kirby's presence gave the impression she needed a chaperone, people familiar with her thinking told Axios. One person familiar with the dynamic said: "The president made the call to have Kirby regularly brief — and it's the president's briefing room, not anyone else's."
Jean-Pierre also expressed frustration that she didn't have decision-making power over when Kirby would join a briefing, a person familiar with the matter told Axios.
The press secretary has previously vented to Zients, and argued that she should decide when Kirby joins her. Zients previously deferred to Dunn — who helped craft the dual-spokesperson arrangement at the president's direction. But Jean-Pierre has been more assertive recently, two people familiar with the matter told Axios.
What they're saying: "That characterization of their dynamic is inaccurate," White House spokesperson Andrew Bates told Axios in a statement. He said Jean-Pierre and Kirby "have a respectful relationship."
Bates added: "In recent weeks there have been a wide range of guests in the briefing room as we communicate about urgent domestic issues." "The president is working hard for the American people, including the responses to Hurricane Helene and [Hurricane] Milton and the port strike." Regarding Jean-Pierre pushing back when Kirby suggested appearing at the podium, Bates added: "That is not true." A spokesperson for the National Security Council added: "Karine and John have critical jobs working together to inform the American people about the President's foreign policy agenda and the steps he is taking every day to keep the American people safe."
One person familiar with the dynamic added: "It was always planned for Kirby to do fewer briefings closer to the election."
The White House said both Jean-Pierre and Kirby stand by their statements to the New York Times in February in which they praised each other. Both declined to comment further.
The other side: Kirby also has expressed exasperation at Jean-Pierre being territorial with the briefing room, including her insistence that she select which reporters question him rather than let him decide.
As tensions between the two grew early this year, Kirby told Zients he was frustrated and expressed doubts that the arrangement was sustainable, two people familiar with the conversation told Axios. The White House responded by promoting Kirby to be an assistant to the president, and told reporters in February that Kirby would get his own small team. Kirby has been boxed out of the briefing room but has continued to do his own virtual gaggles focused on foreign policy, and represent the administration on TV news shows.
Zoom out: The White House told the New York Times in February that Kirby's role at the podium would decrease as the Middle East crisis ebbed.
But that conflict has become more intense, and Kirby's absence has frustrated several current and former White House officials who think he'd be helpful to have at the podium during this tenuous time in foreign affairs. Kirby previously was the State Department spokesperson and twice was the Pentagon's press secretary. It's not a slight to Jean-Pierre that Kirby has more experience than her in speaking about foreign affairs, several current and former Biden aides noted.
Kirby and the Muppet need to man up and get their own NPR show for the kiddies.
Neither are series[sic].
3 of 20 briefings = “about” 15%
*Sigh*
O2
She’s gone in a couple of months and no one is picking up an arrogant gay black woman . . . she’s pissed.
Anita Dunn is a big fan of Mao.
Looks like Karine Jean-Pierre calls all the shots in the Briefing Room.
Naturally, Karen has made it clear that America's National Security Advisor, John Kirby, cannot and will not intrude into the special space reserved for the curly-haired little doll--even though the Mideast is disentigrating on a daily basis.
black arrogant lesbian rag doll will be PIcked up by the scumedia CNN MSNBC
so Buckwheat wins ?
We know the lesbian community within the Biden White House is upset by how much weight Sideshow Bob has put on lately
Anita Dunn jumps ship after getting blamed for Biden debate fiasco
Dunn orchestrated a failed coup against press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre
Dunn was Obama’s Communications Director in 2009.
Dunn accumulated $16.8-$48.2 million in investments as a “public servant”
By Steven Nelson,July 30, 2024, nypost.com
WASHINGTON — President Biden’s senior adviser for communications Anita Dunn is leaving the White House for a Kamala Harris super PAC, marking the first high-level departure since Biden abandoned his bid for a second term over concern about his mental acuity. Dunn, a longtime leading Democratic strategist, found herself blamed by Biden’s family for her role preparing the president for his disastrous June 27 debate against former President Donald Trump, which unleashed the party mutiny that forced Biden, 81, to step aside and endorse Harris.
After her announcement Tuesday, Biden lauded Dunn — who will now serve as an adviser to Forward Future, a well-funded group backing Harris’ candidacy in the Nov. 5 election. “Four years ago, when I launched my campaign for the battle for the soul of our nation, I was grateful Anita Dunn was right there with me,” Biden said. “She’s not only a key senior member of our team that helped us win a historic election in 2020 — she’s also been an invaluable part of our White House.”
Anita Dunn, a West Wing senior adviser for communications and former Barack Obama campaign strategist, is a longtime Biden aide. Dunn last year orchestrated a failed coup against press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre out of concern that she would be a poor election-year spokesperson for the president. The veteran operator, 66, enlisted outside allies to try to persuade Jean-Pierre to leave on her own to avoid the ugly optics of forcing her out against her will, sources told The Post in April. Dunn circulated her plans shortly before an unsolicited job offer to lead EMILY’s List was made to the first non-white and first LGBT press secretary, who declined to take it and remains press secretary.
Dunn is married to Biden’s personal lawyer Bob Bauer, who helped Biden avoid criminal charges in special counsel Robert Hur’s investigation of the mishandling of classified documents from his vice presidency and Senate years. Hur concluded his investigation with a February report saying Biden should not face charges in part because jurors would see a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”
Biden said Dunn is “tough and tested, and her experience and intellect have helped us deliver historic results for the American people.” “I’ve known Anita throughout my career. She’s served our nation through three Administrations and countless campaigns for candidates at every level,” Biden said. “I deeply value her counsel and friendship and I will continue to rely on her partnership and insights as we finish the job over the next six months,” he added.
Dunn and her husband held between $16.8 million to $48.2 million in investments, according to papers released by the US Office of Government Ethics in 2022, including holdings in Amazon, Apple, Bank of America, Boeing, Cisco, Comcast, ConocoPhillips, Exxon, Facebook, General Dynamics, General Motors, Google, Halliburton, Johnson & Johnson, Lockheed Martin, Oracle, Phillip Morris, Tesla and Wells Fargo.
The couple’s portfolio includes several companies regulated by or working with the federal government.
If you were provided a script vice watching and seeing them you wouldn’t know the difference.
The NY Post reported Anita Dunn jumped ship after getting blamed
for the Biden debate fiasco and supposedly works for Harris (see story above).
Dunn recently orchestrated a failed coup against Biden press secy Karine Jean-Pierre.
Dunn could not have made that dramatic a move without
the explicit knowledge and consent of Joe Biden.
Side Show Bob says her contract calls for only solo parts.
“Kirby also has expressed exasperation at Jean-Pierre being territorial with the briefing room, including her insistence that she select which reporters question him rather than let him decide.”
It appears Raggedy Ann wants to soak up all the limelight. Small woman, big ego.
Metrosexual Kirby must not be feminine enough role model for the Democratic male
This is DIE in action. Think what you want about Kirby, but he paid his dues and made Admiral in the Navy. Now he’s being bossed around by a young idiotic lesbian black woman. He’s pathetic for putting up with that.
John should be able to land a better position than what he’s got right now. Maybe there’s more going on here than meets the eye.
Sometimes I wonder who’s really in charge here. Is it Joe, Jill, or John-Pierre? John-Pierre seems a bit uppity to me, & Jill as far as I know, has no official capacity. Don’t really know much about John Kirby, but if he was a former Naval Officer it seems like he would be the preferred person for the job.
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