This is why the Biden administration has John Kirby handle the big boy briefings. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre appeared on MSNBC Monday morning without her ever-present binder to talk about Sunday’s deadly drone attack on U.S. troops in Jordan and the result was predictably embarrassing for the nation .
Three U.S. troops were killed and several dozen wounded in the drone attack early Sunday local time on a base in Jordan near the border with Syria that was likely by the Iran-backed Islamic Resistance of Iraq, though the group took responsibility for three nearby attacks in Syria on Sunday but not the attack in Jordan.
Jean Pierre was speaking from the White House lawn in her appearance on Morning Joe where she attempted to convey the administration’s condolences.
Speaking without notes or binder, Jean Pierre put on a brave face as she struggled to string together coherent sentences.
Jean Pierre, “What I will say, our deepest, uh, obviously our deepest condolences uh, go out, and our heart, heartfelt condolences go out to the families who lost uh, three, three brave, uh, three brave, uh, three brave, uh, three folks who are, who are military folks who are brave who are always fighting, who were fighting on behalf and, of uh, this administration, of the American people obviously more so more importantly uh, we lost those souls as the President said yesterday when he was in South Carolina.”
Transcribed by TGP.
Video clip posted by the Media Research Center:
KJP: “Our deepest condolences go out to those three folks… who are brave who are always fighting, who were fighting on behalf of this administration.”
Wrong, Karine. Our service members signed up to serve their Country; they died because of your administration. pic.twitter.com/MUqxJYRd71
— Media Research Center (@theMRC) January 29, 2024
In contrast, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby appeared on NBC’s The Today Show Monday morning and said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this violence, certainly the families who got the worst possible news this weekend.”
John Kirby, the spokesperson for the White House national security council, speaks to @SavannahGuthrie about how the U.S. could respond to the drone attack on a base in Jordan that killed three American soldiers and the status of Hamas hostage negotiations pic.twitter.com/9r7GrOK5W7
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) January 29, 2024
Earlier this month, Axios reported on tension between Jean Pierre and Kirby over sharing the White House briefings (excerpt):
They share a podium — and a mutual frustration. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and the National Security Council’s John Kirby frequently split the podium at media briefings, but behind the scenes their relationship is fraught with tension, White House sources tell Axios.
Why it matters: As President Biden heads into a tough re-election campaign, his top-ranking spokespeople are at odds while navigating a situation in which there’s one press secretary in name but two in practice — one for domestic policy, the other for foreign policy.
Zoom in: Some of the tension stems from how much time each gets at the podium each day.
…In the more than 30 press briefings and gaggles since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, Jean-Pierre has briefed reporters solo just once — during a gaggle on Air Force One.
Jean Pierre also appeared on CNN on Monday where she did much better.
Not sure what caused Jean Pierre to get tongue-tied on MSNBC, but spokesmen get demoted or let go for such unprofessional presentations.
As Allie Beth Stuckey observed, ” Karin Jean-Pierre truly has no command of the English language. Whatever coherent thoughts she may have, she is completely unable to get them out of her mouth in a way that anyone can understand. It seems that the minimum requirement for a press secretary should be the ability to talk. She doesn’t have that. And when you have a perpetually discombobulated president, it’s especially important to have a spokesperson that can at least offer a semblance of clarity and confidence. Instead, KJP confirms everyone’s greatest fears about this administration: that it’s run by stupid, incompetent people with no patriotism and no grasp at all of any problem our nation is facing.”
Karin Jean-Pierre truly has no command of the English language. Whatever coherent thoughts she may have, she is completely unable to get them out of her mouth in a way that anyone can understand. It seems that the minimum requirement for a press secretary should be the ability to…
— Allie Beth Stuckey (@conservmillen) January 29, 2024
