Jen Psaki Calls Karine Jean-Pierre’s Memoir ‘Outdated’ at Harvard Event
Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki criticized her successor, Karine Jean-Pierre, during a recent event at Harvard University, describing Jean-Pierre’s memoir as “outdated.” During the discussion on October 27, 2023, Psaki highlighted the challenges of publishing a book that reflects rapidly evolving political realities.
Psaki, who served as press secretary for President Joe Biden before Jean-Pierre, stated, “I would say the book is outdated. I’ve read the book. In the sense of this, and this is a challenge with publishing a book, because it is published months before, I mean you finish writing it months before it actually comes out.” Her comments come in the context of ongoing political developments, including significant protests against the Trump administration and recent actions by Democratic lawmakers regarding the government shutdown.
Jean-Pierre’s memoir, titled “Independent: A Look Inside a Broken White House, Outside the Party Lines,” was released in October. In the book, she discusses her departure from the Democratic Party, citing how it handled Biden following his debate against former President Donald Trump, which led to Biden’s withdrawal from the race.
During her remarks, Psaki noted the active engagement of citizens in protests across the United States, emphasizing that the Democratic Party should not be perceived as disengaged. “I don’t think you can look out at the country and see that seven million people just showed up to protest across the country — peaceful protests — or you see people who are activists in their streets and their communities with the military showing up and ICE showing up and think that the country is asleep, or the Democratic Party is asleep,” she said.
Echoing Psaki’s sentiments, Dee Dee Myers, who served as press secretary during the Clinton administration, offered a cautionary perspective on Jean-Pierre’s memoir. “I haven’t read the book, but the only thing I would add is a bit of a cautionary tale. You come out of the White House, it’s a white-hot, red-hot, whatever hot environment, and you have a lot of feelings. And I just think to write a book that quickly is probably not well advised for anybody,” Myers noted, suggesting that waiting to process the experience might yield a more thoughtful narrative.
Jean-Pierre has consistently asserted that she did not perceive any signs of decline in Biden’s leadership while serving as press secretary. This assertion faced skepticism during interviews promoting her book, particularly from notable figures such as late-night host Stephen Colbert, who expressed concern over Biden’s performance. “I’m not questioning his heart or his policies, but it takes more than that to be the president of the United States,” Colbert remarked during an interview on October 20, 2023. He added, “And in a moment of great pressure on stage, we saw someone shock us and worry us. And nothing could assuage that worry.”
As the discussion surrounding Jean-Pierre’s memoir continues, the political landscape remains dynamic, with ongoing debates about the Democratic Party’s direction and effectiveness in addressing current issues. Jean-Pierre’s representative did not respond to requests for comment regarding the criticisms raised by Psaki and Myers.
