Democrats are beginning to eat their own as the November 2024 election draws closer each day.
Sources close to the Biden administration have disclosed an aborted attempt by top White House aides to orchestrate the ouster of press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
The move, orchestrated last fall, involved prominent Democrats attempting to discreetly persuade Jean-Pierre to resign, citing it as a beneficial step for her career. The plan, first reported by the New York Post, marks an internal conflict within an administration currently preparing for an intense re-election campaign.
Jean-Pierre, who broke barriers by being the first black and openly gay person to hold the press secretary position since May 2022, has been criticized internally for her performance. Critics have claimed her briefings are heavily reliant on scripted responses from a binder, which detracts from the dynamism expected in such high-profile interactions.
According to a senior White House source, Anita Dunn, a senior advisor to President Biden and the wife of Biden’s attorney Bob Bauer, spearheaded the effort. “There were a number of people she asked to engage Karine,” said the source who heard of the strategy directly from Dunn.
“There was an effort to have some outside folks who Karine knows and trusts talk to her about why leaving last fall would have made a lot of sense for her and her career,” said the source, describing it an “effort to encourage her to move along.”
Jean-Pierre “had been in the job for a year and a half at that point, which is a pretty standard tenure for a press secretary in what is admittedly a very demanding job [and] Jeff and Anita [tried] to have folks that she would listen to and trust talk to her about why it might be wise to do that.”
Dunn reportedly enlisted the help of other senior figures, including White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients, to facilitate a smooth and dignified exit for Jean-Pierre.
However, the strategy to remove Jean-Pierre was described as delicate, primarily due to the potential backlash considering her historic role and the administration’s stance on diversity. Sources indicate that the optics of forcibly removing Jean-Pierre were a significant concern, leading to efforts aimed at helping her find a graceful exit without public drama.
These efforts were carefully calibrated, involving discussions with trusted figures within Jean-Pierre’s circle to suggest that stepping down last fall would align well with her long-term career interests.
“A huge diversity issue” is causing concern, and there is apprehension about potential reactions, according to a source who was informed by several individuals briefed by Dunn. The source confirmed to The Post that at least one external party had discussions with Jean-Pierre.
“She has been pretty consistent in telling people from the minute she got the job that she was going to stay through the election,” the source said to the Post. “I think Karine has decided to stay come hell or high water and that’s that.”
A second source commented, “Karine doesn’t have an understanding of the issues and she reads the book [binder] word-for-word,” and mentioned that the problem is exacerbated by the fact that “she thinks she’s doing an amazing job.”
“She doesn’t have a grasp of the issues and doesn’t spend the time to learn.”
Complex topics, such as the situation between Israel and Gaza, illustrate the challenge. “These issues are not second nature to people. Israel and Gaza is a perfect example. It’s very nuanced. Jen would have calls with people to feel well-versed enough to go to the briefing.”
The first source noted, “There’s an enormous amount of work that goes into getting ready… and consistently she does not put in that level of work.”
Despite the maneuvers, Jean-Pierre has maintained her position, asserting her intent to stay through the election cycle. Her predecessor, Jen Psaki, served only 16 months.
In response to the allegations of this behind-the-scenes maneuvering, White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates categorically denied the claims. “Not only are these claims wildly false, but the reality is the polar opposite,” Bates told the Post. “Karine was never approached by anyone with such a message. She spends four hours preparing every day. And neither Jeff nor Anita did any such thing; both have been unflinchingly supportive of her.”
Bates added on Friday: “Every press secretary uses the binder. Why is she being singled out?”