Jen Psaki, the former White House press secretary under the Biden administration, has taken aim at her successor, Karoline Leavitt, and the current state of White House press briefings through a segment on her new MSNBC show, "The Briefing." Psaki, who now occupies the coveted 9 p.m. ET timeslot on the network from Tuesday through Friday, used her platform to lampoon what she perceives as the "MAGA spin" that permeates the current administration’s communication strategy.
During Friday’s episode, Psaki adopted a mock press secretary persona, complete with a fake briefing backdrop, to field questions that were actually posed during a recent White House press briefing. The segment was designed to highlight the perceived differences between her approach to answering questions and the responses provided by Leavitt. Psaki emphasized that she would provide answers "without the usual MAGA spin," implicitly criticizing the current administration’s perceived tendency to distort or misrepresent information.
One of the questions Psaki addressed concerned New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ meeting with President Biden. The question, originally posed by Steven Nelsen, the Washington correspondent for the New York Post, sought details about the meeting’s purpose and agenda. Psaki, however, dismissed the idea that the meeting was a routine exchange between a president and a city mayor.
Instead, Psaki suggested that Adams’ "current freedom" was somehow indebted to President Biden, alluding to an unspecified situation involving the mayor. She went on to state that it was disingenuous to portray the meeting as a typical interaction, adding that even the judge who allowed a particular case to be dropped stated it, "smacks of a bargain." Psaki’s comments strongly imply a potential quid pro quo or some form of political favor being exchanged between Adams and Biden.
Another question Psaki addressed involved former President Donald Trump’s decision to fire Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress. Hayden, who is Black, had served in the position since 2016 and was confirmed by the Senate with bipartisan support. Psaki questioned the motivation behind Trump’s decision, suggesting that racism may have been a factor.
To emphasize her point, Psaki used a visual aid, presenting a picture of Hayden to the audience. She then stated, "I’ll let you draw your own conclusions on why Trump and his administration decided to fire Carla Hayden," leaving little doubt that she believed race played a significant role in the dismissal.
The segment reflects Psaki’s broader critique of the Trump administration and its communication practices. By re-framing actual press briefing questions and providing her own answers, she is attempting to expose what she sees as the misleading and biased nature of the current administration’s messaging. The use of satire and visual aids adds a layer of theatricality to her critique, making it more engaging and potentially more impactful for viewers.
However, the success of Psaki’s approach remains to be seen. While her show debuted with a respectable 1.2 million viewers and 139,000 in the key demographic of adults aged 25-54, her second episode experienced a significant drop in viewership. Total viewership fell to just over one million, and the demo audience plummeted to 65,000.
The decline in viewership raises questions about the long-term viability of Psaki’s show and its ability to attract and retain a consistent audience. The 53% drop in demo viewers from the first to second episode is particularly concerning, suggesting that the initial interest in Psaki’s show may have waned quickly. The program also lost a staggering 67% of viewers between the ages of 18-49 after only one episode, as "The Briefing" averaged 113,000 on Tuesday and only 37,000 on Wednesday.
Several factors could be contributing to the decline in viewership. One possibility is that viewers were initially curious about Psaki’s transition from White House press secretary to MSNBC host, but their interest faded after the novelty wore off. Another factor could be the partisan nature of Psaki’s show, which may appeal to a specific segment of the population but alienate others.
It is also possible that viewers are simply tuning out of cable news in general, as more people turn to streaming services and other forms of entertainment. The competitive landscape of cable news is fierce, and Psaki faces challenges in attracting viewers who are already accustomed to watching other programs and personalities.
The initial success of Psaki’s show and the subsequent drop in viewership highlight the challenges of transitioning from a political role to a media career. While Psaki’s experience and insights may be valuable to viewers, she must also compete with established media personalities and create a show that is both informative and entertaining. Whether she can overcome these challenges and build a lasting presence on MSNBC remains to be seen.
Ultimately, Psaki’s decision to mock Leavitt and the current White House press briefings is a calculated risk. It allows her to differentiate herself from other commentators and establish a clear point of view. However, it also risks alienating viewers who may not agree with her political perspective or who find her approach to be overly partisan. As Psaki continues to develop her show, she will need to find a balance between providing insightful commentary and appealing to a broad audience.
