Deputy White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre took the reins from Jen Psaki’s oh-so-capable hands at today’s White House press briefing:
White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks during a press briefing at the White House pic.twitter.com/qzaB5FrQ07
— Evan Vucci (@evanvucci) May 26, 2021
This is a historic day, you realize.
NOW: @KJP46 becomes the first woman of color to brief reporters. pic.twitter.com/4UXYYKvviS
— Brian J. Karem (@BrianKarem) May 26, 2021
Well, not the first, technically.
To be exact: First woman of color in 30 years.
— Brian J. Karem (@BrianKarem) May 26, 2021
.@KJP46 making history as the second Black woman to ever lead a White House press briefing. pic.twitter.com/EAGvC0gwNI
— Weijia Jiang (@weijia) May 26, 2021
Making history as the second person to do something?
How does someone make history by being the second person to do something? https://t.co/BpW4mH20L7
— Steve Krakauer (@SteveKrak) May 26, 2021
That’s a fair question.
"It’s a real honor to be standing here today. I appreciate the historic nature," @KJP46 tells @marykbruce about making history as the first Black woman in decades to brief the White House press. https://t.co/wEaZ1CGaNd pic.twitter.com/ZZ6nv5oUvs
— ABC News (@ABC) May 26, 2021
If people are going to insist on keeping score, shouldn’t we acknowledge that Karine Jean-Pierre is following in the footsteps of the first black woman to brief the White House press?
Who was the first black woman to brief the White House press, anyway? Let’s see if we can find out:
Judy Smith, a deputy press secretary for President George H.W. Bush and the inspiration for Olivia Pope on “Scandal,” was the first Black woman to lead a briefing when she took to the podium in 1991.
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Ah. She worked for George H.W. Bush. That might explain why Jody Smith’s own historic achievement isn’t being spotlighted today.
They don’t count it if it’s a Republican
— Mr Smash (@Mr_Smashh) May 26, 2021
No, they do not.
This is the same thing they did to Grenell by saying Buttigieg was first openly gay cabinet member "confirmed by Senate"
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) May 26, 2021
They all got the memo pic.twitter.com/obH3zETrsR
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) May 26, 2021
Evidently.
Meanwhile:
Let’s be honest – if Biden wanted to "make history” he would have hired the first Black press secretary – Symone Sanders, a veteran of his campaign, who deserved the job and was disappointed to be passed over. Instead he went with a white CNN contributor…
— Steve Krakauer (@SteveKrak) May 26, 2021
Because Joe Biden’s commitment to “diversity” isn’t worth a whole lot. Nor, it seems, is the media’s.
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