W.H. Press Secretary Jen Psaki squashes the talking point Republicans have infused in the mainstream media about COVID Relief Bill bipartisanship.
Ben Psaki relentlessly on proper narrative
For too long, White House Press Secretaries, Democratic politicians, and Progressives have allowed the Republicans to define their policies’ narrative via the mainstream media. Jen Psaki continues to be the antidote.
Remember Thomas Frank’s “What’s the Matter with Kansas?,” where he spoke about why progressives cannot reach Red America. And likewise note Heather McGhee’s new book, “The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together,” Jen Psaki has it down pat. She understands that with a majority in the Senate and the House, President Biden’s audience must be the American people. Politicians, even if their response is delayed, cannot support lasting low poll numbers.
Dana Bash threw out the GOP’s complaint about the COVID Relief Bill not being bipartisan. She asked Psaki to point out one concession President Biden made.
Psaki turned the question right back by pointing out that the President has had more Republicans and Democrats over at the White House giving input to the bill more than the 4 years of the Trump administration. She then immediately pivoted to what the bill does specifically for everyday Americans. And then this.
”We have not seen a substantive big proposal in the response back from Republicans,” Psaki said. “This is the scope of the problem and the scope of the kind of package we need to pass to address that.”
BINGO! Republicans are talking a lot but have no real proposal to address the monumental task.
That should have been the end of it. But Dana Bash insisted. She asked if the President would change the proposal to address Republican concerns.
Jen said the President would continue to be open to ideas. Most importantly, however, was this massage.
”What he will not do, though,” Jen said. “Is make this a Washington political partisan issue and prevent the American people from getting the relief they need. 70% of the public wants this bill to pass.”
Psaki then made it about the American people and the reason for the haste. Americans will be running out of unemployment insurance and will require support in a couple of weeks.
Jen stayed on message and did not allow the interview to occur on the Republican talking points. Instead, she made it people-centric.