Press Secretary as Barometer

For the majority of Americans, who are not brain dead, Donald Trump provided daily reminders of just how profoundly unfit he was to be our president. Whether it was temperament, ignorance, narcissism, corruption, respect for norms, or, of course, dishonesty, he was the gift that keeps on giving, to this day reminding us of his unsuitability to be elected street sweeper.

Another ongoing indicator of the abject failure of the Trump Administration was its office of Press Secretary. At their very first press conference, poor Sean Spicer had the deeply unenviable task of informing Americans that Trump’s inauguration was the largest in history. The saying “In art, if all else fails, trust your eyes” certainly applied here. All we had to do was look at the photos of the massive turnout for Barack Obama’s inauguration, and then the photos of Trump’s, with massive gaps on the mall, and empty seats aplenty in the grandstands, to see the lunacy of this assertion. Poor Sean. Anyone with reasonable powers of perception could watch that event and have a good idea of the clown car that Trump Administration press conferences would be. Through a succession of Press Secretaries, they did not disappoint, until they became such an embarrassment they were discontinued altogether. It makes me think of all the people who said they supported Trump because he was such a straight shooter, a truth-teller. Fat chance.

As bemused and horrified we might have been with that first press conference, Jen Psaki’s first, and subsequent press conferences, were a stark contrast of calm, rational, informed exchange of information. It was one of the more reassuring signs that there were indeed adults back at the helm of our government. We owe her our deep appreciation for the terrific job she did, reminding us how a Press Secretary is supposed to behave.

I viewed her departure with some apprehension — she had been such a breath of fresh air. I remember feeling the same way when Jon Stewart left the The Daily Show. I guess if Jon can bring us Trevor Noah, we should have faith in Jen and the Democrats to have made a strong choice in Karine Jean-Pierre to fill that role.

For myself, I will always remember Jen Psaki for restoring dignity to her office.