What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

Welcome to Our Forums. Once you've registered and logged in, you're primed to talk football, among other topics, with the sharpest and most experienced fantasy players on the internet.

Jen Psaki appreciation thread (1 Viewer)

VIDEO: USA: Psaki slams "Russia's militarization of Donbass" then admits lack of new info •Nov 10, 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02rz-TqBTTs

******


VIDEO: Blocking Body Language •Apr 6, 2020

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7kEH4QLndA

******

As agreed, I'll avoid criticism of Psaki and only point out the things she's doing correctly, either intentionally or unintentionally. This is a short video, so there's not a ton of range here.

In the first three seconds of the video, Psaki moves to her neckline, then realizes what she's doing and pulls back. A general tell, well it's one of many possible, that those in the public eye want to avoid is called "blocking"

So if one of thirstier members of FBG actually got a coffee date with Psaki ( more likely people get coffee each week in a Meet Up/Game Night, and then only two showed up, much to the delight of the wayward soul)  A clear sign of disinterest and the desire to avoid further questions is to put things in front of you. Move glasses, move the little tray holding the sugar cubes, move utensils, to form a "barrier" between you and the person. In contrast, if a woman likes you, she has open body language, she might arch and expose her neckline to you, to show submissiveness.

People at the level of McEnany and Psaki are heavily curated. Their style of dress, their hair, the color of their clothing, the details ( like McEnany's crucifix), whether they wear glasses, what's in the background behind them, it's all not left to chance. Both, like many, have to drill on the optimal body language in front of the camera.

Psaki's general body language is.... that's not in the bounds of this discussion today. .....She'll get some of the basics right ( she won't cross her arms is a simple one), she won't shift her gaze unless it's down, and only when giving a response to reference her notes. Down is a submissive gesture with the eyes.

I've seen many body language experts/consultants at work. Some get paid quite well. Most are horrible at it their jobs. Some will say you can't break down a lifetime worth of habit out of a person, particularly under stress, but that's just cover for many who just raw dog suck at their chosen profession. I suppose as this thread continues, I'll delve more into body language. Some that is is covered universally, and the kind that most people miss, even the "experts"

 
VIDEO: Jen Psaki asked POINT BLANK why migrants kids getting in-person instruction before American students •Mar 30, 2021

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was asked why San Diego public school teachers were giving migrant kids in-person education before their own students.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZlI2SSaWEs

*******

OK, as per the agreement, what does Psaki do well here

1) She avoids discussion about the economic impact of parents who have kids that are not in schools on a regular basis. This opens up a segueway into all the "stimulus" either in motion or about to be presented forward. Psaki is not an expert nor trained in finance/economics, this is a fast slippery slope that she wants/needs to avoid and she does so.

I would say it's a mistake for the reporter not to segue into the parents who either can't go back to work ( because they need to take care of the kids with nowhere to go) or the loss of productivity for their parent companies about to see their taxes raised.

2) Psaki asks distraction questions to make distinctions on a topic she can't defend. Are the people working there being paid or volunteers? Is it Spring Break? It's changing the focus to a detail versus the main body of the point in play.

Three things can be happening here

A) The reporter doesn't see it. That happens, not too often at this level. But it happens.

B) The reporter is throwing a softball because they are complicit. Some of the Press Corps will always be in lockstep with some Press Secretaries and some administrations. The questions are preplanned and structured to get out a specific narrative. It's not a real exchange, it's a form of media theater going through the motions. Both sides do it.

C) The reporter has to weigh out when to press and has to pick their battles. If you get too combative, the administration will pressure down on advertisers of your parent broadcast/network/publication. Part of this problem is the consolidation of so many entities into a few mega juggernaut corporations. Matt Lee was able to ride Psaki hard in the State Department by virtue of being with the Associated Press. That's a much murkier path to try to leverage someone. He was also feeding others in that press room, so they had no reason to give Psaki cover.

I don't know what they would call it today, but in the old days, this was called "Potato In A Box"

If you left a potato long enough in a cold dry place, it will grow sprouts. It may or may not be safe to eat at that point, but to eat it, you need to cut the sprouts off first, or the green areas off first. Hence, you must "cut away the details" to get to the main point - just eating the potato. Psaki gave the reporter some sprouts to deal with first.

PIAB is not something you can use too often. It has an immediate backfire impact on issues that are universal impact i.e. engaged investment. ( Gun ownership impacts some people, parent issues impact many people but not all, but things like Social Security impacts everyone at some point)

Psaki used it here and, to some degree, it worked. The media narrative would still hammer her and Biden, but she stopped more questions from coming her way on the topic.

 
Psaki goes Darryl Dawkins on John Cornyn.  

Jen Psaki, responding to John Cornyn's complaint: "I can confirm that the president of the United States does not spend his time tweeting conspiracy theories. He spends his time working for the American people."

 
VIDEO: Jen Psaki asked POINT BLANK why migrants kids getting in-person instruction before American students •Mar 30, 2021

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was asked why San Diego public school teachers were giving migrant kids in-person education before their own students.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZlI2SSaWEs

*******

OK, as per the agreement, what does Psaki do well here

1) She avoids discussion about the economic impact of parents who have kids that are not in schools on a regular basis. This opens up a segueway into all the "stimulus" either in motion or about to be presented forward. Psaki is not an expert nor trained in finance/economics, this is a fast slippery slope that she wants/needs to avoid and she does so.

I would say it's a mistake for the reporter not to segue into the parents who either can't go back to work ( because they need to take care of the kids with nowhere to go) or the loss of productivity for their parent companies about to see their taxes raised.

2) Psaki asks distraction questions to make distinctions on a topic she can't defend. Are the people working there being paid or volunteers? Is it Spring Break? It's changing the focus to a detail versus the main body of the point in play.

Three things can be happening here

A) The reporter doesn't see it. That happens, not too often at this level. But it happens.

B) The reporter is throwing a softball because they are complicit. Some of the Press Corps will always be in lockstep with some Press Secretaries and some administrations. The questions are preplanned and structured to get out a specific narrative. It's not a real exchange, it's a form of media theater going through the motions. Both sides do it.

C) The reporter has to weigh out when to press and has to pick their battles. If you get too combative, the administration will pressure down on advertisers of your parent broadcast/network/publication. Part of this problem is the consolidation of so many entities into a few mega juggernaut corporations. Matt Lee was able to ride Psaki hard in the State Department by virtue of being with the Associated Press. That's a much murkier path to try to leverage someone. He was also feeding others in that press room, so they had no reason to give Psaki cover.

I don't know what they would call it today, but in the old days, this was called "Potato In A Box"

If you left a potato long enough in a cold dry place, it will grow sprouts. It may or may not be safe to eat at that point, but to eat it, you need to cut the sprouts off first, or the green areas off first. Hence, you must "cut away the details" to get to the main point - just eating the potato. Psaki gave the reporter some sprouts to deal with first.

PIAB is not something you can use too often. It has an immediate backfire impact on issues that are universal impact i.e. engaged investment. ( Gun ownership impacts some people, parent issues impact many people but not all, but things like Social Security impacts everyone at some point)

Psaki used it here and, to some degree, it worked. The media narrative would still hammer her and Biden, but she stopped more questions from coming her way on the topic.
:goodposting:  You can tell you made an excellent post when nobody has a rebuttal.

 
Does not sound like Psaki plans on staying around much longer.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki tends to let her daily briefings run long, but she doesn't intend to linger in her powerful post – with plans to exit in 2022.  

'I think it will time for somebody else to have this job in about a year from now,' she told former White House and Obama campaign colleague David Axelrod on his 'Axe Files' podcast.

 
Does not sound like Psaki plans on staying around much longer.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki tends to let her daily briefings run long, but she doesn't intend to linger in her powerful post – with plans to exit in 2022.  

'I think it will time for somebody else to have this job in about a year from now,' she told former White House and Obama campaign colleague David Axelrod on his 'Axe Files' podcast.
Are they really press conferences? Or are they more Democrat Love FestsTM between the WH and the media?  Maybe Democrat Softball Tournament?

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Self identify?    I want our supporters in Afghanistan out.    But self identify?   Wow.    Dementia man bad.

Roughly 11,000 “self-identified” US citizens still need to be evacuated from Afghanistan, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said. The White House said earlier today that the Kabul airport is once again open and 3,500 US troops are now on the ground to assist evacuation efforts, after Taliban forces took control of the capital city

 
VIDEO: While Asking OPEC To Pump More Oil, Psaki Can’t Name Any Biden Effort to Increase US Production Aug 11, 2021

While President Joe Biden asks the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to pump more oil, President Joe Biden's Press Secretary Jen Psaki could not name any Joe Biden effort to increase US oil production, during the White House press briefing on 8/11/2021

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isYV1vu581E

****

I left this thread alone for a while. I had a deal with tymarsas regarding Jen Psaki discussion. I held up my end, he did not. I'm going to move on now from my agreement with him.

Psaki has an unsettling but predictable habit of reading her prepared canned statements even though they don't relate to the questions she's being asked. She's not even trying to deflect or use any relatively basic media optics tactics.

Here's the thing. Kayleigh McEnany worked as a grunt on the CNN back desk for a long time before she got a shot at a bigger stage. She took the time to learn and school herself up on a range of complex political topics.

Psaki looks and sounds like someone who has no idea about anything relating to oil and gas. Now to be fair, no one expects her to be a subject matter expert, however there appears to be a clear fundamental inability to not just adapt, but to sell the perception that she even understands the baseline issues in place.

She does not sound lazy. Her canned statements are prepared and clearly rehearsed, she just doesn't sell competent.

If you can't sell confidence in a job like this, you should be fired. It's not personal, but that's the deal, that's how this game works.

 
VIDEO: While Asking OPEC To Pump More Oil, Psaki Can’t Name Any Biden Effort to Increase US Production Aug 11, 2021

While President Joe Biden asks the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to pump more oil, President Joe Biden's Press Secretary Jen Psaki could not name any Joe Biden effort to increase US oil production, during the White House press briefing on 8/11/2021

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isYV1vu581E

****

I left this thread alone for a while. I had a deal with tymarsas regarding Jen Psaki discussion. I held up my end, he did not. I'm going to move on now from my agreement with him.

Psaki has an unsettling but predictable habit of reading her prepared canned statements even though they don't relate to the questions she's being asked. She's not even trying to deflect or use any relatively basic media optics tactics.

Here's the thing. Kayleigh McEnany worked as a grunt on the CNN back desk for a long time before she got a shot at a bigger stage. She took the time to learn and school herself up on a range of complex political topics.

Psaki looks and sounds like someone who has no idea about anything relating to oil and gas. Now to be fair, no one expects her to be a subject matter expert, however there appears to be a clear fundamental inability to not just adapt, but to sell the perception that she even understands the baseline issues in place.

She does not sound lazy. Her canned statements are prepared and clearly rehearsed, she just doesn't sell competent.

If you can't sell confidence in a job like this, you should be fired. It's not personal, but that's the deal, that's how this game works.


She uses her answers even if they don't fit the question.

She won't be fired.

Just like no one will be fired/resign from the Afghan debacle.

There was a day that the shame of your mistakes would override your ego.

Not very often, any more.

 
VIDEO: Psaki Can’t Offer Any Guarantee That All Americans Will Be Evacuated From Afghanistan Aug 17, 2021

President Joe Biden’s Press Secretary Jen Psaki could not offer any guarantee that all Americans would be evacuated from Afghanistan, during the White House press briefing on 8/17/2021.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO7MOS1uuHk

VIDEO: NSA Sullivan: “Certainly A Fair Amount” Of US Weapons Have Fallen Into The Hands Of The Taliban Aug 17, 2021

President Joe Biden’s National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that “certainly a fair amount” of US weapons have fallen into the hands of the Taliban, during the White House press briefing on 8/17/2021.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrWIhW5X3Gs

VIDEO: Biden National Security Advisor Refuses To Commit To Evacuating All Americans From Afghanistan Aug 17, 2021

President Joe Biden’s National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan refused to commit to evacuating all Americans from Afghanistan, during the White House press briefing on 8/17/2021.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap1MILCiuE8

VIDEO: Jake Sullivan On Afghanistan: “We” Do “Take Responsibility” BUT “Other Parties” Are “Responsible” Aug 17, 2021

President Joe Biden’s National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in regards to Afghanistan that “we” do “take responsibility” but “other parties” are “responsible,” during the White House Press Briefing on 8/17/2021.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEtXtDuCPoQ

******

It's unclear if Psaki will make it to the end of the year. NSA Sullivan has more important things to do than to do Psaki's job. That he was even up there taking questions he clearly cannot defend indicates Psaki's actual punching weight in media optics.

It's her job to sell whatever her administration tells her to sell to the American public. That's the job. That's the deal. Fair or not is not part of the equation.

It's her obligation, by taking this kind of high profile post, to take the indefensible and make it defensible.

The ugly issue here, with my understanding of media optics, is these kind of hedges happen with silent information on the ground already. I.E. these are the kind of media churns that happen when someone has already been taken hostage and/or killed and it hasn't bled out to the MSM yet. Or it's been suppressed. I suppose we will all have to wait and see.

My personal analysis? Reading the tea leaves? An American citizen has already lost their life in this fiasco.

 
The ugly issue here, with my understanding of media optics, is these kind of hedges happen with silent information on the ground already. I.E. these are the kind of media churns that happen when someone has already been taken hostage and/or killed and it hasn't bled out to the MSM yet. Or it's been suppressed. I suppose we will all have to wait and see.

My personal analysis? Reading the tea leaves? An American citizen has already lost their life in this fiasco.


This is my biggest worry.

 
VIDEO: Psaki And Reporter Clash Over Whether Americans Are 'Stranded' In Afghanistan Aug 23, 2021

Jen Psaki responds to a question about Afghanistan during a White House Press Briefing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYegDhlmQZA

Direct Headline: Psaki pushes back on Fox News reporter who claimed Americans are 'stranded' in Kabul

Oma Seddiq 8/23/21

https://www.businessinsider.com/psaki-irresponsible-to-claim-americans-are-stranded-in-kabul-video-2021-8

*******

Doocy just led Psaki down the path he wanted and she just strolled along there without being able to recognize what he was doing.

What's going on here is the rest of the Press Corps is actually hanging back. They could step up and ask questions around Doocy, but they have incentive to leave Psaki on an island. Doocy is generating headlines for them and they don't have to do the work or risk taking the hit for it.

Failure to understand and control that dynamic is a huge fail on Psaki's part. Her job is not just to read canned statements, it's to control the room and control the narrative in that room.

 
VIDEO: Psaki Confronted With Biden's Slipping Poll Numbers, Maintains He Is Making Right Decisions Aug 23, 2021

Jen Psaki responds to a question about polling showing President Biden's approval ratings dip during a White House Press Briefing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7daYdQy2Po

******

Psaki believes, as she states, that leaders should be evaluated on what they do "when the chips are down"

She's literally feeding sound bites to use against Biden and herself for no practical reason at all.

The right decision media optics wise in an indefensible position is to assign blame to one person that's been handpicked and keep pushing that narrative. In this case, it would have to be Blinken. Not that he's more or less responsible, but that he's expendable - heterosexual white male with a track record in the Middle East dating back to the original Obama regime.

Psaki is close to completely lacking any self awareness. She's not dumb, but she's not bright and worse, she's not clever. This is a job where you need to adapt and improvise on the spot.

 
VIDEO: Psaki Confronted With Biden's Slipping Poll Numbers, Maintains He Is Making Right Decisions Aug 23, 2021

Jen Psaki responds to a question about polling showing President Biden's approval ratings dip during a White House Press Briefing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7daYdQy2Po

******

Psaki believes, as she states, that leaders should be evaluated on what they do "when the chips are down"

She's literally feeding sound bites to use against Biden and herself for no practical reason at all.

The right decision media optics wise in an indefensible position is to assign blame to one person that's been handpicked and keep pushing that narrative. In this case, it would have to be Blinken. Not that he's more or less responsible, but that he's expendable - heterosexual white male with a track record in the Middle East dating back to the original Obama regime.

Psaki is close to completely lacking any self awareness. She's not dumb, but she's not bright and worse, she's not clever. This is a job where you need to adapt and improvise on the spot.


Psaki looks like she is ready to melt down. Would be suprised if she lasts one year on the job.

Peter Doocy is well prepared and owns her. If Psaki had to face a full hostile room everyday like the last two PS she would not last a month on the job.

 
Psaki looks like she is ready to melt down. Would be suprised if she lasts one year on the job.

Peter Doocy is well prepared and owns her. If Psaki had to face a full hostile room everyday like the last two PS she would not last a month on the job.
Doocy is doing a great job.  Simply asking her to clarify the double speak is met with anger.  He is just trying to get real answers. 

 
Psaki looks like she is ready to melt down. Would be suprised if she lasts one year on the job.

Peter Doocy is well prepared and owns her. If Psaki had to face a full hostile room everyday like the last two PS she would not last a month on the job.
Tough job.  Look how many Trump went thru.   But I think she's doing well.  In that link certainly didnt look like a meltdown.  Its always those strong, confident woman that look that way 🙄

 
Tough job.  Look how many Trump went thru.   But I think she's doing well.  In that link certainly didnt look like a meltdown.  Its always those strong, confident woman that look that way 🙄


Agree it is a tough job..last two elected bozos make it even tougher.

 
Agree it is a tough job..last two elected bozos make it even tougher.


I mean, we can't follow up with a 3rd terrible POTUS, can we?  What are the odds?  At some point we would have to luck into voting for someone that turns out competent, right?

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Doocy is doing a great job.  Simply asking her to clarify the double speak is met with anger.  He is just trying to get real answers. 


Doocy is hitting fastballs coming straight down the pipe and he knows that's all he's going to get. He's hitting the pitches in front of him.

Other reporters could ask those questions, but it's not that simple. They have editors and sponsors and advertisers and big money corporate backers and there is a lot of push/pull in who asks what and why they do it.

What Dee Dee Myers used to do when she had someone in the Press Corps she couldn't control, she made a trade. Now they get a 1 on 1 with Bill Clinton and a promise to be allowed to break X number of major headlines first in the coming months. The huge difference is Myers was allowed to make those trades on her own and the Clinton Administration actually gave her something to work with most of the time. If there's some credit to Bill Clinton here, he just let Myers do her job and did what he was told.

Bill Clinton was a very charismatic politician and a good public speaker. He had an easy going disarming method of communication. The bonus was that a lot of women found him attractive and that smoothed out a lot of conflict. ( And later generated more of it) Myers could leave Clinton 1 on 1 with a reporter and feel safe he could protect himself from himself.

Psaki does not have decision making power to trade anything with anyone. She's left on an island in positions that can't be defended. She is saddled with specific talking points that she has to hit even if they don't vibe or will incite the general American public at large. Also no one in this administration can trust leaving Biden with a reporter alone. Doocy would start to dig and Biden would clearly crumble and the optics would only be worse. She also doesn't have the power to simply not address the press until headlines shift or cool down. ( Not like this Taliban crisis looks like it's going to cool down anytime soon)

Here's what Psaki can control. Doocy is essentially writing his own headlines. He uses a trigger word like "stranded" knowing will dovetail into "abandoned" in context and leaves it out there. The rest of the Press Corps gets a free headline without taking the implied retribution coming later from the entire Party.

If she can't avoid the press and she can't trade with Doocy and she can't actually defend the positions, she has to either A) Blackmail him or B) Use her administration to leverage Fox News as a whole. Given the self inflicted woe that is this current administration, her real option is to dig up something on Doocy that's worse than the blowback he'd get from his bosses at Fox News for softballing her on a regular basis.

What? Do some of you think people in high level politics don't blackmail each other?

Psaki doesn't have the skill to blackmail Doocy and she clearly has no idea that it's her only option. Obama/Biden/Harris picked a Single A reliever with only one marginal pitch to start in the Big Leagues on Opening Day. She was picked because they needed someone to appeal to white upper middle class suburban women.

Someone, at this point, should ask me how I'd salvage this media optics mess. I looked over the media roster for this administration and I wouldn't let these limp wristed incompetents create a Kohl's circular for me.  These people could screw up selling hot dogs in a grocery store weekly ad on the Fourth Of July.  I'm not in my prime anymore, not like Doc Holliday channeling his inner Val Kilmer, but I still have a few rounds in the street howitzer.

 
Doocy is hitting fastballs coming straight down the pipe and he knows that's all he's going to get. He's hitting the pitches in front of him.

Other reporters could ask those questions, but it's not that simple. They have editors and sponsors and advertisers and big money corporate backers and there is a lot of push/pull in who asks what and why they do it.

What Dee Dee Myers used to do when she had someone in the Press Corps she couldn't control, she made a trade. Now they get a 1 on 1 with Bill Clinton and a promise to be allowed to break X number of major headlines first in the coming months. The huge difference is Myers was allowed to make those trades on her own and the Clinton Administration actually gave her something to work with most of the time. If there's some credit to Bill Clinton here, he just let Myers do her job and did what he was told.

Bill Clinton was a very charismatic politician and a good public speaker. He had an easy going disarming method of communication. The bonus was that a lot of women found him attractive and that smoothed out a lot of conflict. ( And later generated more of it) Myers could leave Clinton 1 on 1 with a reporter and feel safe he could protect himself from himself.

Psaki does not have decision making power to trade anything with anyone. She's left on an island in positions that can't be defended. She is saddled with specific talking points that she has to hit even if they don't vibe or will incite the general American public at large. Also no one in this administration can trust leaving Biden with a reporter alone. Doocy would start to dig and Biden would clearly crumble and the optics would only be worse. She also doesn't have the power to simply not address the press until headlines shift or cool down. ( Not like this Taliban crisis looks like it's going to cool down anytime soon)

Here's what Psaki can control. Doocy is essentially writing his own headlines. He uses a trigger word like "stranded" knowing will dovetail into "abandoned" in context and leaves it out there. The rest of the Press Corps gets a free headline without taking the implied retribution coming later from the entire Party.

If she can't avoid the press and she can't trade with Doocy and she can't actually defend the positions, she has to either A) Blackmail him or B) Use her administration to leverage Fox News as a whole. Given the self inflicted woe that is this current administration, her real option is to dig up something on Doocy that's worse than the blowback he'd get from his bosses at Fox News for softballing her on a regular basis.

What? Do some of you think people in high level politics don't blackmail each other?

Psaki doesn't have the skill to blackmail Doocy and she clearly has no idea that it's her only option. Obama/Biden/Harris picked a Single A reliever with only one marginal pitch to start in the Big Leagues on Opening Day. She was picked because they needed someone to appeal to white upper middle class suburban women.

Someone, at this point, should ask me how I'd salvage this media optics mess. I looked over the media roster for this administration and I wouldn't let these limp wristed incompetents create a Kohl's circular for me.  These people could screw up selling hot dogs in a grocery store weekly ad on the Fourth Of July.  I'm not in my prime anymore, not like Doc Holliday channeling his inner Val Kilmer, but I still have a few rounds in the street howitzer.
Don't be upset when that doesn't happen. 🥱

 
BladeRunner said:
I mean, we can't follow up with a 3rd terrible POTUS, can we?  What are the odds?  At some point we would have to luck into voting for someone that turns out competent, right?
I used to think that Obama-McCain was the worst choice of candidates I had ever seen.  Now I look back on that choice nostalgically.  

 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top