In a recent revelation, it has been reported that high-ranking White House officials attempted to orchestrate the removal of Karine Jean-Pierre from her position in late 2023.
According to the report, the unsuccessful coup was spearheaded by Anita Dunn, the chief communications officer for President Joe Biden and Jean-Pierre's immediate superior.
The unfolding of these events paints a vivid picture of the deep-seated dysfunction within the Biden administration, a consequence of its commitment to wokeness.
Anita Dunn, 66, the de facto head of White House communications and spouse of Bob Bauer, Biden's personal attorney, reportedly decided to enlist influential Democrats to convince Jean-Pierre, 49, that it was time for her to step down. This information was disclosed to The Post by sources privy to the matter.
There were a number of people she asked to engage Karine, a source revealed, having heard of Dunn's strategy firsthand. Dunn's role as senior adviser has been previously occupied by Jared Kushner under Donald Trump, Valerie Jarrett under Barack Obama, and Karl Rove under George W. Bush.
The same source also disclosed to The Post that Dunn had claimed that White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients was aware of and supported the clandestine plan to oust Jean-Pierre from the West Wing.
There was an effort to have some outside folks who Karine knows and trusts talk to her about why leaving last fall would have made a lot of sense for her and her career, the source said, describing it as an effort to encourage her to move along.
In essence, Dunn and others arranged for prominent Democrats to meet with Jean-Pierre in a bid to subtly influence her decision to leave. The implication was that her career would benefit from such a move. However, it is clear that Jean-Pierre did not accept the offer, as she continues to hold her position today, despite frequent criticism labeling her as the worst White House press secretary in history.
Jean-Pierre's performance has been a source of longstanding frustration. She is known for her verbal blunders and apparent inability to think on her feet, often resorting to reading pre-prepared answers from a binder that are frequently unrelated to the questions posed. Instead of responding to the flawed policies of the Biden administration, Jean-Pierre is often caught telling blatant lies that become news stories in their own right. A press secretary is expected to perform better.
However, the most intriguing aspect of this report is the question of why Jean-Pierre has not been simply dismissed if she is so unwanted.
The answer is clear. Dismissing the "first black, lesbian, immigrant" press secretary would create negative publicity for a president who has made diversity, equity, and inclusion a cornerstone of his administration. Jean-Pierre's job security is not based on her performance, but on the diversity boxes she ticks. Dismissing her would risk backlash from the far left and its supporters in the mainstream media.
A second source told The Post that Jeff and Anita were trying to find Karine a graceful exit due to the potential negative optics of forcing her out.
Theres a huge diversity issue and theyre afraid of what folks are going to say, added this source, who learned of the effort from multiple people briefed by Dunn and confirmed that at least one person from outside the administration did speak with Jean-Pierre.
The decision to prioritize wokeness over merit in the appointment of a press secretary has left Biden with Jean-Pierre during the most contentious presidential election campaign in history. This is yet another self-inflicted wound in his relentless pursuit to appease his left flank.
Login