Jen Psaki lied in her book to protect Biden and now she must correct the error in future printings
The former press secretary stated that the fact that the president looked at his watch during the return of the remains of the Marines who died during the withdrawal from Afghanistan was “disinformation.”
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Jen Psaki, Joe Biden's former press secretary, gained national attention again after she said she would update future editions of her latest book to correct a claim she made to protect her former boss, which was later debunked. This is a detail that occurred while the president was participating in the return of the remains of Marines who died during the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan.
In one of the chapters of "Say More: Lessons from Work, the White House, and the World," the first book that she published on May 7, Psaki referred to the aforementioned event that took place at the Air Force Base of Dover in Delaware.
Specifically, the current MSNBC anchor wrote that the fact that Biden looked at his watch during the ceremony was simply the product of a "misinformation" campaign. "The president looked at his watch only after the ceremony had ended. Moments later, he and the First Lady headed toward their car,” she said.
However, despite her claim, multiple photographs and videos of the event show the president checking his watch even more than once.
Axios first reported the incident, who noted that Psaki "mistakenly cited a passage from The Washington Post to bolster her account."
"Reality check: Psaki's new account is at odds with fact-checks at the time, news agencies' photos from the ceremony at Dover Air Force Base, and on-the-record statements from Gold Star families who were there," they added.
Psaki even contradicted many relatives of fallen Marines during the Afghanistan withdrawal, who later claimed that the president checked his watch as the coffins passed by.
"It's two thirty, asshole!"
One of the family members who spoke out was Mark Schmitz, the father of Marine Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz. As he confessed in August 2023, and in reference to Biden, "while I stood there on the tarmac watching you check your watch over and over again, all I wanted to do was shout out, 'It's two f***ing thirty, asshole.'"
At the same time, Shana Chappell, the mother of Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui wrote the following on her Facebook account: "I watched you disrespect us all 5 different times by checking your watch!!! What the f*** was so important that you had to keep looking at your watch????"
Jen Psaki's new book
"Say More: Lessons from Work, the White House, and the World" is the first book by the former official, who served as Press Secretary between January 2021 and May 2022, to make way for Karine Jean-Pierre.
According to the book's description, Psaki "explains her straightforward approach to communication, walking readers through difficult conversations as well as moments where humor saves the day—whether it is with preschoolers, partners, or presidents. She addresses the best ways to give and receive feedback, how to connect with your audience, how to listen actively, and much more. Say More is the book Psaki wishes she had when she started her career, and is a trove of entertaining, essential lessons from one of the most prominent voices in American politics today."
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