Biden-era White House reporters express disbelief on Karine Jean-Pierre's sudden party switch
The longtime spokesperson for former President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday that she switched her affiliation to independent. Jean-Pierre also revealed an upcoming book, "Independent: A Look Inside a Broken White House, Outside the Party Lines," that quickly raised eyebrows among the journalists who dealt with her in the briefing room.
One White House reporter sarcastically called the project "amazing," and suggested Jean-Pierre's book won't carry much weight.
"Did she find the manuscript somewhere in that fat binder she toted around? If I were a historian writing about the Biden White House, I wouldn't ignore what Karine has to say, but it's not an account in which much weight will be invested — just like her briefings," the White House reporter told Fox News Digital.
A second White House reporter said they wouldn't have even realized Jean-Pierre was in the news if Fox News Digital didn't ask about it.
"She left the Democratic Party? I honestly didn't see that story and probably wouldn't have even noticed. I turned off my KJP Google Alert on Inauguration Day," the reporter reacted, before joking, "Has anyone circled back with Jen Psaki?"
Psaki, who preceded Jean-Pierre as Biden's press secretary, famously responded to tough questions by declaring she would "circle back" with an answer, but those answers rarely came.
A third White House reporter was "shocked" that Jean-Pierre had left the Democratic Party.
"I have to pick my jaw up from the floor. It is unbelievable that she, of all people, would choose this path," the reporter told Fox News Digital.
"Just take a look at her entire career and identity," they said. "You can't change who you are just because you check a different box on a registration form. It's also disappointing to see that she would turn her back on her party just because it's hit a really rough patch... it speaks to character."
The third White House reporter said it was widely assumed that Jean-Pierre would follow in Psaki's footsteps for the second time and take a gig at MSNBC or another news organization.
"But these two press secretaries could not be more different, and in a way, when you are in that role you are auditioning for your next job, whatever that is gonna be. I think it was painfully apparent that she would not handle a job like that, so no, I did not think she was going to get her own show or something like that," the reporter told Fox News Digital.
"I didn't really know what she was going to do because she did such a bad job as press secretary and that's both in front of the cameras and behind the scenes," the reporter continued. "Many reporters felt like KJP didn't meet the mark."
The third anonymous reporter said Jean-Pierre's shortcomings became even more apparent when Trump press secretary Karoline Leavitt took control of the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room.
"If you talk to people who covered both administrations back-to-back, Karoline Leavitt is such whiplash because she understands how to build a relationship with reporters across the spectrum, and she is a star on camera," the third White House reporter said.
CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios reporter Alex Thompson recently went on a wide-ranging media tour to promote their book, "Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again," which details Biden's mental acuity concerns while in office and accuses the Biden White House of lying to reporters and voters.
Jean-Pierre routinely dismissed questions about Biden's fitness as White House press secretary as early as 2022.
The third White House reporter doesn't anticipate a similar press tour for Jean-Pierre, who will presumably look to avoid questions about whether she played a key role in the "cover-up."
"I think she'll probably go to friendly media and that will be a big difference because, and I don't think the buzz will be there," they said. "There is a historical record literally on camera of her, you know, saying all the things she said that turned out to be not true."
On Wednesday, the announcement from publisher Legacy Lit, a division of the Hachette Book Group, insisted Jean-Pierre's book will take readers "through the three weeks that led to Biden's abandoning his bid for a second term and the betrayal by the Democratic Party that led to his decision."
"She presents clear arguments and provocative evidence as an insider about the importance of dismantling the torrent of disinformation and misinformation that has been rampant in recent elections and provides passionate insight for moving forward," the announcement said.
Jean-Pierre also shared the news in a video posted to Instagram, where she explained that the new book was her answer to a way forward for Americans who feel distraught about the current Trump administration.
A fourth anonymous reporter who covered the Biden White House said Jean-Pierre appears "desperate" to salvage her career.
"I wish Karine had broken from the party line during the last administration. Maybe then her press briefings would have actually been useful every once in a while," the fourth reporter told Fox News Digital.
Reagan Reese, White House correspondent for the Daily Caller, mocked the notion that the longtime Democratic Party operative is truly an independent.
"Now that she's independent, I can't wait to hear what Republicans KJP will be voting for in upcoming elections," Reese told Fox News Digital.
Legacy Lit and Jean-Pierre did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
"Independent: A Look Inside a Broken White House, Outside the Party Lines" hits retailers in October.
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