Former White House Press Secretary Jennifer Psaki is taking some heat for her recent remarks about the wife of the current Vice President of the United States.
In a conversation with two other equally unpleasant-seeming women whom I might describe–on looks alone–as “two peas in a podcast” (full disclosure: I have no idea who either of them is, and probably couldn’t tell them apart even if I did, although I should think that, between the three of them, the fumes from the hair dye and its associated chemicals might render one at best senseless, or at worst mad), Psaki had this to say about Usha Chilukuri Vance:
I think the little Manchurian Candidate [JD Vance] wants to be President more than anything else. I always wonder what’s going on in the mind of his wife [Cue sympathetic noises and shouts of “AGREE!” from the Fake Chorus]. Like are you OK? Please blink four times [“YES!”], we’ll come over here, we’ll, we’ll save you.”
As if Usha Vance were unable to speak her mind for herself.
Hilarity ensues, once Psaki finishes. See the full context (not that it helps), here: https://www.thedailybeast.com/msnbc-host-jen-psaki-explains-why-jd-vance-is-scarier-than-donald-trump/
Here’s some information about Usha Vance:
From her Wikipedia page: She was born in San Diego to Indian immigrant parents. Her father is a mechanical engineer, and her mother is a molecular biologist. She has a Bachelor’s in history, summa cum laude, from Yale. She attended Cambridge University as a Cambridge scholar, receiving a Master’s in early modern history in 2010. She’s a 2013 graduate of Yale University Law School.
She’s served as a law clerk for various district court and federal court judges, and as a clerk to Supreme Court Justices Brett Kavanaugh and John Roberts.
She worked successfully for six years as a litigation associate for a large law firm. When her husband was chosen as Trump’s running mate in 2024, she resigned from her career to focus on her family.
The BBC (of all things) fell in love:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c897483zpyeo
Even her husband, 41, seems overawed by her elite credentials. The former Ohio senator has said her accomplishments leave him feeling “humbled” when it comes to this woman he’s been married to for eleven years.
And the BBC article makes the point, as many others do, that this is an extraordinarily kind and generous woman, one who’s been volunteering her many professional talents across social classes and around the world for years.
You’re welcome to have a gander at Jen Psaki’s Wikipedia page. Apparently, she has a degree (2000) in “English and Sociology” (I didn’t know that was a “thing,”–perhaps they mean a double major, or a major (English) and (superlatively) minor (Sociology)) from the College of William and Mary. She also swam (heroically) backstroke competitively for the college for two years!!!
She then began her career in political support, starting with the re-election campaign of Tom Harkin to an Iowa Senate position, graduating to becoming John Kerry’s Deputy Press Secretary in 2004 and serving from 2005 to 2006 as communications director for a US representative and then regional press secretary for the DCCC. In 2009, she became Barack Obama’s deputy communications director, and then press secretary for his reelection campaign, with a brief interlude (months, apparently) at a Washington, DC public relations office, after which she returned as White House Communications Director. When she left that position in 2017, she moved to a sinecure at CNN. Then back to the Biden-Harris campaign, and her position as the first White House press secretary for the Biden administration in 2020. Leaving that position in 2022, she moved to a sinecure at MSNBC, where she remains to this day. Good luck to her. I hope she’s happy in her work.
Nevertheless, I think what we’re looking at here is the contrast between a smart, confident, accomplished, intelligent, outward-facing, lady who has a lot to recommend her, including having succeeded at pretty challenging levels of private enterprise and having risen–with the support of her nearest and dearest–to heights of power that might have been unimaginable for a child of immigrants in any other country on earth, and a jealous, angry, not-all-that-bright inward-looking, narcissistic, political hack and glad-hander who’s clawed her way up, whose antecedents might have been in this country longer, but who hasn’t been capable of such an ascent herself.
Fortunately, feverish accusations of monarchical intentions aside, the Trump administration seems to have missed the bit–which goes hand in hand with kingly privilege–about “never complaining and never explaining.”
And so White House spokesman Steven Cheung has called Psaki a “dumba$$” and a “moron” and suggested that Psaki must be “transferring her own personal issues onto others.”
That would be my guess. Because–one way or another–that’s how it usually goes.
Usha Vance has already proven her worth, and I have no concerns about her own independent agency when it comes to running her own life. I guess we’ll find out, soon enough, whether Psaki’s motives are strictly personal here, or whether they stem from a concern that she might soon need another job, in another administration, or if the Left fears that Vance may be a force to be reckoned with in 2028, so Psaki’s handlers would prefer to take him out sooner rather than later. Funny, that. Reverse identity politics, I suppose.
Then we have Jennifer Welch (who just may be one of the “two peas in a podcast” I mentioned above–bleached hair, sour face, foul mouth–I really can’t tell, but this is at least a different venue), appearing on MSNBC’s “All In With Chris Hayes.”
Here is what she had to say about Vance en famille:
he is married to a woman of Indian descent. He has mixed race children. So to all of the MAGA voters out there, if this man will not defend his wife and will not defend his kids, do you think he gives a crap about you or anything to do with you?”
Oh, honey. JD Vance is married to a woman who was born in San Diego, CA to parents who’d emigrated legally from India’s Andhra Pradesh State in the late 70s or so. They’re still here. still working, still loving their adopted country. By the time their older daughter was born, both her parents were American citizens.
So Usha was born an American citizen and has been one all her life.
JD and Usha, who are both Americans, have American children. He doesn’t need to defend her, or them, from anyone, most especially from people like you, Jennifer Welch, who, it seems, look at the little tykes and see “The Other.”
God help us.
PS: Highly recommend Usha’s interview with the Free Press from this past April. The fact that TFP suggested that she might be JD’s “best asset” if he ever runs for president sends up alarm bells for me, when it comes to a concerted plan to take them both down. Perhaps that’s the plan that’s already underway. Go figure.
PPS: @slotus: The gray-haired and naturally inclined ladies of the world (even those of us who are former carrot-tops) salute you!
