Via the Free Beacon, we see that State Department spokesman Jen Psaki sounds as desperate as Jay Carney in selling the flagging fortunes of President Obama. Reporters started mocking her as she claimed “I would argue the President doesn’t give himself enough credit for what’s he’s done around the world.”
The reporters asked for examples, as Psaki insisted just talking to Iran or trying to engage on the Ukraine is an achievement of some sort. One reporter (AP's Matt Lee) cracked if Obama deserves “200 percent credit?” It wasn’t going well for Team Obama. (Video, transcript below)
Q: Jen, you would argue the president doesn’t give himself enough credit? How much credit would you give him?
PSAKI: Well, I think what I’m — I would give him more than he has given himself. That’s what I just said.
Q: What, like, 200 percent credit?
PSAKI: So would the secretary.
Q: So — and for — and for –
Q: Credit for what? I’m sorry, credit for what?
Q: For what, yes, exactly? That’s the point.
Q: No, I mean, I don’t — I don’t mean, like, he doesn’t deserve credit.
Q: For the Iran negotiations?
Q. I mean — I mean — I’m talking, what specifically are you talking he doesn’t get enough credit for — (inaudible)?
PSAKI: For engagement initiatives like Iran, what we’ve done on Ukraine, efforts to dive in and engage around the world.
(Crosstalk.)
Q: I mean, Russia has still annexed Crimea. I mean, Iran — there’s ongoing negotiations, but is that the success here that you’re talking?
PSAKI: We’re talking about engagement in the world and taking on tough issues that present themselves. And the United States continues to play a prominent role doing that.
Psaki, who first worked as a spokesperson for Kerry on his failed 2004 presidential campaign, has been rumored as a replacement for Carney if he steps down. Their audiences in both briefing rooms are both getting restless and unsatisfied with their performance.
