Barack Obama-era State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki, recently tapped by projected president-elect Joe Biden to be his White House press secretary, was forced to double back and correct a blunder committed earlier in the day.
On 30 November Jen Psaki went on Twitter to hail a “diverse” incoming team of the most “battle-tested” communicators, yet in her zeal tagged the wrong woman.
This is a team of some of the most talented, battle-tested communicators out there @KBeds, @K_JeanPierre, @SymoneDSanders, @AshleyEtienne09 @EAlexander, @pilitobar87---who are also all women, most diverse team in history and also 6 Moms of young kids
— Jen Psaki (@jrpsaki) November 29, 2020
John Harwood, White House correspondent, was quick to swoop in on the error, tweeting that he though Psaki might mean a different Elizabeth Alexander.
i think you mean @EAlexander332
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) November 30, 2020
Several other netizens immediately remarked on the mistake.
😬 oops
— patsyinparadise (@plwhit49) November 30, 2020
Good job on the communication then. Too funny. What a clown show.
— Hoosier Snowbird 🏀🏜 (@HozeKing) November 30, 2020
Psaki quickly backtracked to correct her own mistake tweeting that her “only regret” was “tagging the wrong Elizabeth Alexander”. She then proceeded to hail the right person appointed new communications director for first lady Jill Biden, touting her as a “legal eagle”.
My only regret today is tagging the wrong Elizabeth Alexander. The right one is @EAlexander332 who is a legal eagle, a communications guru and a trusted team Biden longtime advisor and new communications director to @DrBiden
— Jen Psaki (@jrpsaki) November 30, 2020
Netizens suggested that Psaki would need to polish up her “tagging” skills.
Not a great start
— All Set Jet (@all_set_jet) November 30, 2020
As communication chief you’ll have to do better with tagging on social media 🤷🏼♀️
— Deanne💚🌱 (@UnfilterDeanne) November 30, 2020
Let's hope we do not have to deploy the 6th fleet to Belarus )))). Good luck.
— N. Vermeulen (@nverme) November 30, 2020
The recent announcements come as Joe Biden continues to build his Cabinet and White House staff, led by Chief of Staff Ron Klain, while President Donald Trump refuses to concede victory in the 2020 election, decrying extensive election fraud.
During her tenure as spokesperson for the US State Department, Jen Psaki became something of a meme-generator due to her perceived geopolitical gaffes during press briefings. Particularly memorable was the staffer’s parrying with long-time verbal adversary Matthew Lee, a reporter from AP.
One of Psaki’s most infamous blunders was when she weighed in on the transportation of gas, which in Europe, according to her, flowed "from west to east."
In another instance, Psaki floundered when speaking about carousel voting - an election rigging method by which voters are bussed around to cast ballots at multiple polling stations.
LOVL! Ms Psaki comment on carousel voting! Makes th #USA look retarded. Espec after #CNN put E#Ukraine in #Pakistan! pic.twitter.com/pFEU77gzdx
— thewaffler (@kennjs1964) May 13, 2014
As AP’s Lee asked her to explain the term, she awkwardly admitted that she was not "familiar with it".
