Corporate media executives and liberal talking heads attended a celebration dinner for White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Wednesday night.
Among those reportedly in attendance were MSNBC President Rashida Jones, ABC News President Kimberly Godwin, MSNBC hosts Joy Reid and Andrea Mitchell and CBS News’ “Face the Nation” host Margaret Brennan, according to Politico. CNN political commentator Maria Cardona and “CBS Mornings” executive producer Shawna Thomas also attended the dinner.
President Joe Biden’s deputy chief of staff Jen O’Malley Dillon; former Hillary Clinton presidential campaign spokesperson Karen Finney; and Tasia Jackson, who serves as chief of staff for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, were reportedly in attendance as well. Left-wing political activists, including Human Rights Campaign President Kelly Robinson, also reportedly joined the celebration, according to the outlet.
Just the presidents of ABC News and MSNBC and multiple major journalists all at a dinner party “celebrating” the current White House press secretary pic.twitter.com/9Ll1XYdbrJ
— Philip Letsou (@philipletsou) October 5, 2023
The dinner was held by former Obama staffer and CNN commentator Ashley Allison, activist Stefanie Brown James, political strategist Adrienne Elrod and Ashley Etienne, the former communications director for Vice President Kamala Harris, according to Politico. (RELATED: KJP Leaves Jake Tapper Visibly Befuddled While Claiming Reporters Can’t Keep Up With Biden)
Jean-Pierre has had a friendly relationship with corporate press since assuming her role in May 2022. Vogue Magazine published a lengthy piece praising Jean-Pierre as a historic figure in early September, noting her status as the first black and openly lesbian press secretary.
Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki also touted Jean-Pierre’s race and sexuality ahead of her departure from the podium to later assume her new role as an MSNBC host.
“She will be the first black woman and the first openly LGBTQ+ person to serve as the White House Press Secretary. Representation matters and she will give a voice to many, but also make many dream big about what is truly possible,” Psaki wrote in a May 5, 2022, tweet posted to the official White House press secretary’s account.
In July, Jean-Pierre spent the first few minutes of a press briefing bidding a personal and fond farewell to two reporters who were not returning to the briefing room.
Meanwhile, Jean-Pierre has had tense exchanges with reporters from outlets that take a more critical stance toward President Joe Biden, notably Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy and Today News Africa White House correspondent Simon Ateba, who is currently suing Jean-Pierre over the loss of his hard pass. The press secretary has responded angrily and even once walked out of the briefing room as Ateba has yelled out questions without being called on.