Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) admitted during a Wednesday interview that Vice President JD Vance &#8220;scares&#8221; him as the potential heir apparent to helm the Make America Great Again movement going into the 2028 presidential election.
Newsom voiced his concerns to former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on MS NOW, calling Secretary of State Marco Rubio &#8220;a complete fraud&#8221; and telling her that Vance, in particular, worried him &#8220;almost more than&#8221; President Donald Trump.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Marco Rubio is a complete fraud. But no one tops JD Vance. Talk about a guy who put a mask on his face and grew into it. Pathetic. <a href="https://t.co/fNbTEYJY4z">pic.twitter.com/fNbTEYJY4z</a>
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) <a href="https://twitter.com/GavinNewsom/status/2026863309660492132?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;There are some people waiting in the wings in the MAGA world who would love to be the chosen ones of the Trump orbit,&#8221; Psaki began, adding, &#8220;JD Vance is one of them. Marco Rubio is one of them. Do you think they can carry on the MAGA flame here?&#8221;
&#8220;No. But Vance, for whatever reason, scares me,&#8221; Newsom volunteered.
&#8220;Why?&#8221; Psaki pressed.
&#8220;Almost more than Trump. I don’t know. I just — I mean, talk about a guy who put a mask on and his face grew into it,&#8221; Newsom said, complaining that Vance and Rubio — as well as Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) — had been &#8220;effective&#8221; critics of Trump before coming around to his way of thinking.
&#8220;What frauds, what phonies. But JD is a unique fraud and phony. And he’s a little more dangerous. And — and the folks around him, these are not folks that believe — I mean, listen to some of its biggest funders, the way they talk. There’s a nihilism to the way they talk about the world,&#8221; Newsom continued, adding, &#8220;I know these guys. I literally know them, not figuratively know them. Some of them are in the book, knew them back when.&#8221;
&#8220;So, again, I don’t want to be overly hyperbolic about this,&#8221; Newsom said, just as he pivoted to be more hyperbolic: &#8220;So [Trump&#8217;s] going to try to run this out until right after the end, until he can pick and choose who goes behind him. Or, God forbid, we don’t take back the House of Representatives, he may be on that ballot.&#8221;
Psaki agreed, &#8220;He&#8217;ll try.&#8221;
&#8220;I just wouldn’t put it past him,&#8221; said Newsom.
Trump has repeatedly said that he will not seek a third term in the White House, and has demurred when asked who he might want to see replace him. Touting the skills of both Vance and Rubio, Trump has only said that either would be a good choice.

Governor Newsom And San Francisco Mayor Lurie Announce New Funding For Homelessness And Mental Health Ffforts In The City

Gavin Newsom Reveals The MAGA Successor Who Would Scare Him ‘Almost More Than Trump’

Gavin Newsom Admits He's Scared Of JD Vance

Donald Trump

Gavin Newsom

JD Vance

Jen Psaki

MAGA

Vice President JD Vance responded to comments made by former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki about his wife, Usha, needing to be “saved” from him.
The VP has been in Israel all week discussing the ceasefire and hostage deal, and his wife has been with him. A reporter from Fox News asked Vance to comment on Psaki’s assertions, which made him scoff and then reply with his customary wit and candor. 
“I think it&#8217;s disgraceful,” he said, “But of course, the Second Lady can speak for herself. And I am very lucky to have a wonderful wife &#8230; I hope that my wife feels the same way about me … I&#8217;m very lucky to go on this journey with a very loving wife. We’re going to keep on serving the country together, and I&#8217;m honored to have Usha by my side on this trip in particular, but always.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 REPORTER: Former WH press secretary Jen Psaki said your wife needs to be &#8220;saved&#8221; from you.
JD VANCE: 😂
REPORTER: How do you feel about that?
VANCE: It&#8217;s disgraceful &#8211; but of course, the second lady can speak for herself. I am very lucky to have a wonderful wife. I at least… <a href="https://t.co/msZMUZBVV9">pic.twitter.com/msZMUZBVV9</a>
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1981334765773984025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Psaki <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/msnbcs-jen-psaki-slammed-for-unhinged-attack-on-second-lady-usha-vance">made the remarks</a> on a recently released episode of the “I’ve Had It” podcast.
She said Vance is “scarier” than President Donald Trump and alluded to the idea of Usha being held hostage.
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“I think the little Manchurian Candidate, JD Vance, wants to be president more than anything else,” Psaki said. “I always wonder what’s going on in the mind of his wife. Like, are you OK? Please blink four times. We’ll come over here. We’ll save you.”
Psaki continued, “And that he’s willing to do anything to get there. And your whole iteration you just outlined, I mean, he’s scarier in certain ways, in some ways. And he’s young and ambitious and agile in the sense that he’s a chameleon who makes himself whatever he thinks the audience wants to hear from him.”
The podcast episode’s description leaned into the same joke, “Usha Vance, please blink twice if you need help,” the caption said.
Social media users reacted strongly to the insinuations, with one person summing up the overall reactions perfectly.
“Nothing baffles the liberal women more than a happy marriage,” the commenter wrote.

JD Vance and Usha Vance

JD Vance Fires Back At Jen Psaki’s ‘Disgraceful’ Attack On Second Lady

J.D. Vance

MSNBC

Usha Vance

Former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, who served during the Biden administration, is being called out for recent comments she made about Vice President JD Vance’s wife, Usha.
Psaki made the remarks on a newly released episode of the &#8220;I&#8217;ve Had It&#8221; podcast.
She said Vance is “scarier” than President Donald Trump and alluded to the idea of Usha being held hostage. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Jen Psaki says JD Vance in “scarier” than Donald Trump &amp; suggests his wife Usha wants out of their marriage.
“Blink 4 times. Come over here. We’ll save you.”<a href="https://t.co/aqgcyhlXZo">pic.twitter.com/aqgcyhlXZo</a>
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) <a href="https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1980735112989069689?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I think the little Manchurian candidate, JD Vance, wants to be president more than anything else,&#8221; Psaki said. &#8220;I always wonder what&#8217;s going on in the mind of his wife. Like, are you OK? Please blink four times. We&#8217;ll come over here. We&#8217;ll save you.”
Psaki continued, &#8220;And that he&#8217;s willing to do anything to get there. And your whole iteration you just outlined, I mean, he&#8217;s scarier in certain ways, in some ways. And he&#8217;s young and ambitious and agile in the sense that he&#8217;s a chameleon who makes himself whatever he thinks the audience wants to hear from him.&#8221;
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The podcast episode&#8217;s description leaned into the same joke, &#8220;Usha Vance, please blink twice if you need help,&#8221; the caption said.
Social media users reacted strongly to the insinuations.
“Nothing baffles the liberal women more than a happy marriage,” one reply <a href="https://x.com/Millerita/status/1980778185244701072">said</a>. 
&#8220;Not a good person. At all,&#8221; Fox News contributor Joe Concha <a href="https://x.com/JoeConchaTV/status/1980753725237960900">said</a> of Psaki.
“For the party that supposedly champions feminism, they sure talk down to women on the other side,” another commenter <a href="https://x.com/PBlasphememes/status/1980753856519659836">observed</a>.
“MSNBC should be ashamed to pay her salary,&#8221; Libs of TikTok posted.
“Usha is accompanying JD right now in Israel securing the Gaza Peace Deal. Absolutely disgusting comments,&#8221; conservative pundit Jack Posobiec <a href="https://x.com/JackPosobiec/status/1980751133334208880">said</a>.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung also shared his reaction on X, writing that Psaki &#8220;must be transferring her own personal issues onto others.&#8221; 
“[Psaki] is a dumbass who has no comprehension of the truth and has to overcompensate for her lack of talent by saying untrue things,” he <a href="https://x.com/StevenCheung47/status/1980778057896997362">added</a>, before repeating a phrase she often used while serving as press secretary. “Circle back on that, moron.”

Psaki and Vances

MSNBC’s Jen Psaki Slammed For ‘Unhinged’ Attack On Second Lady Usha Vance

MSNBC's Jen Psaki Slammed For 'Unhinged' Attack On Second Lady Usha Vance

Marriage

Media

Politics

Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that politicians and political commentators who have condemned prayer in the wake of a mass shooting in Minnesota should “get new politics.”
In an appearance on Fox News, Vance ripped into those who have mocked or dismissed calls for prayer to help deal with tragedy. The vice president said that people who have targeted prayer after a gunman killed two children at Annunciation Catholic School’s church on Wednesday morning have “something very wrong” with their souls.
“If you are a politician or you&#8217;re a media commentator and two beautiful babies just got murdered while praying, and your politics force you to condemn prayer in response to it, you ought to get new politics because something very wrong has gone on inside your soul,” said Vance, who is a Catholic.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a>: &#8220;If you are a politician or you&#8217;re a media commentator and two beautiful babies just got murdered while praying, and your politics force you to condemn prayer in response to it, you ought to get new politics because something very wrong has gone on inside your soul.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/ukwAIWdBbs">pic.twitter.com/ukwAIWdBbs</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1961161979868962889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
A number of left-wing politicians and commentators have downplayed prayer in the wake of the shooting. Former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, who served in the Biden administration, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/karoline-leavitt-destroys-jen-psaki-for-mocking-the-power-of-prayer">said</a> in a post on X: “Prayer is not freaking enough. Prayers does (sic) not end school shootings. prayers (sic) do not make parents feel safe sending their kids to school. Prayer does not bring these kids back. Enough with the thoughts and prayers.”
Minneapolis Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey on Wednesday <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/minneapolis-mayor-trashes-people-for-offering-thoughts-and-prayers-after-shooting">dismissed</a> “thoughts and prayers” during a news conference after the shooting.
“Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now, these kids were literally praying. It was the first week of school, they were in a church,” Frey said. “These are kids that should be learning with their friends. They should be playing on the playground. They should be able to go to school or church in peace without the fear or risk of violence.”
California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom echoed Frey’s sentiment in a post on X that targeted White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who defended prayer in reaction to Psaki’s comment.
“These children were literally praying as they got shot at,” Newsom wrote.
Annunciation Catholic Church <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/church-targeted-by-trans-identifying-shooter-asks-for-prayer-during-impossible-situation">invited</a> prayer in an open letter to the general public on Wednesday evening, asking for support as the community grapples with the deadly attack.
“Please lift up these families and these children in prayer and surround them and each other with your love during this difficult time,” the school’s principal, Matthew DeBoer, and the church’s pastor, Father Dennis Zehren, wrote.

Vance Tells Prayer-Bashing Leftists To ‘Get New Politics’

Vance Tells Prayer-Bashing Politicos To ‘Get New Politics’

Annunciation Catholic School

Mass Shooting

Minnesota

Prayer

New details from the Minneapolis school shooter&#8217;s manifesto reveal his anguish over his transgender identity, sparking a fierce national debate over motive. A patriotic &#8220;flagging&#8221; movement sweeps the U.K. as public backlash grows against the government&#8217;s mass migration policies and a surge in migrant crime. The multi-billion dollar college football season kicks off this weekend amid a new era of paid athletes and an expanded playoff.
It’s Friday, August 29, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
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<h2>Minneapolis Shooter’s Manifesto Reveals Transgender Anguish</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-966753" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.29.25-Fri-SH1-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.29.25-Fri-SH1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.29.25-Fri-SH1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.29.25-Fri-SH1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.29.25-Fri-SH1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.29.25-Fri-SH1.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Topline: Newly deciphered writings from the trans-identified shooter who attacked a Minneapolis Catholic school reveal his anguish over his gender identity, sparking a fierce national debate over the motive for the massacre.
Two days after the horrific attack that left two children dead and 17 others injured, authorities have deciphered parts of the shooter’s cryptic manifesto. According to a translation from the New York Post, the writings reveal a deep internal struggle: &#8220;I am tired of being trans, I wish I never brain-washed myself,&#8221; one passage reads. &#8220;I regret being trans. I wish I was a girl I just know I cannot achieve that body with the technology we have today.&#8221;
Many on the Right are pointing to a growing number of mass shootings committed by transgender offenders and arguing that affirming a transgender identity, which they view as a form of mental illness, creates mental anguish that can lead to violence. The White House said Thursday that HHS is investigating potential links between &#8220;gender affirming drugs&#8221; and violence.
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Many on the Left and in the legacy media have either avoided the transgender component or insisted that discussing it is bigoted. &#8220;Anybody who is using this as an opportunity to villainize our trans community&#8230; has lost their sense of common humanity,&#8221; said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. MSNBC&#8217;s Jen Psaki claimed that discussing the shooter&#8217;s identity is an attempt to &#8220;distract from what matters,&#8221; which she said is gun control. Several outlets, including The New York Times, have run headlines claiming the shooter&#8217;s motive is a &#8220;mystery,&#8221; despite his explicitly anti-Christian and anti-Trump writings.
&nbsp;
<h2>‘Flagging’ Movement Sweeps U.K. Amid Migrant Backlash</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-966749" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.29.25-Fri-SH2-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.29.25-Fri-SH2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.29.25-Fri-SH2-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.29.25-Fri-SH2-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.29.25-Fri-SH2-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.29.25-Fri-SH2.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Topline: A new patriotic movement known as “flagging” is sweeping the United Kingdom, as public anger grows over the government&#8217;s mass migration policies and a surge in violent crime committed by migrants.
The organic movement involves citizens raising the Union Jack and the St. George’s Cross flags on lampposts and in public spaces. It grew out of protests against the government&#8217;s practice of housing illegal immigrants in local hotels, which has led to a number of rapes and assaults on local people.
Critics have labeled the movement &#8220;xenophobic,&#8221; but supporters point to a double standard, as local councils that have been quick to take down British flags have been afraid to remove Palestinian flags from heavily Muslim areas.
The backlash comes as government data shows a surge in crimes committed by foreign nationals. According to the Centre for Migration Control, convictions of foreign nationals for sexual offenses increased by a &#8220;staggering 62%&#8221; between 2021 and 2024. A recent viral video from Scotland shows a 12-year-old girl brandishing an axe and a machete to defend herself and her 14-year-old sister from a man with a foreign accent who appears to have been harassing them. The girl has since been <a href="https://x.com/PoliceScotland/status/1960745568747102433">charged</a> by police with possession of a knife &#8212; the man involved has not been charged and has <a href="https://uk.news.yahoo.com/migrant-confronted-schoolgirl-12-wielding-104332586.html">publicly</a> denied any wrongdoing, claiming that the girls approached him.
&nbsp;
<h2>College Football Kicks Off in New Era of Paid Athletes</h2>
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Topline: The multi-billion dollar college football season kicks off this weekend, ushering in a new era of paid athletes, an expanded 12-team playoff, and a slate of high-stakes opening matchups.
This season marks the second year of the expanded 12-team playoff and the first full season since the House v. NCAA settlement, which allows universities to pay athletes directly through revenue sharing, in addition to existing Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals.
The opening weekend is packed with marquee games. On Saturday, the action kicks off with preseason number one Texas, led by quarterback Arch Manning, visiting the reigning national champion Ohio State Buckeyes. The afternoon features Alabama traveling to Florida State, and the primetime game is a top-10 showdown between LSU and Clemson.
The action continues through the holiday weekend with Miami hosting Notre Dame on Sunday, and the collegiate head coaching debut of eight-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick on Monday night, when his North Carolina Tar Heels host TCU.

MRN 8.29.25 Thumbnail V1

Morning Brief: Minneapolis Shooting Fallout, UK Immigration Backlash, A New Era Of College Football

College Football

Crime

Immigration

Minneapolis

School Shooting

Sports

U.K.

United Kingdom

World

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt tore into her predecessor, former Press Secretary Jen Psaki, over an X post attacking those who responded to Wednesday&#8217;s tragic school shooting by offering prayers.
During Thursday&#8217;s briefing, Leavitt told members of the Press Corps that she had seen Psaki&#8217;s post and thought it was extremely disrespectful of her to dismiss the beliefs of many Americans who value prayer.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
With class and calm, Karoline Leavitt just absolutely wrecked Jen Psaki for mocking the power of prayer:
&#8220;I saw the comments of my predecessor, Jen Psaki, I think they&#8217;re incredibly insensitive and disrespectful to the tens of millions of Americans of faith across this country… <a href="https://t.co/Mk595Sq1Dn">https://t.co/Mk595Sq1Dn</a> <a href="https://t.co/cHLb31pWSR">pic.twitter.com/cHLb31pWSR</a>
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) <a href="https://twitter.com/charliekirk11/status/1961126369288708540?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Yes, I saw the comments of my predecessor, Ms. Psaki, and frankly, I think they&#8217;re incredibly insensitive and disrespectful to the tens of millions of Americans of faith across this country who believe in the power of prayer, who believe that prayer works, and who believe that on a morning like this, when beautiful young children were killed while praying in a church, it&#8217;s utterly disrespectful to deride the power of prayer in this country,&#8221; Leavitt said. &#8220;And it&#8217;s disrespectful to the millions of Americans of faith, and I would encourage Ms. Psaki to pray for these families themselves, who need it right now more than ever.&#8221;
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Psaki posted on Wednesday, shortly after news broke of the deadly shooting, saying, &#8220;Prayer is not freaking enough. Prayers does not end school shootings. prayers do not make parents feel safe sending their kids to school. Prayer does not bring these kids back. Enough with the thoughts and prayers.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Prayer is not freaking enough. Prayers does not end school shootings. prayers do not make parents feel safe sending their kids to school. Prayer does not bring these kids back. Enough with the thoughts and prayers.
— Jen Psaki (@jrpsaki) <a href="https://twitter.com/jrpsaki/status/1960730977472237739?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, also a Democrat, made a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/minneapolis-mayor-trashes-people-for-offering-thoughts-and-prayers-after-shooting">similar comment</a> during a press conference on Wednesday in an effort to direct the conversation toward gun control: &#8220;Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now, these kids were literally praying. It was the first week of school, they were in a church.&#8221;

White House Holds Press Briefing

Karoline Leavitt Destroys Jen Psaki For Mocking The Power Of Prayer

Gun Control

Karoline Leavitt

Shooting

MSNBC is axing far left host Joy Reid&#8217;s 7pm show, &#8220;The Reidout,&#8221; as ratings flip-flop in the wake of President Donald Trump&#8217;s second inauguration — but if the batters on deck to take Reid&#8217;s place are any indication, the network has no interest in embracing an ideological shift.
Variety reported that Reid&#8217;s final episode is set to air in the last week of February — and other reports indicate that Reid, much like former CNN anchor Jim Acosta, plans to leave the network entirely. Alex Wagner, who hosts weeknights at 9pm except for the Mondays hosted by longtime network star Rachel Maddow, is also out.
But reports also indicate that despite the shake-up, the network is not going to change direction anytime soon.
Sliding into Reid&#8217;s slot on Mondays will be the trio that currently hosts &#8220;The Weekend&#8221; on Saturday and Sunday mornings: Symone Sanders-Townsend, who previously worked for Bernie Sanders&#8217; 2016 presidential campaign and former President Joe Biden&#8217;s 2020 campaign in addition to working for former Vice President Kamala Harris; former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, who has been sliding progressively leftward since leaving the party; and Alicia Menendez, daughter of disgraced  former Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ).
Sanders-Townsend, Steele, and Menendez will get two hours on Mondays beginning at 7pm ET, and one hour at 7pm Tuesday through Friday.
Wagner&#8217;s spot will go at least in part to current the Sunday morning host of &#8220;Inside with Psaki,&#8221; former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki. Wagner&#8217;s title will be changed to &#8220;contributor.&#8221;
Newly-named MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler, who was just named to the position on February 12, is said to be behind the changes. SpinCO CEO Mark Lazarus promoted Kutler from interim president to president, saying that he believed she was the one to move the recently-spun off network forward.
&#8220;In the short time that Rebecca was the interim president, it became clear to me that she has the big-picture strategic view and the right leadership skills to ensure MSNBC delivers on its brand promise and is positioned for growth during a time of industry change,&#8221; he said at the time.

2024 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ Presented By Coca-Cola® – Day 3 – Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

MSNBC Axes Joy Reid’s Show As Ratings Yo-yo. Who They’re Bringing In Proves They’ve Learned Nothing.

MSNBC Axes Joy Reid's Show As Ratings Yo-yo. Who They're Bringing In Proves They've Learned Nothing.

Joy Reid

Michael Steele

The Democratic National Committee chair forum quickly turned into a cringefest on Thursday night when protesters started controlling the questions, a candidate broke out into song, and every candidate <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/every-dnc-chair-candidate-says-racism-misogyny-played-a-role-in-kamalas-defeat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agreed</a> that former Vice President Kamala Harris lost because of &#8220;racism and misogyny.&#8221;
The forum at Georgetown University was hosted by MSNBC and three of the network&#8217;s most leftist hosts: Jen Psaki, Symone Sanders, and Jonathan Capehart. In between the outbursts of climate change protesters, eight candidates attempted to put their vision forward for a party that was blown out in the 2024 election.
It didn&#8217;t take long, however, for the forum to give way to some strange moments.
<h3>One candidate breaks into a song for her opening statement.</h3>
Dr. Quintessa Hathaway of Arkansas told the audience she wanted to give them &#8220;something that&#8217;s been on [her] heart here over the last couple days.&#8221; Hathaway then began singing, &#8220;You fight on, you fight on, you fight on. When your government is doing you wrong, you fight on.&#8221; When Hathaway finished her song, a few sympathy claps broke out in the audience.
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="MSNBC Live moderates a DNC forum live from Georgetown University" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mYGNpj0qqow?start=18551&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<h3>Climate protesters derail the forum from the beginning.</h3>
It took no time for leftist climate change protesters to disrupt the forum. Immediately after MSNBC host Symone Sanders told the candidates, &#8220;I&#8217;m going to kick off our questioning tonight,&#8221; the climate activists started shouting questions, and Sanders struggled to regain control of the conversation.
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="MSNBC Live moderates a DNC forum live from Georgetown University" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mYGNpj0qqow?start=18871&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<h3>Every candidate agrees that Kamala Harris lost because of &#8220;racism and misogyny.&#8221;</h3>
When journalist Jonathan Capehart asked the candidates about &#8220;racism and misogyny&#8221; depriving Harris of an election victory, everyone quickly raised their hands in agreement.
Republicans and conservative political commentators had some fun with the moment, pointing out that Democrats refuse to change their message despite the American people clearly stating that they&#8217;re fed up with the overused talking points.
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="MSNBC Live moderates a DNC forum live from Georgetown University" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mYGNpj0qqow?start=21535&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<h3>A former DHS official says the Republican Party is &#8220;the biggest threat to national security.&#8221;</h3>
Speaking of overused talking points, one DNC chair candidate, Nate Snyder, doubled down on the argument that Trump and the Republican Party represent &#8220;the biggest threat&#8221; to American national security.
&#8220;We need to push back with everything we got, and my intention is to disrupt, dismantle this propaganda lying machine,&#8221; Snyder, who used to work for the Department of Homeland Security, said of the Trump administration.
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="MSNBC Live moderates a DNC forum live from Georgetown University" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mYGNpj0qqow?start=18835&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<h3>Symone Sanders lets leftist protesters control the questioning.</h3>
Sanders was again interrupted by protesters later in the forum, one of whom shouted, &#8220;Democrats are still taking money from the arsonists!&#8221; while Sanders was attempting to move on to a new topic. Sanders then caved to the leftists shouting about the &#8220;climate emergency,&#8221; telling them, &#8220;Okay, let&#8217;s talk about the climate emergency &#8230; we&#8217;re going to skip ahead. Jen Psaki is going to ask about the climate. Let&#8217;s go.&#8221;
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="MSNBC Live moderates a DNC forum live from Georgetown University" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mYGNpj0qqow?start=19733&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<h3>Another candidate claims that social media algorithms favor Republicans and &#8216;push down&#8217; Democratic narratives.</h3>
With a straight face, Ben Wikler, the chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, claimed that &#8220;thumbs on the scale&#8221; are likely &#8220;trying to push down Democratic narratives&#8221; and &#8220;lift up Republican narratives.&#8221; Of course, none of the MSNBC journalists nor Wikler mentioned how the opposite was true when the Biden administration pressured social media companies like Twitter and Facebook to censor conservative voices.
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="MSNBC Live moderates a DNC forum live from Georgetown University" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mYGNpj0qqow?start=21418&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Democrats

The DNC Chair Forum Got Weird Quickly. Here’s What Happened During The MSNBC-Hosted Event.

The DNC Chair Forum Got Weird Quickly. Here's What Happened During The MSNBC-Hosted Event.

Democratic National Committee

Jonathan Capehart

Kamala Harris

Symone Sanders

Attorney Neal Katyal said on Sunday that he believed President-elect Donald Trump was trying to &#8220;bait&#8221; President Joe Biden into offering ousted Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) a pardon, arguing he&#8217;d then use that as evidence that she&#8217;d done something wrong.
Katyal spoke with former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on her Sunday morning MSNBC show, &#8220;Inside with Jen Psaki,&#8221; and <a href="https://x.com/InsideWithPsaki/status/1870910046034686087" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he argued</a> that if Biden were to pardon Cheney — in an effort to insulate her from retaliatory prosecution over her involvement in the January 6th Committee&#8217;s investigation — it might actually help Trump to go after her in the court of public opinion.
<blockquote class="bluesky-embed" data-bluesky-uri="at://did:plc:jutl4tq6nqhumm5exzk52f5t/app.bsky.feed.post/3ldw4joyxej2q" data-bluesky-cid="bafyreiagzwctvedurhqstlzchzp7ry7c62sr5aegdlyz6h6urbo6tztk2i">
@nealkatyal.bsky.social on Biden potentially pardoning Liz Cheney: “I think what Trump is trying to do here is to bait President Biden into pardoning Liz Cheney, and that&#39;ll allow Trump to say, ‘Hey, look even Biden thinks Liz Cheney did something wrong.&#39;”
&mdash; <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:jutl4tq6nqhumm5exzk52f5t?ref_src=embed">Inside with Jen Psaki (@insidewithpsaki.msnbc.com)</a> <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:jutl4tq6nqhumm5exzk52f5t/post/3ldw4joyxej2q?ref_src=embed">2024-12-22T19:09:42.242438Z</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://embed.bsky.app/static/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Katyal&#8217;s logic was simple: a pardon for Cheney, despite the fact that she hasn&#8217;t yet been charged with anything, would give credence to claims that she may have committed a crime that would required her to be pardoned.
&#8220;I think what Trump is trying to do here is to bait President Biden into pardoning Liz Cheney, and that&#8217;ll allow Trump to say, ‘Hey, look even Biden thinks Liz Cheney did something wrong,'&#8221; he explained. If he were able to cast doubt on Cheney&#8217;s role in the investigation, he could then also argue that, by extension, the entirety of the investigation was tainted and thus justify the pardons he wants to issue for those who were convicted on charges related to the riot on Capitol Hill and the breach of the U.S. Capitol.
Katyal also argued that if Cheney was ever charged for anything related to her work as a part of that committee, <a href="https://www.threads.net/@insidewithpsaki/post/DD5FdTsNz3z?xmt=AQGzPTMhwv89y4WApOiwaLKWXQU1T22bvJCka0hLKs9uyQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nothing was likely to stick</a>.
&#8220;It would fail right at the get go, not just because there&#8217;s no crime here or any credible allegation, but also because Liz Cheney, as a member of Congress at the time, is entitled to the constitutional protection of speech or debate immunity,&#8221; he told Psaki.

Donald Trump/Liz Cheney

MSNBC Guest Claims Trump Is Trying To ‘Bait Biden Into Pardoning Liz Cheney’

MSNBC Guest Claims Trump Is Trying To 'Bait Biden Into Pardoning Liz Cheney'

Joe Biden

Liz Cheney

Longtime news anchor Katie Couric admitted to former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki that while she had liked Vice President Kamala Harris, she had been frustrated by her apparent inability to answer questions on the campaign trail.
Couric and Psaki delivered a post-mortem of the 2024 presidential election — which saw Harris trounced by now President-elect Donald Trump in both the Electoral College and the popular vote — for Couric&#8217;s &#8220;Next Question&#8221; podcast. During their conversation, both women voiced frustration that Harris had failed to meet the voters where they were and answer the questions they wanted to have answered.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
WATCH: Katie Couric admits Kamala was an awful candidate 
“Answer the G**damn question, please.”<a href="https://t.co/MtvCNzrKcS">pic.twitter.com/MtvCNzrKcS</a>
&mdash; Breaking911 (@Breaking911) <a href="https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1858645056162336852?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Psaki pointed out the fact that Harris simply hadn&#8217;t done what was necessary to reach voters — particularly those inclined to disagree with her — when she had limited herself to only a few interviews, all with relatively friendly outlets or media personalities.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/?_gl=1*jtghwp*_gcl_au*ODQ1NjYzNTg2LjE3Mjg5MDk3OTE.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczMDEyMDgwOS40OS4xLjE3MzAxMjA4MzkuMzAuMC4w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MATT WALSH’S ‘AM I RACIST?’ NOW STREAMING ON DAILYWIRE+</a>
&#8220;And that means doing all of the things, including with people you disagree with, who are gonna be tough,&#8221; Psaki explained, saying that candidates had to be &#8220;fearless&#8221; and giving Harris credit for doing the interview with Fox News anchor Bret Baier.
Couric couched her criticism by first saying that she felt Harris had handled some things very well, but then she pointed out Harris&#8217; tendency to evade questions even when she did sit for interviews. She noted that people weren&#8217;t likely to be convinced when Harris didn&#8217;t give satisfactory answers.
&#8220;Like, if she was asked about changing the Supreme Court at that CNN town hall – she had an opportunity to talk about ethics and what, you know, Alito and Clarence Thomas were doing. And, she answered like in one sentence and like went on to something that had nothing to do with the question,&#8221; Couric noted, adding, &#8220;It’s like, answer the G**d*** question please!&#8221;
&#8220;I mean &#8230; yeah,&#8221; Psaki agreed, laughing.

iMentor 25th Anniversary Champions Dinner

‘Answer The G**d*** Question!’: Katie Couric Takes Kamala Apart In 2024 Post-Mortem With Jen Psaki

'Answer The G**D*** Question!': Katie Couric Takes Kamala Apart In 2024 Post-Mortem With Jen Psaki

2024 Election

Katie Couric

MSNBC host Jen Psaki claimed during an interview on Sunday that the issue of men pretending to be women playing in sports against girls was not an &#8220;issue&#8221; while later admitting that it does happen and claiming that there is no &#8220;threat to safety or fairness.&#8221;
Psaki made the remarks during the closing segment on &#8220;Inside with Jen Psaki&#8221; while talking about the post-election &#8220;soul searching&#8221; that Democrats are doing.
&#8220;What I worry about is that in the course of all that soul searching, some Democrats might reach the wrong sweeping conclusions,&#8221; she said. &#8220;And there are a lot of issues that fall into that bucket, but one in particular that stuck out to me is transgender rights.&#8221;
&#8220;Republicans spent hundreds of millions of dollars on anti-trans ads this election cycle, including one that showed Vice President Harris talking about government funding for gender reaffirming care for prisoners and detainees,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;If that sounds like a particularly obscure issue, it is, because it applies to a tiny group of people.&#8221;
She claimed that conservatives falsely portrayed the issue of men playing in girls&#8217; sports was &#8220;a crisis.&#8221;
&#8220;Now these ads created this perception that the issues of trans kids playing sports was dominating schools across the country, which is completely false,&#8221; she claimed.
&#8220;Look, reflection is good, but if that were actually an issue at thousands of schools across the country, it would be worthy of a debate,&#8221; she claimed. &#8220;But there are just incredibly few examples of transgender girls playing in youth sports. And when we see those examples, there isn&#8217;t evidence that these kids are a threat to safety or fairness.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Jen Psaki says Democrats must double down on pushing the transgender agenda on Americans, including allowing men to play against girls in sports
She says it&#8217;s not an issue and that men playing against girls in sports presents &#8220;no threat to safety or fairness.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/iIoujvv1Fm">pic.twitter.com/iIoujvv1Fm</a>
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealSaavedra/status/1858325952989733373?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2024</a></blockquote>

Meet the Press – Season 77

Psaki: Men Playing In Girls’ Sports Is No ‘Threat To Safety Or Fairness’

Transgender Athletes

Former Biden White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, now a host on MSNBC, launched into an emotional tirade targeting former President Trump after he won the 2024 election on Tuesday night.
Psaki served as White House deputy press secretary under former President Barack Obama, later serving as White House deputy communications director, spokesperson for the Obama State Department, and White House communications director for Obama before her stint with Biden; she served as a political contributor for CNN following that. then joined MSNBC.
After acknowledging Trump’s victory, she began, “And for so many of you watching right now, that news is, to say the least, a lot to digest; I understand that personally.”
Then she launched into her diatribe, saying:
<blockquote>
After he lost four years ago, he refused to accept the outcome and incited a violent insurrection in our nation’s capital. He’s campaigned while facing criminal indictments related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 results, and he’s run as a convicted felon. During his campaign he has also promised to essentially be an authoritarian leader; to use power like no American president ever has before and wield that power to go after his political enemies. This is a man who has also bragged about overturning Roe v. Wade and stripping away women’s bodily autonomy. He’s promised to conduct mass deportations, to crack down on the rights of millions of Americans.
</blockquote>
“Donald Trump is an anti-democratic force,” she pronounced, later arguing that those opposed to Trump represented democracy: “In this moment, it’s also important to remember that our democracy is not built around one person or one job, and I have every confidence that pro-democracy forces in this country will continue to stand up and make their voices heard. That’s what we saw after 2016 as well.”
“I wish I had better news for my daughter later this morning,” she said. “I wish I could have called her and told her that the first woman president had just been elected. I wish that. I won’t be able to do that.”
She then issued her call to arms, insinuating her opposition was not a force for good: “But what I can do, what I can tell my daughter and what I will tell my daughter is that our roles as American citizens have never been more important than they are right now. I can tell her that there are still lots of good forces out there, forces for good in this country, and that they are going to be getting to work.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
MSNBC makes the call at 5:31 AM Eastern. Jen Psaki delivers an overwrought editorial that ends with a call to resistance. <a href="https://t.co/Iju2ma5hiE">pic.twitter.com/Iju2ma5hiE</a>
&mdash; Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) <a href="https://twitter.com/BonillaJL/status/1854112234382721102?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
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George Washington University Holds Commencement Ceremony On National Mall

Jen Psaki Rants, Attacks Trump After His Historic Victory

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