'Frenemies' In the Briefing Room: Psaki and Doocy Pay Homage to Each Other
The kind words flow on press secretary's last day behind the podium
White House press secretary Jen Psaki and Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy became press briefing pugilists since the dawn of the Biden administration.
Doocy would use his perch on-camera during the weekday briefings to somehow embarrass, or trip-up the Democratic Biden administration, for the benefit of his right-wing audience on Fox News.
Over the course of 224 briefings, Psaki would usually manage to parry Doocy’s efforts with aplomb.
A low point came came early this year, in January, when President Biden referred to Doocy as a “stupid son of a bitch,” on a “hot mic.”
The president called Doocy, subsequently, to apologize.
But Psaki and Doocy both appeared to let bygones go by Friday, on the press secretary's final day on the job before turning the post over to one-time deputy, Karine Jean-Pierre.
In an on-camera appearance on Fox News, Doocy credited Psaki and her rigorous fidelity to facts as making him a better reporter.
“I think all the extra homework that I knew I had to do, because when I challenged her she would challenge me right back, probably has made me a better reporter. So, I’m grateful to her for that,” he said.
Meanwhile, Psaki was willing to offer a few kind words for Doocy, on what was — for her — an incredibly emotional day as she sought to move on to spend more time with her family.
Psaki said Thursday she’ll miss the back-and-forth she has with Fox News reporter Peter Doocy during her time at the podium once she departs the Biden administration this week.
“I will,” Psaki said when asked if she would miss Doocy during her appearance Friday at a Christian Science Monitor breakfast. “I will tell you, and people know this who are in the White House every day.”
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