Staff Reports
In a surprising turn of events, deputy press secretary Olivia Dalton took center stage in the White House briefing room, replacing press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. Rumors are swirling about whether Dalton may be stepping into Jean-Pierre’s shoes permanently. It was a historic moment for Dalton as she confidently led the briefing from the physical podium for the very first time.
However, the absence of Jean-Pierre did not go unnoticed. The popular conservative outlet, The Daily Caller, quickly reported on the press secretary’s conspicuous absence from the event. But fear not, White House officials were quick to jump to Jean-Pierre’s defense, claiming that her absence was nothing out of the ordinary. They assured everyone that it was simply standard procedure for the principal deputy, in this case, Dalton, to take charge.
During the briefing, reporters were itching to get answers on the controversial testimony of the IRS whistleblower regarding Hunter Biden. However, just like Jean-Pierre before her, Dalton avoided discussing the issue altogether. When confronted by Steven Nelson of the New York Post about Attorney General Garland’s alleged perjury, Dalton skillfully dodged the question with a noncommittal response.
It’s worth noting that John Kirby, the national security spokesperson, often accompanied Jean-Pierre to briefings and would speak for a significant portion of the time. But on this particular occasion, it was Dalton who stepped up to the plate. The press conference quickly became heated as reporters bombarded Kirby and voiced their concerns about a 2017 text message from Hunter Biden, where he allegedly made threats while mentioning his father’s name.
Now, let’s take a moment to delve into Jean-Pierre’s professional history. She has quite an impressive resume, having worked as Barack Obama’s southeast regional political director during his first term in office. She then went on to become the National Deputy Battleground States Director for Obama’s successful 2012 re-election campaign. Her role involved overseeing delegate selection, ballot access, and political involvement in critical states.
Jean-Pierre’s dedication to Democratic campaigns continued when she joined the Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign as a top assistant. In an interview with The Haitian Times, she spoke passionately about her desire to shape the future and her inability to ignore the call to get involved in the election. Her hard work paid off when she was named Principal Deputy Press Secretary for the Biden-Harris transition team.
It’s important to note that during her tenure, Jean-Pierre made history as the first openly LGBTQ person to give a White House press briefing since 1991 and the first black woman to do so. While her achievements are commendable, it’s crucial to assess the substance and transparency of her briefings rather than solely focusing on the diversity checkboxes she ticks.
Overall, the shift from Jean-Pierre to Dalton raises questions about the direction and priorities of the White House press briefings. Will Dalton maintain the same level of evasion and non-disclosure as her predecessor? Only time will tell. As conservatives, it’s our duty to hold this administration accountable and demand truthful and substantive answers from those in power.
Source: Conservative Institute
