Jen Psaki: Yes, ‘I Do’ Consider Myself a Journalist

Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday that she truly believes that she is now a journalist. During an interview at the Semafor Media Summit, the ex-Biden flack-turned-MSNBC star was asked by Semafor editor-in-chief Ben Smith whether she considered herself a journalist. “I do,” she responded. “Journalism has changed dramatically. I’m, of course, an example of that, right? And even when I was in the White House, working in government, it really was already all on a spectrum... It’s all a big, broad scope of things. And so to me, journalism is providing information to the public, helping make things clearer, explaining things.” MSNBC’s hiring of Psaki last year was not only seen as yet another instance of the revolving door between Capitol Hill and cable news, but also raised concerns that the network was too close to the Biden administration. Psaki’s devoted liberal fanbase, meanwhile, seemingly couldn’t care less about such concerns: Since Inside with Jen Psaki launched last month, the MSNBC weekend show has been a ratings hit, leading its Sunday afternoon time slot across the board.