Intro
In this episode of the “SmartLess” podcast, the hosts have a lively and engaging conversation with Jen Psaki, the former White House press secretary. They discuss a wide range of topics, including weather apps, handling criticism, Jen’s background and career, her experience in the White House, and much more. Join the hosts as they dive deep into Jen Psaki’s life and insights.
Main Takeaways
Weather and Tension
- The planet is experiencing some of the hottest days on record in the last week
- There is a disagreement between using the weather app on iPhone and looking up the weather on the internet
- Some people prefer using the internet to get accurate weather updates
- Using imaginary people to defuse tension in public places is a common practice
Jen Psaki’s Personality
- One of the hosts has never seen the guest angry or in a bad mood
- One of the hosts has only seen the guest angry twice in their whole life
- The guest’s anger gives them laser focus and makes them sound smart
- The guest channels their grumpiness into their acting roles
Jen Psaki’s Background and Career
- The guest grew up poor and is grateful for what they have now
- The hosts discuss how they handle criticism and try not to make others walk on eggshells around them
- The hosts introduce their guest, Jen Psaki, and express their excitement to have her on the show.
- Jen Psaki shares her background as a former competitive swimmer and political campaigner.
Challenges and Insights from Jen Psaki’s Career
- Jen Psaki discusses the challenges of swimming and treading water as a form of exercise, sharing her experience as a former lifeguard.
- The hosts joke about Jen Psaki’s reputation for dealing with difficult people and her being a “super smart super cute ginger.”
- Jen Psaki’s last name is commonly mispronounced, with people saying Pesui, Pesale, or Saki with extra letters added in between.
- Sacky loves doing her show and spends a lot of time with her team figuring out what they will say and who their guests will be.
- Sacky worked on the presidential transition before being offered the job at the White House, and initially had to talk to her family about it before accepting.
- Sacky’s job at the White House was all-encompassing, but she enjoyed it and learned a lot from it.
- Sacky’s experience as a bridesmaid twice before being a bride taught her that sometimes things don’t work out, but sometimes they do.
Jen Psaki’s Role as Press Secretary
- The changing environment in November 2016 threw out all norms and changed the way we approached things
- Despite consuming vitriol, Sacky didn’t apply it to herself and didn’t think about the changed environment when starting her job as press secretary
- People in the public eye are divided into three groups: those who hate you, those who love you, and those who are indifferent
- No matter what you do, the people who hate you will always hate you, and the people who love you will always love you
- The White House press secretary’s job is to always be prepared for questions and never say “you got me”.
- Fox News had a predictable rotation of topics during Jen Psaki’s time as press secretary, including the border and COVID.
- The caravan mentioned on Fox News may have been a fabrication.
- Jen Psaki has a gift for communicating complex issues in a digestible way with common sense.
- The hardest questions come from experienced in-depth print reporters who ask unexpected questions
- There is significant preparation before going out to speak on behalf of the president
- The job involves pushing as hard as possible on the system internally to be able to say more
- There were moments where Jen lost her temper, but she tried to remain level-headed given the time we were in.
- Jen Saki’s goal was to remain calm and even-keeled during briefings to provide information to the public
- There is a difference between speaking on behalf of the president and speaking on behalf of the United States
- Questions could be about the president’s views or the policy of the United States, which could get tricky
Jen Psaki’s Personal Life
- Jen Saki is Greek and Irish, not Polish
- Jen’s mother was a therapist who gave great advice and mixed therapy with parenting
- Jen’s father was around and had an intense personality, which led to adventurous family vacations
- Jen married Greg, who was the Chief of Staff to Congressman Joe Kennedy, after meeting at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
- Jen and Greg sometimes have political debates in their household
- Jen took her daughter to a Taylor Swift concert and loved it, and Sean plans to do the same with his daughters
- White House Correspondents Association asked for invite to speak, but declined due to family’s wishes
- The most recent dinner felt like the old days where people of all parties and backgrounds interacted
- Sean did not have a five-year plan for his career aspirations
- Sean admired Barbara Walters as a child and wanted her job because it seemed fun and not insensitive
- Sean’s show aims to teach viewers something new about someone they may not agree with, and he would like to do a multi-episode series on Ron Claim, Biden’s former chief of staff.
- Ron Claim was hugely instrumental in fixing the COVID situation before he became chief of staff.
- Ron is one of the smartest people the speaker has ever met and is always steps ahead in meetings.
- The speaker did not have access to confidential information about aliens and UFOs in the White House.
- The press room at the White House is in need of a reboot and a better door.
- The White House is smaller than expected, and the Oval Office is just a short walk away from the press room.
- Bill Clinton and Barack Obama once struggled to open a pocket door to the press room, thinking reporters would be waiting for them.
- The stables outside the White House, where reporters do their hits from, are called Pebble Beach.
- Jen Psaki has regrets from her time working in government, particularly during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when there was a shortage of tests.
- Psaki wishes she had responded differently to questions about testing and acknowledges the high stakes of working in government compared to TV.
- Majority of reporters are doing a good job and following their role of getting to the bottom of the truth of things, while there are bad actors who spread inaccurate information and escalate things.
- People who get too freaked out about everything and project everything as a crisis are a lesser violation.
- Everything is not a crisis, and projecting everything as a crisis can cause people to turn off the TV and stop reading the newspaper.
- Psaki has over 2,000 employees in Minnesota who do not freak out about anything, which is pretty good.
- Booking guests for a talk show involves reaching out to people and engaging with them about being on the show.
- Different shows have different pitches, and it’s important to do your homework and read up on the person you’re pitching to.
- There is competition over who gets which guests, but it’s ultimately up to the guest to decide which shows they do.
- Andrew Weisman is a popular guest who gets to pick which shows he does, but he is in high demand and often booked up.
- Psaki has over 2,000 employees in Minnesota who do not freak out about anything, which is pretty good. (quote from the text)
- Jen Psaki believes in treating every human being equally
- She sees herself as someone who believes in what is morally right and opposes discrimination
- Psaki is an engaging and exciting speaker with relevant sensibilities
- The hosts express their admiration for Psaki and her work
- Psaki has over 2,000 employees in Minnesota who do not freak out about anything, which is pretty good. (quote from the text)
- J.W. Marriott pivoted from restaurants to hospitality and developed modern hotels across the world, competing with Hilton’s business.
- Hilton and Marriott families faced drama in finding a successor and staying solvent in a high stakes business.
- Wonderree’s Show Business Wars explores the biggest corporate rivalries of all time, including the Hilton and Marriott race to expand globally and secure customer loyalty.
- The podcast can be listened to ad-free on the Amazon Music or Wondery app.
- “It’s a battle to be the biggest and the best, and the competition is fierce.” – David Brown, host of Wonderree’s Show Business Wars.
Summary
Weather and Tension
The hosts discuss the current extreme weather conditions and the different ways people access weather updates. Some prefer using the internet for accurate information, while others rely on weather apps. They also talk about the common practice of using imaginary people to defuse tension in public places.
Jen Psaki’s Personality
The hosts share their observations about Jen Psaki’s personality, noting that they have rarely seen her angry or in a bad mood. They discuss how her anger gives her laser focus and makes her sound smart. They also mention how she channels her grumpiness into her acting roles.
Jen Psaki’s Background and Career
The hosts introduce Jen Psaki and express their excitement to have her on the show. Jen shares her background as a former competitive swimmer and political campaigner. They joke about her reputation for dealing with difficult people and her being a “super smart super cute ginger.”
Challenges and Insights from Jen Psaki’s Career
Jen Psaki discusses the challenges she faced as a swimmer and lifeguard, highlighting the physical demands of treading water. She talks about her gratitude for her current position and her experience working on the presidential transition and at the White House. She also reflects on the lessons she learned from being a bridesmaid multiple times before becoming a bride.
Jen Psaki’s Role as Press Secretary
Jen Psaki shares insights into her role as the White House press secretary. She talks about the changing environment in November 2016 and how it affected the approach to her job. She discusses the challenges of handling criticism and navigating the media landscape. She also highlights the importance of remaining calm and providing information to the public.
Jen Psaki’s Personal Life
The hosts delve into Jen Psaki’s personal life, discussing her family background and her relationship with her parents. They talk about her marriage to Greg, her political debates with him, and their experiences as parents. They also touch on her decision to decline an invitation to speak at the White House Correspondents Association dinner.
Conclusion
Join the hosts as they engage in a fascinating conversation with Jen Psaki, exploring her personality, background, career, and insights. From weather apps to White House press briefings, this episode offers a unique glimpse into the life of Jen Psaki and her experiences in the political realm.
