Outgoing White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was heckled at her last press conference as she prepares to leave the Biden administration.
During her last day on the job before she leaves for a hosting career on left-wing cable TV, Psaki started the presser by saying:
“I promised myself I wasn’t going to get emotional.
“I was very nervous when I went to see them in Delaware.
“And really what we talked about for the majority of our conversation was the importance of returning integrity, respect, and civility to the White House.
“On my best days and as I look back, I hope I followed the example of integrity and grace that they have set for all of us and do set for all of us every day.
“I’m incredibly grateful to them,” she said of the Bidens.
“At times we have disagreed.
“That is democracy in action. That is it working.
“Without accountability, without debate, government is not as strong,” she said of the reporters.
“Thank you for what you do, thank you for making me better, and most importantly thank you for the work every day you do to make this country stronger.”
Everyone in the room wasn’t filled with the same kind of emotion, however.
More disrespectful shouting from Today News Africa’s Simon Ateba demanding Psaki take his questions immediately while ABC’s @MaryKBruce tries to ask about the baby formula shortage.
You can dislike Psaki, unwritten rules (ex. AP first), or the people there, but it’s still wrong pic.twitter.com/N1dX8LXBIm
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) May 13, 2022
Simon Ateba, the chief White House correspondent for Today News Africa, heckled Psaki from the back of the room, yelling:
“Why don’t you take questions from across the room?”
“Why don’t you take questions from across the room?” Ateba shouted again.
“Because that’s not what you’ve done for the past 15 months.”
Psaki ignored him and he shouted again:
“Jen, can I ask you a question from the back?
“Jen, can I ask you a question from the back?”
“Will you take a question from the back of the room?”
Ateba interrupted once again when ABC reporter Mary Bruce yelled: “Simon, please stop.”
Ateba prompted Psaki to say:
“Simon, if you could respect your colleagues and other media reporters in here, that would be greatly appreciated. Go ahead, Mary.”
Absolute chaos and lack of decorum inside the White House Briefing Room as Today News Africa’s Simon Ateba begins shouting and refusing to shut up even though Psaki has already called on AP’s Zeke Miller.
Not taking questions from the back is a thing. But this is rude. pic.twitter.com/h5xTEr3Cua
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) May 13, 2022
Psaki having just told the room she’s grateful for the press’s pushback takes questions from select few:#SimonOteba of Today News Africa says aloud what 80% of the briefing room has felt the entirety of Psaki’s reign.
Psaki has taken 0 questions from @OANN pic.twitter.com/nD3UkjgTxF
— Chanel Rion OAN (@ChanelRion) May 13, 2022
