During his "My Take," Wednesday, "Varney & Co." host Stuart Varney discussed the controversy surrounding White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre's job performance, arguing identity politics played a big role in her appointment and that now Biden is dealing with the consequences.
: With Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House could check three boxes.
The White House press secretary is Black, female, and gay.
Identity politics played a big role in her appointment.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks during a daily news briefing at the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House. (Alex Wong/Getty Images / Getty Images)
She had very little experience for such a big job.
She had worked as a political advisor to President Obama, and a political analyst at MSNBC.
She handled communications for moveon.org, which is very left-wing.
But she never faced anything like the White House press corps and it shows.
She lacks credibility. Her answers to reporters' questions lacked clarity.
Frequently, it is hard to understand exactly what she has said.
She was appointed because of who she was, not for what she could do.
Presidents have every right to make those political judgments, but they have to live with the consequences.
Now the president is in a tough reelection campaign.
He is under extreme pressure for his cognitive abilities and Karine Jean-Pierre is not doing well.
That is why John Kirby has been promoted to "assistant to the president." You will be seeing a lot more of him at the podium.
This is a difficult situation. Kirby is a 60-year-old White male, overshadowing a 49-year-old Black female.
It's an admission that identity politics may deliver diversity, but it doesn't always deliver solid performance.