Karine Jean-Pierre’s recent exit from the Democratic Party has tongues wagging. Her new book, Independent: A Look Inside a Broken White House, Outside the Party Lines, published by a Hachette imprint, coincides with her departure, stirring controversy among former Biden administration colleagues, as Politico reports. The move reeks of opportunism, capitalizing on White House chaos to boost her brand.
Jean-Pierre, who served as Joe Biden’s press secretary for two and a half years, chronicles three weeks of turmoil following his shaky debate performance, which led to him abandoning his reelection bid. The book’s promotional material pins Biden’s withdrawal on a “betrayal” by Democrats, a claim that paints Jean-Pierre as a disgruntled insider. Her narrative conveniently sidesteps the party’s broader strategy to avoid electoral disaster.
During her tenure, Jean-Pierre was the administration’s public face, but her briefings were often criticized as stumbling and ineffective. Reporters grew frustrated, and the Republican Party’s main X account gleefully used her missteps as fodder. Yet, she seemed more focused on glitzy Vogue profiles and Women’s Health features than on mastering the podium.
Seven former Biden officials, speaking anonymously, expressed irritation at Jean-Pierre’s obsession with fame. “Everyone thinks this is a grift,” one official said, slamming her book as a cash grab. Such blunt criticism suggests Jean-Pierre’s departure is less about principle and more about personal gain.
Jean-Pierre’s flirtation with leaving the Democrats wasn’t new -- she jokingly called herself an independent while still in the White House, per one ex-official. “She made a joke about being an independent last year, and now it’s a book,” a former staffer quipped. The comment drips with skepticism, implying her “independence” is just a marketable shtick.
Her cozy relationship with New York publicist Gilda Squire, a former HarperCollins and Penguin Putnam PR guru, raised eyebrows. Jean-Pierre copied Squire on official emails until colleagues stepped in, and staffers flagged her frequent gala appearances to the White House counsel’s office. This blurring of official duties and personal branding screams ethical overreach.
The Office of Legal Counsel advised Jean-Pierre’s team on disclosing outside appearances and gifts, guidance that was passed to her. Yet, her focus remained on raising her profile, often delegating media relations to aides while she chased spotlight moments such as appearances on ABC's The View. Such priorities suggest a press secretary more interested in celebrity than service.
Jean-Pierre hoped to parlay her White House stint into a co-hosting gig on The View, perhaps modeling her path on Jen Psaki’s leap to MSNBC. When no such offer came, three colleagues speculated that the book became her fallback plan. This pivot from TV dreams to tell-all author feels like a calculated move to stay relevant.
Democratic Party strategist Caitlin Legacki, who worked in the Commerce Department, defended the party’s actions. “Kamala Harris and the entire Biden/Harris campaign did hero’s work to avoid losing 400 electoral votes,” she said. Legacki’s point undercuts Jean-Pierre’s betrayal narrative, framing Biden’s exit as a necessary sacrifice, not a stab in the back.
Legacki didn’t stop there. “It’s completely nuts to be more upset that the Party didn’t prioritize Joe Biden’s ego,” she added, highlighting the stakes like Republican cuts to Medicaid and SNAP. Her words cast Jean-Pierre’s book as a self-serving distraction from the party’s efforts to mitigate harm.
A Democratic Party operative who knew Jean-Pierre before her time in the White House called the book “the most grift-y thing I’ve seen in a long time.” The operative’s disdain underscores a broader sentiment: Jean-Pierre’s actions feel like a betrayal of the team she once represented. Loyalty, it seems, took a backseat to ambition.
One former Biden official texted, “SHE was the public face telling us all that this White House was on track.” The exasperation is palpable -- Jean-Pierre championed Biden publicly, only to distance herself when the cameras stopped rolling. Such flip-flopping invites questions about her sincerity.
Another ex-official dismissed Jean-Pierre’s attempt to position herself as a bipartisan bridge. “She’s not in any position to be a connector of our two-party system,” they said, calling it pure ego. Republicans, who long targeted her briefings, are unlikely to embrace her as a neutral voice.
The story draws parallels to Stephanie Grisham, Donald Trump’s ex-press secretary, who penned a critical book in 2021 after leaving her role. Jean-Pierre’s book, like Grisham’s, seems poised to profit from insider drama, a tactic that rarely bridges divides but often fills bank accounts. The comparison paints both as opportunists cashing in on turmoil.
Jeremy Edwards, a former press shop staffer, summed up the mood with a single “lol” on X. Neither Jean-Pierre nor Squire responded to inquiries, leaving the book’s motives open to speculation. For now, Jean-Pierre’s “independence” looks less like a bold stance and more like a well-timed exit strategy.
