Former Biden White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain, who led the Biden debate prep team for last Thursday’s disastrous debate against President Trump, thanked fellow former Biden White House alum Jen Psaki for a post that blamed Biden for his poor debate performance while defending Klain and the debate prep team from any responsibility.
Psaki also cryptically noted, “Important convos about what happens next,” as questions about Biden’s viability as a candidate have been raised since the debate.
File screen image, January 2023.
Biden holed up at Camp David for a week for debate prep without being seen by the press or public–not even a handout photo was released. The debate prep team had Biden working into the night practicing standing for the 90 minute debate. When the time came for the debate, Biden was weak, confused, incoherent and had to be helped off stage afterward by wife Jill. Word was put out by the campaign midway through the disastrous debate that Biden had a cold. CNN was later blamed for make-up that made Biden look pale.
Psaki, a former Biden White House Press Secretary under Klain and current MSNBC host, posted on X Twitter Monday after weekend reports the Biden family was blaming Klain and the debate prep team that included husband and wife team Bob Bauer and Anita Dunn:
“There are a lot of important discussions and debates about this political moment we are in and the path forward, but the notion that the issue at the debate was the prep process done by people like @RonaldKlain and Anita Dunn who have successfully prepped many candidates including Obama, Clinton and Biden is absurd. It was a bad debate. I have no doubt they were tough, strategic and direct. (Believe me I have seen them in action) but prep does not always determine the outcome. Biden was bad. Important convos about what happens next. But if you are directing your ire at “prep” you are not talking about the right things.”
Incredibly, Klain did not defend Biden, nor did he take any responsibility. Klain just responded, “Thank you”.
Thank you @jrpsaki
— Ronald Klain (@RonaldKlain) July 1, 2024
The New York Times reported Sunday the Biden family was blaming Klain and the debate prep team (excerpt):
Members of Mr. Biden’s family were likewise said to be focused on the president’s staff, including Ms. Dunn, a White House senior adviser, and her husband, Mr. Bauer, the president’s personal attorney, who played Mr. Trump during debate rehearsals.
They were asking why Mr. Klain, the former White House chief of staff who ran the preparations, would in their view allow him to be overloaded with statistics, and they were angry that Mr. Biden, who arrived for the debate in Atlanta with a summer tan, was made up to look pale and pallid, said one of the people, who has been in touch with several members of the family.
Politico also reported on the Biden family criticism of the debate prep team (excerpt):
Members of Joe Biden’s family privately trashed his top campaign advisers at Camp David this weekend, blaming them for the president’s flop in Thursday’s debate and urging Biden to fire or demote people in his political high command.
…Among the family’s complaints about the debate practice: that Biden was not prepared to pivot more to go on the attack; that he was bogged down too much on defending his record rather than outlining a vision for a second term; and that he was over-worked and not well-rested.
The blame was cast widely on staffers, including: Anita Dunn, the senior adviser who frequently has the president’s ear; her husband, Bob Bauer, the president’s attorney who played Trump in rehearsals at Camp David; and Ron Klain, the former chief of staff who ran point on the debate prep and previous cycles’ sessions.
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