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During a recent White House press briefing, John Gizzi of the far-right conservative network Newsmax asked Press Secretary Jen Psaki about a supposed "secret memo" that, in his words, claimed the "price tag" on Joe Biden's $2.25 trillion infrastructure bill "is $1 trillion off."
Psaki, who has quickly developed a reputation for deftly dismissing fabricated stories and bad-faith arguments, knew exactly how to handle the "secret memo" question.
John Gizzi is John Gizzi-ing during the White House press briefing https://t.co/PSG25TDFF9— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1617647124.0
Gizzi asked:
"The other thing on the infrastructure package, there is a private memo that's being circulated in the business community and to some Republican senators that said that the $2.25 trillion price tag is $1 trillion off. And that there's many things in there that were omitted in the initial discussion of the bill."
"This is being circulated on the Hill, do you have any response to the charge that the president low-balled the price tag on the infrastructure bill?"
@atrupar She's really mastering the art of maintaining calm professionalism while skewering the hell out of stupid questions.— Melissa Allaneous (@Melissa Allaneous) 1617647722.0
Keeping a straight face, Psaki responded:
"Sounds mysterious, the memo -- the secret memo."
@atrupar I absolutely love her shade 🌴🌴🌴— Eric Janson - Here Right Matters (@Eric Janson - Here Right Matters) 1617647848.0
@zyegor1 @atrupar Yes! Best part is that it's not mean or contemptuous. She really has the third grade teacher vibe… https://t.co/i1WRAXCW12— Von Thomas (@Von Thomas) 1617648797.0
The Press Secretary went on to say:
"We laid out very specifically each component of the package and how much we're proposing, so I'd encourage y'all to get your calculators out and charge that up and see how it compares to the secret memo."
@atrupar WH press should be required to wear team jerseys so we always know what questions are coming from outlets… https://t.co/lSXqcqNhM2— Fascism flattened, but never the webrant🕺------🕺 (@Fascism flattened, but never the webrant🕺------🕺) 1617657221.0
@atrupar Why is Newsmax even allowed at these press conferences?— Porcupine Cheeks (@Porcupine Cheeks) 1617676866.0
@atrupar “The contents of the secret memo can only be revealed inside of the cone of silence “ https://t.co/diUrmNmi66— Tom Conklin (@Tom Conklin) 1617652674.0
Twitter couldn't help but laugh at Psaki's not-so-subtle snark.
@atrupar What Gizzi didn't note was the the secret memo is now being kept inside a secret vault that Geraldo Rivera… https://t.co/3VegS3ml2K— Jeff Siegel (@Jeff Siegel) 1617715402.0
@atrupar "Somebody went through it, or is claiming to have gone through it." They why tf are you asking the questio… https://t.co/mL8O4PM76T— Jackson (@Jackson) 1617648238.0
Gizzi's true motivations in asking the question seemed obvious to many: make the Biden administration's new infrastructure bill seem bigger and scarier than it is.
Hey @newsmax, Are you trying to be the new Onion or are all your reporters really this unhinged? Nevermind, you h… https://t.co/ms6DMogsqF— MrsDubya (@MrsDubya) 1617715211.0
The tale of the quick death of the mysterious secret memo that never existed. https://t.co/kNknLglCzK— Max Sol (@Max Sol) 1617714286.0
These reporters need to stop with this lazy reporting of secret memo stuff, anyone can start a rumor or a scandal t… https://t.co/F0TKOFBfS7— Viv (@Viv) 1617713378.0
We may never know what was on the legendary secret memo!
The woman is MASTERFUL at keeping a straight face. My eyes would have already rolled right on out of my whole head… https://t.co/VvUKKAcZIY— She’s Nuts (thatgirlsnuts.com) (@She’s Nuts (thatgirlsnuts.com)) 1617701923.0
The woman is MASTERFUL at keeping a straight face. My eyes would have already rolled right on out of my whole head… https://t.co/VvUKKAcZIY— She’s Nuts (thatgirlsnuts.com) (@She’s Nuts (thatgirlsnuts.com)) 1617701923.0
Jen Psaki continues her undefeated run of sass, addressing bad faith questions from reporters with the calm dismissiveness they deserve.