MSNBC host Jen Psaki admitted Tuesday that her cable news networks liberal-leaning audience only tunes in to watch coverage of President Trump that is typically not going to be positive.
Viewers of the embattled network dont expect to hear favorable news coverage or commentary about the commander-in-chief, Psaki, the onetime press secretary for President Joe Biden, revealed during an appearance on The Grill Room podcast.
Theres obviously a rooted value in the kind of ¦ that MSNBC viewers expect of like were going to talk about the opposition, and were going to talk about what the opposing party is up to, in terms of the Democrats, and we’re going to talk about future leaders and things, she told Dylan Byers.
And were also going to talk about Trump, and its typically not going to be positive. I dont think anybody watching expects it to be positive, right? Theres not like a North Star thing written on a card, and everybody does it slightly differently, but I think thats fairly the vibe.
Psaki noted that while she has featured Republicans on her cable news program, shes never been directed by her bosses to appeal to right-leaning viewers.
I have not experienced this like, You have to move to the center, you have to have Republicans on, you have to be more moderate, you cant say that thing, she continued.
Whats unique is that every show kind of has a bit of a North Star, but the vibe is, kind of, under the same umbrella.
Psaki recently secured a new primetime slot as part of a massive shakeup at the embattled network — taking over 9 p.m. duties Thursday and Friday from ousted host Alex Wagner in two weeks, the network announced in February.
Wagner will remain at MSNBC as a senior political analyst.
The bloodbath at the left-leaning network by new president Rebecca Kutler ” whom Psaki called a big advocate of her show ” also includes shaking up shows hosted by Ayman Mohyeldin, Jonathan Capehart, Katie Phang and Jose Diaz-Balart and axing Trump-bashing anchor Joy Reid.
Psakis latest promotion will see The Rachel Maddow Show reduced from four days to one ” with Maddows show only airing Mondays.
Following the network shakeup, Byers questioned whether MSNBC can be more than a scream pillow for the left ” noting Maddows power in shaping policy at the height of her career.
First of all, there is only one Rachel Maddow, Psaki said, explaining that the MSNBC bigwig has highlighted fierce protests against Trump during his first 100 days in office.
One of the things that shes talked about internally, and probably publicly, too, we cant project fear upon the audience. People are scared at home, you have to give them some sense of what else is also happening.
Psaki, who left the White House and joined MSNBC in May 2022, skewered the mental acuity of her 82-year-old ex-boss after his disastrous June debate against Trump that prompted him to drop out of the 2024 presidential campaign.
And Psaki, who expressed her concern and heartbreak for her former boss, was then tasked with informing viewers of his decision not to seek re-election when the news broke during her program.
As Psaki looks ahead, she acknowledges that there is no clear leader of the Democratic Party.
What is clear is that things shouldnt be done how they were done in the past, she noted.
I think that makes for an interesting conversation, much more information than when the party is in charge of everything.
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