Biden's Former Press Chief Leaves Democratic Party

Karine Jean-Pierre served as President Biden's press secretary, but she no longer considers herself a Democrat. What's more, the newly turned independent is writing a book that scorches the party's treatment of her former boss, reports the New York Times.

• The book: Independent: A Look Inside a Broken White House, Outside the Party Lines will describe "the three weeks that led to Biden's abandoning his bid for a second term and the betrayal by the Democratic Party that led to his decision," according to publisher Legacy Lit. It's out in October.

• Her view: As the Washington Post notes, Jean-Pierre has previously condemned how the end of Biden's candidacy played out. "I had never seen a party do that in the way that they did, and it was hurtful and sad to see that happening—a firing squad around a person who I believed was a true patriot," she said earlier this year.
• Pushback: The book deal has provoked "withering" criticism of Jean-Pierre from Democrats, notes Politico, many of whom accuse her of being part of the Biden team that shielded his decline. Axios, which points out she described Biden as "fit as ever" even after his calamitous debate with Donald Trump, collects a slew of anonymous slams, including one from a former senior White House spokesperson: "It's hard to believe someone could look at the past year and genuinely think, 'The party left Joe Biden—that's why I'm leaving the Democratic Party.'" Another former press staffer under Jean-Pierre tells Politico: "She made a joke about being an independent last year and now it's a book. All ideas are monetary—even the dumb ones."
• Succinct pushback: Former White House spokesperson Jeremy Edwards, who worked under Jean-Pierre, greeted news of the book announcement by writing, "lol."