World news: Team Biden hails ‘barrier-shattering’ all-female White House communications team

Presumptive President-elect Joe Biden is again making an identitarian breakthrough – this time proudly announcing an all-female White House press team – with former State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki as his new spokeswoman.

Kate Bedingfield, who was communications director for Biden's presidential campaign, has been named White House communications director, while former immigrant-rights advocate Pili Tobar will be her deputy, the Biden transition team announced on Sunday.

President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris today announced new members of the White House staff who will serve in senior communications roles.

For the first time in history, these communications roles will be filled entirely by women.https://t.co/SjWAWJg941
— Biden-Harris Presidential Transition (@Transition46) November 29, 2020

Jen Psaki, who oversees confirmations for the transition team, has been named White House press secretary, meaning she will be the lead spokeswoman for the president in media briefings. Former MSNBC political analyst Karine Jean-Pierre will be her principal deputy.

Women also will fill the roles of communications director for the vice president, chief spokeswoman for the vice president, and communications director for the first lady – rounding out a press team touted as “barrier-shattering.” The White House press staff has previously had women in its various leadership positions, but not filling all such roles at the same time.

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“I am proud to announce today the first senior White House communications team comprised entirely of women,” Biden said. “These qualified, experienced communicators bring diverse perspectives to their work and a shared commitment to building this country back better.”

Psaki was previously White House communications director during the Obama-Biden administration, but it was in her preceding job, as State Department spokeswoman under Secretary of State John Kerry, in 2013-2014 where her infamous blunders became a target for ridicule.

Biden has made a host of female hires, starting with his running mate, Kamala Harris, who will become the first female, the first black woman and the first woman of Indian descent to hold the office of vice president if Biden's election victory withstands legal challenges by President Donald Trump. He also chose a woman, former Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen, as treasury secretary, and Michele Flournoy is one of his candidates for defense secretary.