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Josh Earnest

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Politician

The Resume

    (March 10, 1977- )
    Born in Kansas City, Missouri
    Joshua Ryan Henry Earnest
    30th White House Press Secretary (2014- )
    Graduated from Rice University, with a degree in Political Science, in 1997
    Formerly a White House Press Deputy under Secretary Robert Gibbs; announced as the replacement for Press Secretary Jay Carney on May 30, 2014
    Democrat

Why he might be annoying:

    He worked for Marion Barry.
    He met his wife at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
    His White House connections later led to his wife's appointment to assistant WH Treasury secretary, in 2013.
    He told a lame 'Buffalo' joke at a briefing, in response to a question about the National Mammal Bill, which fell flat.
    He has more than once come off as 'in over his head' at his daily briefings.
    For example, his going on a long monologue about the benefits of the Iran Deal after mishearing a question, and then admitting that he couldn't promise that he couldn't promise officials hadn't lied about the Deal when he reheard the question minutes later.
    One of his more bizarre press briefings had him segue out of a discussion about Illegal Immigration to the colored paper at the Department of Homeland Security.
    He came off as drunk in an interview at the 2016 WH Press Correspondents' Dinner, giggling incessantly throughout and making several incoherent cracks about <51>Donald Trump.<51>
    Jon Stewart mercilessly pilloried him for his non-answers and, on one occasion, his all but throwing the President under the bus over the appointment of a 'soap opera' producer to the Hungary ambassadorship (likening it to an employee going 'dude I just f***g work here, take it up with my supervisor!')

Why he might not be annoying:

    He worked for Lee Brown’s 1997 campaign for Houston mayor while he was a senior in college.
    He was a coordinator for a 'Beer Bike,' in college (apparently a relay race in which participants chug water, then beer, all while bicycle racing).
    He worked on then-Sen. Obama’s '08 campaign as his communications director for Iowa (a crucial state his boss later won).
    He was passed over to replace Robert Gibbs in favor of Jay Carney, in 2010.
    While still a WH Deputy, he was tasked with issuing an official response to a petition to make Major League Baseball’s Opening Day a national holiday.
    Politico Magazine voted him 'the most helpful press official in the Obama administration' and 'the best White House press secretary' taking up some 70% of the vote (Apr. 2015).
    He hit the ball out of the park when asked for his view on Tom Brady and the 'Deflategate' scandal, responding 'there's no risk that I would take [his job], but I can tell you that as of today its pretty clear that there's no risk of him taking my job, either' (referencing Brady's disastrous 'balls' press conference).
    His last name has resulted in many lame 'Importance of Being' and 'Not Very Earnest' jokes from pundits and bloggers (hard being in a position where you're constantly accused of lying).
    He's been the Obama White House's most effective Press Secretary, neither coming off as an overfed blowhard or an irreverent bully.

Credit: BoyWiththeGreenHair


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 19 Votes: 63.16% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 63 Votes: 53.97% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 27 Votes: 81.48% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 54 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 50 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 136 Votes: 54.41% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 552 Votes: 74.64% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 94 Votes: 79.79% Annoying