I wrote earlier about the reactions to the deal to get professional basketball player Brittney Griner back from Russia. Paul Whelan himself — an American who has been held by the Russians for the past four years, who was sentenced to 16 years in 2020 for doing nothing — explained how disappointed he was that the Biden team had failed to do more to get him out, not just now, but over the years.

But neither Whelan nor his family can be too critical of Joe Biden or the effort because they have no choice but to rely on Biden’s efforts–however failed they might be. So, they’re stuck between a rock and a hard place.

One reaction I wrote about was from Randi Weingarten — the head of the American Federation of Teachers. What she had to say showed the Democrats’ priorities in this matter.

What a great relief!!! Extraordinary news, a basketball star, but also a gay, black woman is released. And yes of course we want other prisoners like Paul Whelan released.

— Randi Weingarten 🇺🇦🇺🇸💪🏿👩‍🎓 (@rweingarten) December 8, 2022

Notice the “oh, by the way” aside about Paul Whelan thrown in there. Later, she can say she said it and she cares.

But even though Weingarten highlighted the priorities, it was still something to see White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre lay them out in her remarks about the deal.

KJP: "The choice was bring Brittney home or no one. The president will never stop working to secure Paul Whelan's release. On a personal note, Brittney is an important role model, an inspiration to millions of Americans particularly the LGBTQI+ Americans and women of color" pic.twitter.com/ClbGi6ysbq

— Greg Price (@greg_price11) December 8, 2022

“The choice was bring Brittney home or no one,” Jean-Pierre insisted. “The president will never stop working to secure Paul Whelan’s release. On a personal note, Brittney is an important role model, an inspiration to millions of Americans particularly the LGBTQI+ Americans and women of color”

She also said Griner represented the “best of America.”

There it is, could they lay it out more clearly? Whelan was a Marine, but I guess that isn’t the “best of America” or worthy of “inspiration.”

Fox’s Peter Doocy pressed Jean-Pierre on why Russia seemed to get the better end of the deal.

FULL EXCHANGE:

Peter Doocy clashes with Karine Jean-Pierre over Brittney Griner prisoner swap.

"Why did Russia get such a better deal?" pic.twitter.com/X7umAXbFNb

— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) December 8, 2022

He also slipped a question in about the relationship between the Biden team and old Twitter that KJP refused to answer. Her response in regard to Whelan was also unconvincing.

The choice was “Brittney or no one” because Biden was willing to fold like a cheap pair of pants to Vladimir Putin. That’s called caving and weakness–not a good deal. You negotiated for a terrorist killer. If you were going to violate the “don’t deal with terrorists” rule, you should have gotten everyone you can for him. But that would have required strength, a quality sorely lacking from the Biden team.