RNC Chief Strategist and Communications Director Sean Spicer just wrapped up at Politico’s “Playbook Cocktails” event in D.C. and we got a little insight into how the Trump administration might treat the press going forward.
First up, Spicer got in a few digs at the MSM for its coverage of the campaign:
"We understand the role the press plays in a democracy, it's healthy, it's important-but it's a 2 way street" @seanspicer #PlaybookCocktails
— POLITICO Live (@POLITICOLive) December 16, 2016
"You've got to give [RNC] credit for a few things..or at least be able to cover it in a more responsible way" @seanspicer #PlaybookCocktails
— POLITICO Live (@POLITICOLive) December 16, 2016
And he brought up the very real issue that fact-checking goes both ways:
"The problem is it's tweet first, fix later" @seanspicer criticizes media at #PlaybookCocktails https://t.co/2UrmGMydT9
— POLITICO Live (@POLITICOLive) December 16, 2016
Spicer also answered questions on the hacking of the DNC…
"I've changed my gmail about 6 times…so do I think there are hackers out there trying to do things? Sure." @seanspicer #PlaybookCocktails
— POLITICO Live (@POLITICOLive) December 16, 2016
…with this “bingo” moment:
"This wouldn't have happened if HRC didn't have a secret server" @seanspicer on election hack #PlaybookCocktails https://t.co/2UrmGMydT9
— POLITICO Live (@POLITICOLive) December 16, 2016
"Difference btwn [Russia] probing & them affecting the outcome..there's 0 evidence they affected the outcome" @seanspicer #PlaybookCocktails
— POLITICO Live (@POLITICOLive) December 16, 2016
Spicer went on to suggest some changes to the daily press briefing along with the different ways President Trump will say engaged with voters:
"We've had this very stale operation where all these mainstream media folks get front row seats" in WH @seanspicer #PlaybookCocktails
— POLITICO Live (@POLITICOLive) December 16, 2016
"What about some of the conservative media having some of the top seats?" @seanspicer #PlaybookCocktails https://t.co/2UrmGMydT9 https://t.co/JNViNIrfqO
— POLITICO Live (@POLITICOLive) December 16, 2016
"Actually inviting the public ..& not saying 'the only people who can ask Qs are part of the WH press corps'" @seanspicer #PlaybookCocktails
— POLITICO Live (@POLITICOLive) December 16, 2016
"The best thing a press shop can do is make sure they're aggressively getting the facts & figures out" @seanspicer #PlaybookCocktails
— POLITICO Live (@POLITICOLive) December 16, 2016
"I'm not just going to hand over quotes to legitimize a story that attacks us…that's not reporting" @seanspicer #PlaybookCocktails
— POLITICO Live (@POLITICOLive) December 16, 2016
And on the ever-important question as to why reporters couldn’t travel on Trump’s private plane, not enough seats:
"I don't know where [press] would sit on the plane" @seanspicer explains why the press travels alongside-not with-Trump #PlaybookCocktails
— POLITICO Live (@POLITICOLive) December 16, 2016
Well, that problem will soon be solved once President Trump gets the keys to Air Force One!
***
Join the conversation as a VIP Member