On today’s episode of “How Not to Handle a White House Crisis”:
Pres Trump asked about Rob Porter: "We wish him well…we hope he has a wonderful career…it was very sad.
— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) February 9, 2018
TRUMP on PORTER: "Hopefully he will have a great career ahead of him. … As you probably know, he says he's innocent."
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) February 9, 2018
POOL:" The president was also asked about former staff secretary Rob Porter. Trump said "we wish him well" and that it is a "tough time" for Porter. "As you probably know he says he is innocent," Trump added. The president said Porter did "very well" in the White House."
— Jim Swift (@JSwiftTWS) February 9, 2018
BREAKING: Trump wishes Porter well, points to his denials. "He says he's innocent. I think you have to remember that." pic.twitter.com/t3PfTVtld0
— Steven Portnoy (@stevenportnoy) February 9, 2018
"It was very sad when we heard about it, and certainly he's also very sad" – more from the President on Porter
— Karen Travers (@karentravers) February 9, 2018
Trump's full remarks on Porter: pic.twitter.com/ZmbJ4pQAZo
— Alex Leary (@learyreports) February 9, 2018
Oof. The allegations against Rob Porter are pretty credible, to say the least. Trump’s comments might actually have made things worse than if he’d just kept quiet.
Why is he doing this? https://t.co/JFX87ih3AY
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) February 9, 2018
That’s a really good question.
Rob Porter is the real victim here. https://t.co/SAwd4EfUE8
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) February 9, 2018
jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesus https://t.co/9YY3BA7mUt
— Kilgore Trout (@KT_So_It_Goes) February 9, 2018
Tone deaf. https://t.co/oCpjadFLtR
— Pradheep J. Shanker, M.D., M.S. (@Neoavatara) February 9, 2018
When multiple women come forward on the record and with photo evidence, you need to give the man the benefit of the doubt. It’s not like the National Enquirer said they helped kill JFK or something. https://t.co/ZF4qBqt3K3
— Benjy Sarlin (@BenjySarlin) February 9, 2018
Talk about your bad optics.
Yesterday: Trump furious that he was not fully informed about the efforts of his staff to shield an alleged wife beater from consequences.
Today: Trump is really sad for the ordeal endured by alleged wife beater.
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) February 9, 2018
Couldn’t even get a throwaway “I strongly condemn violence against women” in there I guess https://t.co/omAXAwwaqM
— Elise Foley (@elisefoley) February 9, 2018
ffs. this is the Charlottesville response, part 2. https://t.co/vwS8jZPXmB
— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) February 9, 2018
just want to note that the president, who believes Obama is a secret Kenyan, has downplayed both the Moore and Porter scandals with something to the effect of, "hey what it truth? they say they're innocent, so what are we to believe?"
— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) February 9, 2018
What could possibly go wrong?
Bloop into the 2018 TV ad files. https://t.co/XEDMLvdfo2
— Garance Franke-Ruta (@thegarance) February 9, 2018
This is the ad. https://t.co/iojcCeZcpk
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) February 9, 2018
"As you probably know, he says he is innocent and I think you have to remember that." — Trump pic.twitter.com/Q80OEr91WI
— ryan teague beckwith (@ryanbeckwith) February 9, 2018
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with additional tweets.
***
Update:
For those keeping score at home:
Trump has defended:
1. Mike Tyson
2. Bill Clinton [before he ran against Hillary — then Trump flipped]
3. Roy Moore
4. Rob Porter
That's not a good record. https://t.co/PXIimIzW5l— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) February 9, 2018
No. It most definitely is not.
