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Update: July 22, 2017
WASHINGTON — Sean Spicer fought on two fronts each day: With the press and with President Donald Trump.
On his first day as press secretary just over six months ago, things got off to a memorable start when Spicer accused the press of "dishonesty" in covering Trump’s inauguration, incorrectly claiming the president had "the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period." At Trump's behest, he labeled the media "shameful and wrong" — for reporting the facts.
That set the tense and sometimes ugly tone for the remainder of his short-lived tenure as White House press secretary.
As the weeks and months went on, he was obviously out of step with his boss — both in substance and in style. At the outset, Trump reportedly didn't like Spicer's fashion sense, specifically bringing up his ill-fitting, light-colored suit jackets. The press secretary began sporting darker threads soon after.
The hits kept coming. Spicer insisted Trump’s legally challenged "travel ban" was not a ban at all. He found himself humbled after a briefing-room gaffe about Hitler overtook that day’s news cycle and required clarification and an apology. Spicer drew rebukes from female journalists and even Hillary Clinton after snapping at longtime White House reporter April Ryan to "stop shaking your head" during a heated line of questioning. And his mispronunciations of world leaders names, like Syria's Bashar Al-Assad, went viral.
Spicer's manner, gaffes, and claims made him a household name. His briefings, filled with hostile interactions with reporters, were must-see TV. He was mercilessly spoofed on NBC's "Saturday Night Live," where the parody became a sensation. Melissa McCarthy’s "Spicey" had an explosive temper, a moving lectern, a hatred of The New York Times and other outlets, and wads of chewing gum. Suddenly Spicer was a household figure, an amusing symbol of the Trump administration's permanent combat with the media.
Perhaps he could have survived his duels with the White House press corps. But not with the president.
In the early-morning hours came the presidential tweets, frequently detonating whatever messaging Spicer’s communications team had carefully set for the day ahead. Long-planned and scripted "theme weeks" about infrastructure or jobs were often upended by the president’s tweets about the latest revelations in the Russia investigation or random over-the-top attacks on the media and critics.
It was only after Spicer had quit on on Friday that the president offered what was perhaps his strongest and most public praise of his former aide, calling him a "wonderful person who took tremendous abuse from the Fake News Media - but his future is bright!"
That was a stark contrast for a president who often contradicted his own spokesman's statements, contributing to the erosion of trust between the White House and the media. The most glaring instance came in the days following the president’s surprise firing of FBI Director James Comey, when Trump's account of the reasons behind his fateful decision ran counter to what Spicer had told reporters the night before.
And Trump laid the blame for scrambled messaging and contradictory explanations about Comey at the feet of his communications team, prompting grumbling from the press about whether Spicer was in the know and further damaging his credibility. The enduring image from the Comey debacle was Spicer ending up in the bushes outside the White House to avoid reporters’ questions.
"That was so bad last night," a White House official told NBC News at the time.
Reporters and White House watchers saw clearly the central and ultimately insurmountable problem that Spicer faced: Speaking on behalf of a president who believes he is his best spokesman, who thinks that no one else is up to the task, and who isn't afraid to remind the staff of it.
Post-Comey, Trump, according to sources inside and outside the White House, polled confidantes on their thoughts about Spicer’s job performance. And sources said Trump began to realize he had another option in then-Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who was named press secretary on Friday. That drove the president, as one person put it, "to consider whether or not it makes sense…to change the face of the administration."
And that face did begin to change. The White House more often banned cameras from the press briefings, sparking an uproar from the press. And Spicer was now infrequently at the podium, having been replaced by Sanders.
When he did make what turned out to be his final return to the podium earlier this week, a reporter commented: "We miss you, Sean."
"Well, I miss you, too," he pantomimed.
Traveling reporters knew that Spicer, a devout Catholic, had fallen from favor when he was excluded from the group of White House staffers given an audience with the Pope when the president was visiting Vatican City. Spicer's days seemed numbered. Trump was irked that the press briefings were getting such high ratings, and even that Spicer was portrayed by a woman on SNL. The question in the White House became not whether Spicer would be replaced, but when.
Spicer’s exit came after he had told confidantes that if Trump brought in Anthony Scaramucci as communications director, he would leave. Minutes after Spicer slammed the door in the face of a veteran reporter, news of his departure broke on Twitter.
Later Friday, Spicer appeared on Fox News to end his tenure much as he began it, complaining about media bias, accusing the press of being increasingly concerned with "their clip or their click than they are about the truth and the facts," and insisting, despite the distractions, that the White House had just had a "very successful" Made in America week.
Months in the wings watching Spicer’s follies paid off for Scaramucci, who gushed from the podium Friday about how much he loved and respected the president, how his policies were right for the country, and he preened about Trump’s media savvy and understanding of the voters. It was as if he’d learned the lesson that Spicer couldn't quite master: The person speaking to the American public and press on behalf of the White House is really playing to an audience of just one.
On his first day as press secretary just over six months ago, things got off to a memorable start when Spicer accused the press of "dishonesty" in covering Trump’s inauguration, incorrectly claiming the president had "the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period." At Trump's behest, he labeled the media "shameful and wrong" — for reporting the facts.
That set the tense and sometimes ugly tone for the remainder of his short-lived tenure as White House press secretary.
As the weeks and months went on, he was obviously out of step with his boss — both in substance and in style. At the outset, Trump reportedly didn't like Spicer's fashion sense, specifically bringing up his ill-fitting, light-colored suit jackets. The press secretary began sporting darker threads soon after.
The hits kept coming. Spicer insisted Trump’s legally challenged "travel ban" was not a ban at all. He found himself humbled after a briefing-room gaffe about Hitler overtook that day’s news cycle and required clarification and an apology. Spicer drew rebukes from female journalists and even Hillary Clinton after snapping at longtime White House reporter April Ryan to "stop shaking your head" during a heated line of questioning. And his mispronunciations of world leaders names, like Syria's Bashar Al-Assad, went viral.
Spicer's manner, gaffes, and claims made him a household name. His briefings, filled with hostile interactions with reporters, were must-see TV. He was mercilessly spoofed on NBC's "Saturday Night Live," where the parody became a sensation. Melissa McCarthy’s "Spicey" had an explosive temper, a moving lectern, a hatred of The New York Times and other outlets, and wads of chewing gum. Suddenly Spicer was a household figure, an amusing symbol of the Trump administration's permanent combat with the media.
Perhaps he could have survived his duels with the White House press corps. But not with the president.
In the early-morning hours came the presidential tweets, frequently detonating whatever messaging Spicer’s communications team had carefully set for the day ahead. Long-planned and scripted "theme weeks" about infrastructure or jobs were often upended by the president’s tweets about the latest revelations in the Russia investigation or random over-the-top attacks on the media and critics.
It was only after Spicer had quit on on Friday that the president offered what was perhaps his strongest and most public praise of his former aide, calling him a "wonderful person who took tremendous abuse from the Fake News Media - but his future is bright!"
That was a stark contrast for a president who often contradicted his own spokesman's statements, contributing to the erosion of trust between the White House and the media. The most glaring instance came in the days following the president’s surprise firing of FBI Director James Comey, when Trump's account of the reasons behind his fateful decision ran counter to what Spicer had told reporters the night before.
And Trump laid the blame for scrambled messaging and contradictory explanations about Comey at the feet of his communications team, prompting grumbling from the press about whether Spicer was in the know and further damaging his credibility. The enduring image from the Comey debacle was Spicer ending up in the bushes outside the White House to avoid reporters’ questions.
"That was so bad last night," a White House official told NBC News at the time.
Reporters and White House watchers saw clearly the central and ultimately insurmountable problem that Spicer faced: Speaking on behalf of a president who believes he is his best spokesman, who thinks that no one else is up to the task, and who isn't afraid to remind the staff of it.
Post-Comey, Trump, according to sources inside and outside the White House, polled confidantes on their thoughts about Spicer’s job performance. And sources said Trump began to realize he had another option in then-Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who was named press secretary on Friday. That drove the president, as one person put it, "to consider whether or not it makes sense…to change the face of the administration."
And that face did begin to change. The White House more often banned cameras from the press briefings, sparking an uproar from the press. And Spicer was now infrequently at the podium, having been replaced by Sanders.
When he did make what turned out to be his final return to the podium earlier this week, a reporter commented: "We miss you, Sean."
"Well, I miss you, too," he pantomimed.
Traveling reporters knew that Spicer, a devout Catholic, had fallen from favor when he was excluded from the group of White House staffers given an audience with the Pope when the president was visiting Vatican City. Spicer's days seemed numbered. Trump was irked that the press briefings were getting such high ratings, and even that Spicer was portrayed by a woman on SNL. The question in the White House became not whether Spicer would be replaced, but when.
Spicer’s exit came after he had told confidantes that if Trump brought in Anthony Scaramucci as communications director, he would leave. Minutes after Spicer slammed the door in the face of a veteran reporter, news of his departure broke on Twitter.
Later Friday, Spicer appeared on Fox News to end his tenure much as he began it, complaining about media bias, accusing the press of being increasingly concerned with "their clip or their click than they are about the truth and the facts," and insisting, despite the distractions, that the White House had just had a "very successful" Made in America week.
Months in the wings watching Spicer’s follies paid off for Scaramucci, who gushed from the podium Friday about how much he loved and respected the president, how his policies were right for the country, and he preened about Trump’s media savvy and understanding of the voters. It was as if he’d learned the lesson that Spicer couldn't quite master: The person speaking to the American public and press on behalf of the White House is really playing to an audience of just one.
Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/how-sean-spicer-went-horribly-wrong-n785496
Date: July 20, 2017
WASHINGTON — Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, resigned on Friday after denouncing chaos in the West Wing and telling President Trump he vehemently disagreed with the appointment of the New York financier Anthony Scaramucci as communications director.
After offering Mr. Scaramucci the communications job Friday morning, Mr. Trump asked Mr. Spicer to stay on as press secretary. But Mr. Spicer told Mr. Trump that he believed the appointment of Mr. Scaramucci was a major mistake and said he was resigning, according to a person with direct knowledge of the exchange.
In one of his first official acts, Mr. Scaramucci, who founded the global investment firm SkyBridge Capital and is a Fox News contributor, joined Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Mr. Spicer’s chief deputy, in the White House briefing room and announced that she would succeed Mr. Spicer as press secretary.
He said he had great respect for Mr. Spicer, adding, “I hope he goes on to make a tremendous amount of money.” But he acknowledged the awkwardness of Mr. Spicer’s resignation. “This is obviously a difficult situation to be in,” Mr. Scaramucci said.
Ms. Sanders said Mr. Trump was grateful for Mr. Spicer’s service and that the president believes Mr. Spicer will succeed going forward. “Just look at his great television ratings,” Mr. Trump said in a statement read by Ms. Sanders.
Mr. Spicer’s rumored departure has been one of the longest-running internal sagas in an administration brimming with dissension and intrigue. A former Republican National Committee spokesman and strategist, Mr. Spicer was a frequent target of the president’s ire — and correctives — during the first few months of the administration.
His turbulent tenure as the president’s top spokesman was marked by a combative style with the news media that spawned a caricature of him on “Saturday Night Live.” He had hoped to last a year. He lasted six months and a day.
The resignation is a serious blow to the embattled White House chief of staff, Reince Priebus, the former Republican Party chairman who brought Mr. Spicer into the West Wing despite skepticism from Mr. Trump, who initially questioned his loyalty. Mr. Scaramucci described his relationship with Mr. Priebus as a brotherly one where they “rough each other up.” He called Mr. Priebus a “good friend.”
Mr. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has grown critical of both Mr. Spicer and Mr. Priebus, whom he regards as party establishment figures who operate out of self-interest.
Mr. Kushner also supported Mr. Trump’s decision to supplant Marc Kasowitz as his lead attorney on matters pertaining to Russia, according to people familiar with the situation.
Mr. Scaramucci was to meet with Mr. Priebus on Friday, according to a West Wing official — and applause could be heard in the second-floor communications hallway when Mr. Scaramucci was introduced. Mr. Priebus denied that there is friction with Mr. Scaramucci.
For his part, Mr. Spicer said it had been an “honor” and “privilege” to serve Mr. Trump.
Senior officials, including Ms. Sanders, Mr. Spicer’s top deputy, were said to be stunned by the sudden shuffle.
Mr. Spicer has agreed to stay on for two weeks to a month, and Mr. Trump has told his advisers he is open to rotating new people into the briefing room, including one of the president’s personal favorites, Sebastian Gorka, a blustery foreign policy official who has been accused of having ties to far-right groups in Europe.
During the transition, Mr. Trump had planned to appoint Mr. Scaramucci, a 52-year-old Harvard Law graduate from Long Island, as director of his office of public liaison, but the offer was pulled at the request of Mr. Priebus over concerns about Mr. Scaramucci’s overseas investments.
His appointment Friday came two months after the previous communications director, Mike Dubke, stepped down. Mr. Trump was frustrated with Mr. Priebus over the slow pace of finding a replacement, according to a half-dozen people familiar with the situation.
Mr. Trump made the appointment over the objection of Mr. Priebus, who thought Mr. Scaramucci lacked the requisite organizational or political experience. But the president believed Mr. Scaramucci, a ferocious defender of Mr. Trump’s on cable television, was best equipped to play the same role in-house, and he offered him a role with far-reaching powers independent of Mr. Priebus’s.
Mr. Spicer flatly rejected the president’s offer of a position subordinate to Mr. Scaramucci, according to two administration officials familiar with the exchange.
The appointment of Mr. Scaramucci, a favorite of Mr. Trump’s earliest campaign supporters, was backed by the president’s daughter Ivanka, his son-in-law and adviser Mr. Kushner and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, the officials said.
Ms. Sanders will inherit one of the toughest public relations jobs in modern political history. The job of press secretary, once regarded as among the most coveted slots in Washington, a steppingstone to fame and a big post-government payday, has lost much of its allure under a president who tweets his opinions and considers himself to be his best spokesman.
Mr. Spicer, according to several people close to him, was tired of being blindsided by Mr. Trump, most recently this week when the president gave a lengthy interview to The New York Times in which he questioned his appointment of Attorney General Jeff Sessions. He was also weary of the daily dressings-down and instituted the highly contentious practice of holding off-air briefings, less so to snub reporters than to avoid Mr. Trump’s critiques of his performance, according to one of Mr. Spicer’s friends.
Shortly after Mr. Spicer’s resignation became public, the White House press office announced Ms. Sanders would hold the first on-air briefing since June 29.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/21/us/politics/sean-spicer-resigns-as-white-house-press-secretary.html
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