Sean Spicer will always be grateful for his time at the White House
Jul 25, 2018, 8:33 AM | Updated: 9:20 am
(AP Photo)
(AP Photo)
PHOENIX — Working in the White House was a dream come true for former press secretary Sean Spicer, but moving on hasn’t been particularly difficult.
“Not once,” has Spicer missed not leading the daily press briefing, he said with laugh Wednesday on KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Morning News.
President Donald Trump’s first press secretary has written a memoir of his 182 days in the White House, “The Briefing,” which was released Tuesday.
“I was honored and privileged to have that job. Regardless of what you think of my politics, whether you’re Republican or Democrat, working in the White House is truly an honor and privilege under any president.”
Spicer and the press often butted heads during briefings and there were missteps, he acknowledged.
“There were plenty of times when I would love a do-over,” Spicer said. Although he didn’t list specifics, the Navy reservist started his press secretary career issuing a statement calling out reporting of the size of the inaugural ceremony crowd. News outlets said Trump’s estimation of over a million in attendance was inaccurate.
Spicer had defended the president’s estimation, saying it was the “largest audience to ever to witness an inauguration, period – both in person and around the globe”.
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Other times, as have many in the job, Spicer didn’t answer direct questions from reporters.
“The person at home is saying, ‘why can’t you just answer the question?’ … There are certain things you are legally allowed to say or not to say,” he said.
He can talk about the routine upheaval in the White House — at least 30 staffers have departed as of early July.
“This is sort of the new normal,” Spicer said. “There’s a level of intensity and a hectic pace that started back on the campaign trail.”
He would know: he was the Republican National Committee’s communications director from 2011 to 2017 and its chief strategist from 2015 to 2017.
The new normal included being the target of late-night TV hosts and sketch comedy. Videos of a combative Melissa McCarthy impersonating Spicer on “Saturday Night Live” went viral, week after week.
“Melissa McCarthy … she’s a very talented actor and she played the part well,” Spicer said.
“I deserved that first one.”
