Sean Spicer off to a good start

[Rastapopoulos]

 

[Rastapopoulos]

How soon before people give up fact checking?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

This is from the piece mentioned above (it's pretty hilarious):

"This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period," Spicer said, contradicting all available data.

Aerial photos have indicated that former president Barack Obama's first inauguration attracted a much larger crowd. Nielsen ratings show that Obama also had a bigger television audience.

Spicer said, without any evidence, that some photos were "intentionally framed" to downplay Trump's crowd.

He also expressed objections to specific Twitter posts from journalists. And he said, "we're going to hold the press accountable," partly by reaching the public through social networking sites.

His statement included several specific misstatements of fact in addition to the overarching one.

"This is the first time in our nation's history that floor coverings have been used to protect the grass on the Mall," Spicer said, claiming that this "had the effect of highlighting areas people were not standing whereas in years past the grass eliminated this visual."

In fact, coverings were used for Obama's second inauguration in 2013.

"This was also the first time that fencing and magnetometers went as far back on the Mall, preventing hundreds of thousands of people from being able to access the Mall as quickly as they had in inaugurations past," Spicer said.

In fact, a United States Secret Service spokesperson told CNN, no magnetometers were used on the Mall.

And Spicer said, "We know that 420,000 people used the D.C, Metro public transit yesterday, which actually compares to 317,000 for president Obama's last inaugural."

Spicer's number for ridership on Friday was actually low -- the correct number, according to Metro itself, was 570,557. But there were actually 782,000 trips taken for Obama's second inaugural in 2013.

Spicer, at times almost yelling while reading a prepared statement, took no questions. CNNMoney called his cell phone a few minutes later; he did not answer.

Some longtime White House correspondents were stunned by the tirade.

Glenn Thrush of The New York Times wrote on Twitter, "Jaw meet floor."

"I've run out of adjectives," wrote Chuck Todd, the moderator of NBC's "Meet the Press."

Karen Tumulty of the Washington Post said Spicer's assertion about "what you guys should be writing" was "chilling."

Reactions were overwhelmingly negative, and not just from journalists.

Ari Fleischer, who had the same job as Spicer during the George W. Bush administration, tweeted, "This is called a statement you're told to make by the President. And you know the President is watching."

And Brian Fallon, who was in line to become press secretary if Hillary Clinton had won, wrote, "Sean Spicer lacks the guts or integrity to refuse orders to go out and lie. He is a failure in this job on his first full day."

Conservative commentator Bill Kristol said "it is embarrassing, as an American, to watch this briefing by Sean Spicer from the podium at the White House. Not the RNC. The White House."

The White House alerted the press corps to Spicer's statement more than an hour ahead of time.

The CNN television network made a choice not to broadcast the Spicer statement live. Instead, the statement was monitored and then reported on after the fact.

Former Democratic congressman Steve Israel, who recently joined CNN as a commentator, said, "This isn't a petty attack on the press. It's a calculated attempt to delegitimize any questioning of @realDonaldTrump by a free press."

Spicer's statement came two hours after Trump spoke at CIA headquarters and described his "running war with the media." Trump spent several minutes of that speech complaining about news coverage.

In his remarks, Spicer suggested Trump would bypass traditional media outlets he believes are unfairly reporting on his presidency.

"The American people deserve better, and so long as he serves as the messenger for this incredible movement, he will take his message directly to the American people, where his focus will always be," Spicer said.

Spicer was joined in the Brady Press Briefing Room by members of his new White House press and communications staff, who are still moving into their offices and learning the way around the West Wing.

He tellingly led off his short statement with his tirade against the media, leaving announcements about phone calls with the leaders of Canada and Mexico, and announcing that Trump would meet with British Prime Minister Theresa May, to the end.

During those announcements, Spicer incorrectly referred to Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto as "prime minister."

 

[Rastapopoulos]

 

[Chris Craig]

Lie and deny, that was the modus operandi of Trumps campaign and now of his administration. And most of the lies are about stupid shit, believe me

 

[Chris Craig]

This is from the piece mentioned above (it's pretty hilarious):

"This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period," Spicer said, contradicting all available data.

Aerial photos have indicated that former president Barack Obama's first inauguration attracted a much larger crowd. Nielsen ratings show that Obama also had a bigger television audience.

Spicer said, without any evidence, that some photos were "intentionally framed" to downplay Trump's crowd.

He also expressed objections to specific Twitter posts from journalists. And he said, "we're going to hold the press accountable," partly by reaching the public through social networking sites.

His statement included several specific misstatements of fact in addition to the overarching one.

"This is the first time in our nation's history that floor coverings have been used to protect the grass on the Mall," Spicer said, claiming that this "had the effect of highlighting areas people were not standing whereas in years past the grass eliminated this visual."

In fact, coverings were used for Obama's second inauguration in 2013.

"This was also the first time that fencing and magnetometers went as far back on the Mall, preventing hundreds of thousands of people from being able to access the Mall as quickly as they had in inaugurations past," Spicer said.

In fact, a United States Secret Service spokesperson told CNN, no magnetometers were used on the Mall.

And Spicer said, "We know that 420,000 people used the D.C, Metro public transit yesterday, which actually compares to 317,000 for president Obama's last inaugural."

Spicer's number for ridership on Friday was actually low -- the correct number, according to Metro itself, was 570,557. But there were actually 782,000 trips taken for Obama's second inaugural in 2013.

Spicer, at times almost yelling while reading a prepared statement, took no questions. CNNMoney called his cell phone a few minutes later; he did not answer.

Some longtime White House correspondents were stunned by the tirade.

Glenn Thrush of The New York Times wrote on Twitter, "Jaw meet floor."

"I've run out of adjectives," wrote Chuck Todd, the moderator of NBC's "Meet the Press."

Karen Tumulty of the Washington Post said Spicer's assertion about "what you guys should be writing" was "chilling."

Reactions were overwhelmingly negative, and not just from journalists.

Ari Fleischer, who had the same job as Spicer during the George W. Bush administration, tweeted, "This is called a statement you're told to make by the President. And you know the President is watching."

And Brian Fallon, who was in line to become press secretary if Hillary Clinton had won, wrote, "Sean Spicer lacks the guts or integrity to refuse orders to go out and lie. He is a failure in this job on his first full day."

Conservative commentator Bill Kristol said "it is embarrassing, as an American, to watch this briefing by Sean Spicer from the podium at the White House. Not the RNC. The White House."

The White House alerted the press corps to Spicer's statement more than an hour ahead of time.

The CNN television network made a choice not to broadcast the Spicer statement live. Instead, the statement was monitored and then reported on after the fact.

Former Democratic congressman Steve Israel, who recently joined CNN as a commentator, said, "This isn't a petty attack on the press. It's a calculated attempt to delegitimize any questioning of @realDonaldTrump by a free press."

Spicer's statement came two hours after Trump spoke at CIA headquarters and described his "running war with the media." Trump spent several minutes of that speech complaining about news coverage.

In his remarks, Spicer suggested Trump would bypass traditional media outlets he believes are unfairly reporting on his presidency.

"The American people deserve better, and so long as he serves as the messenger for this incredible movement, he will take his message directly to the American people, where his focus will always be," Spicer said.

Spicer was joined in the Brady Press Briefing Room by members of his new White House press and communications staff, who are still moving into their offices and learning the way around the West Wing.

He tellingly led off his short statement with his tirade against the media, leaving announcements about phone calls with the leaders of Canada and Mexico, and announcing that Trump would meet with British Prime Minister Theresa May, to the end.

During those announcements, Spicer incorrectly referred to Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto as "prime minister."

Why does he or Trumps administration care about how many people were at the inaguaration? Why are they making such a big deal out of it? Don't they have more important things to do, Shouldn't they be working on making America Great Again?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

 

[Chris Craig]

Was the audience for his press conference the largest ever?

 

[3RA1N1AC]

he is such a baby, it is actually pretty goddamn hilarious! i cant wait until the spice starts talking about his hair being real, that will make america great!

 

[3RA1N1AC]

THE SPICE MUST FLOW

 

[Rastapopoulos]

 

[Spud147]

How soon before people give up fact checking?

Anyone watching that press conference doesn't need to fact check... He was clearly uncomfortable. My impression was, he must be getting paid a whole lot of money and, he's already dead in the water... how long until The Donald says, "You're fired"? He's not a good liar and the faux indignation was laughable.

 

[MickZagger]

I honestly thought Denny was a bright guy. Until he became one of Trump's biggest apologists.

 

[MickZagger]

Press always wins. You're waging a battle that you cannot win with them.

 

[julius]

well, in a way the guy did his job. Instead of talking about other things, people were talking about whether or not the inauguration was heavily attended or not.

It's just another distraction to keep us busy.

 

[Sedatedfork]

 

[Rastapopoulos]

#2 happened a while ago. But it's only going to get worse:


Worth repeating:

 

[Sedatedfork]

Alternative facts!

 

[julius]

Alternative facts!

Great response. had nothing to do with the question he asked and continued the myth of the "war on the right" by the liberal media.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Alternative facts!

I could laugh at that if I didn't think that so many people will think she has a point. For example:


God that woman must be dead inside. How do you kill shame in yourself like that? I mean, Trump never had it - he was born without it, but I'm assuming she had it at one point. I guess she does look kind of haunted, so maybe it's starting to tell. Jesus.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Proof positive that if she ever had shame, it's long dead:

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Happier times for Kellyanne:
http://therightscoop.com/people-are...yanne-conway-said-about-trump-just-weeks-ago/

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Great response. had nothing to do with the question he asked and continued the myth of the "war on the right" by the liberal media.

Step 1: say something so blinding ridiculous that interviewer cannot help but snort.
Step 2: act all outraged and say "this is indicative of the lack of respect we get from you people!"

Playing the victim card works great, especially for people who like to call other people "snowflakes".

 

[Rastapopoulos]

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Wow - they're even losing Fox News:

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewi...auguration-crowd-size-ridiculous-conversation

 

[oldfisherman]

Step 1: say something so blinding ridiculous that interviewer cannot help but snort.
Step 2: act all outraged and say "this is indicative of the lack of respect we get from you people!"

Playing the victim card works great, especially for people who like to call other people "snowflakes".

I am still in the wait and see camp.

However, to be fair, this is the same type of crap we have been hearing from Obama for 8 years.
Obama and his gang of followers seldom could back up their beliefs with facts. so they just make shit up. And then change the subject to misdirect and mislead people.

So now we are getting fucked in the ass with a small dick instead of a big one. Lovely.

 

[Denny Crane]

No it doesn't. He qualified what "largest audience" means. Audience being a descriptive term for tv viewers. Duh.

He said it and the press is all over him as they should be.

That said, CNN posted data that looks like Trump's crowd was bigger than I thought.

Something like 572,000 metro riders that day vs 1.1M in 2009 for Obama. If Obama's crowd was 1.8M, that would make Trump's 900,000+, or more than any president aside from Obama.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I am still in the wait and see camp.

However, to be fair, this is the same type of crap we have been hearing from Obama for 8 years.
Obama and his gang of followers seldom could back up their beliefs with facts. so they just make shit up. And then change the subject to misdirect and mislead people.

I think that's a false equivalency. It's fine to say you disagree with Obama's policies - of course. But you cannot find one instance where Obama sent his press secretary out
(a) to lie
(b) about TOTAL TRIVIALITIES like size of crowd
(c) to berate the press
(d) to walk off WITHOUT TAKING QUESTIONS!

And this was the FIRST EVER MEETING! And he's threatened to kick the press out of the White House altogether!
Honestly, this is unprecedented. (Or "unpresidented" to quote our President.)

 

[oldfisherman]

I think that's a false equivalency. It's fine to say you disagree with Obama's policies - of course. But you cannot find one instance where Obama sent his press secretary out
(a) to lie
(b) about TOTAL TRIVIALITIES like size of crowd
(c) to berate the press
(d) to walk off WITHOUT TAKING QUESTIONS!

And this was the FIRST EVER MEETING! And he's threatened to kick the press out of the White House altogether!
Honestly, this is unprecedented. (Or "unpresidented" to quote our President.)