White House press secretary Sean Spicer’s first briefing of the Trump administration elicited a stark realization from CNN’s Jake Tapper on Monday: “It is a new day.”
An altered pecking order for White House reporters prompted CNN’s chief White House correspondent to ask a panel of guests to unpack its meaning. Outlets like the Associated Press, CNN, CBS and others that have traditionally received prestigious positioning came behind The New York Post and the Christian Broadcasting Network.
“I don’t want anyone to think I’m complaining about this,” Mr. Tapper said, Mediaite reported. “But the order in which he called on people suggests it is a new day when it comes to who this White House considers being priorities in terms of being called on.”
Mr. Tapper said it was “fair to say” that the Post is the president’s “favorite” newspaper before adding, “[Mr. Spicer] was definitely trying to make a point about the media that he is going to prioritize.”
Some of the issues discussed during the briefing included trade deals, Mr. Trump’s relationship with the press, terrorism, and Russia.
“I believe that sometimes we can disagree with the facts,” Mr. Spicer said of the White House’s relationship with the press, The Washington Times reported. “Our intention is never to lie to you.”
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The press secretary added that many media outlets tend to have a “default narrative” that is negative, which can be “demoralizing.”
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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