Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer recounted the events leading up to his first press briefing, ahead of the Tuesday launch of his new book “The Briefing: Politics, The Press, and The President.”
During an interview with Townhall’s Katie Pavlich released Tuesday, Mr. Spicer explained that his first press conference is an extensive part of his new book.
Initially, the plan was to first meet with the press on Monday following the inauguration, but when a story came out of a press spray after the president was sworn in, it needed to be moved up.
“Instead of rushing off to the balls and helping in celebrating this historical moment, we’re sitting there trying to tamp down a story that somehow the president of the United States had removed the bust of Martin Luther King that had been there when President Obama had occupied the Oval Office,” he said.
Mr. Spicer explained that the story was “unbelievably false” and “set the immediate tone” of news coverage following the inauguration.
He said he understood why the president was frustrated that the press wasn’t focused on his agenda, but rather the size of the crowds and protests. The former press secretary said there was a “desire to push back” against the comparisons.
“If you’re asking if I would do it differently, a 100 percent [I would],” he said, “I wasn’t pleased with that day. Obviously, the press corps wasn’t.”
Mr. Spicer said he wished that wasn’t how the administration started their relationship with the press. He explained that the briefing “was not putting our best foot forward.”
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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