Full disclosure: I voted for Trump (the whole "lesser of two evils" things, from my point of view). I have to tell you that I felt genuinely sorry for Spicer. It is painfully clear that the Trump White House does not (at least yet) know how to present a unified front or a coherent message.
I'm sure that many administrations have had all sorts of drama going on behind the scenes, but with Trump's inability to just shut up and do the work, the media's attempt to undermine the Trump administration at every turn, and the constant mixed messages, the Trump White House--and Spicer as the media face of that administration--has looked particularly inept.
And yet, for some reason, I felt sorry for the guy. I'm sure he could do a good job for an administration that didn't have a leader that was constantly shooting everyone in the foot. And Spicer seemed, at least to me, as a decent sort of guy--the kind you might have wanted to bring home to meet your single sister. But when you latch on to the wrong star....
That being said, he took more abuse, I imagine, in these six months than some have had to take in four years of being a spokesman. He got hit from both sides, it appears. And worse, he was made to look like a buffoon by SNL (even though I'm sure that about 80% of that was more about being funny than aligning against Trump and team).
The Democrats are particularly capable, I think, of wrecking a reputation on rather shaky ground. For instance, Dan Quayle was, by most accounts, a sharp and steady person. But "potatoe" fashioned him as someone we could never have as president since, as everyone knows, if you can't spell potato, you can't lead the free world. GWB, kind of the same thing. About the closest the Republicans have come to playing the same game is the poor way we treated Jimmy Carter, a good, decent man who, if nothing else, brought about a modicum of peace in the mideast AND kept us out of a middle eastern war with Iran.
So...farewell Spicer. Sorry for all that went on. I know you took the heat for Trump's steep learning curve on this. I hope that somehow life finds a way to make it up to you.
I quite agree with you in feeling sorry for Sean Spicer. On a PBS Newshour program this week Brooks and Shields offered their thoughts about how before Spicer took on his White House role he was a well-respected Communications director. Then on Day 1 of his job he was told to defend a blatant falsehood about the inauguration crowd and then was repeatedly asked to defend indefensible positions and explain nonsensical tweets. The man deserved better.
Spicer had a tough job, lying for an idiot that couldn't stay on his own message. I don't feel sorry for him though. A man of integrity ought not have put himself in that position to begin with.
This is going to hurt SNL!
ReplyDeleteSee the added cartoon...
DeleteFull disclosure: I voted for Trump (the whole "lesser of two evils" things, from my point of view). I have to tell you that I felt genuinely sorry for Spicer. It is painfully clear that the Trump White House does not (at least yet) know how to present a unified front or a coherent message.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that many administrations have had all sorts of drama going on behind the scenes, but with Trump's inability to just shut up and do the work, the media's attempt to undermine the Trump administration at every turn, and the constant mixed messages, the Trump White House--and Spicer as the media face of that administration--has looked particularly inept.
And yet, for some reason, I felt sorry for the guy. I'm sure he could do a good job for an administration that didn't have a leader that was constantly shooting everyone in the foot. And Spicer seemed, at least to me, as a decent sort of guy--the kind you might have wanted to bring home to meet your single sister. But when you latch on to the wrong star....
That being said, he took more abuse, I imagine, in these six months than some have had to take in four years of being a spokesman. He got hit from both sides, it appears. And worse, he was made to look like a buffoon by SNL (even though I'm sure that about 80% of that was more about being funny than aligning against Trump and team).
The Democrats are particularly capable, I think, of wrecking a reputation on rather shaky ground. For instance, Dan Quayle was, by most accounts, a sharp and steady person. But "potatoe" fashioned him as someone we could never have as president since, as everyone knows, if you can't spell potato, you can't lead the free world. GWB, kind of the same thing. About the closest the Republicans have come to playing the same game is the poor way we treated Jimmy Carter, a good, decent man who, if nothing else, brought about a modicum of peace in the mideast AND kept us out of a middle eastern war with Iran.
So...farewell Spicer. Sorry for all that went on. I know you took the heat for Trump's steep learning curve on this. I hope that somehow life finds a way to make it up to you.
I quite agree with you in feeling sorry for Sean Spicer. On a PBS Newshour program this week Brooks and Shields offered their thoughts about how before Spicer took on his White House role he was a well-respected Communications director. Then on Day 1 of his job he was told to defend a blatant falsehood about the inauguration crowd and then was repeatedly asked to defend indefensible positions and explain nonsensical tweets. The man deserved better.
DeleteThis is the program -
Deletehttp://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/shields-brooks-spicer-stepping-gop-health-care-bill-fumble/
Spicer had a tough job, lying for an idiot that couldn't stay on his own message. I don't feel sorry for him though. A man of integrity ought not have put himself in that position to begin with.
ReplyDeleteYES! Couldn't agree more.
DeleteThings ended badly for Goebbels too.
ReplyDelete