Sean Spicer, President Trump’s White House spokesman, was ambushed inside an Apple Store recently by a young woman who demanded to know how it was like to work for a fascist. The exchange, along with commentary by Shree Chauhan, the woman in question, was posted on social media.
The art of the ambush interview has been developed by the professional media over the decades. The late Mike Wallace, the father of Fox News’ Chris Wallace, was a master of the art, waylaying a target and asking embarrassing questions while the cameras lovingly recorded the exchange.
The questions asked by professional journalists tend to be of a particular nature. “Senator, why did you sell your vote on the oil tax bill for favors?” “Mr. CEO, why does your company use sweat shops that enslave eight-year-olds in the developing world?” The interviewer will have researched his subject very thoroughly. The story would have some point, likely revealing to the television audience about graft and corruption.
Sadly, social media and modern smartphones have allowed anyone to think they can be Mike Wallace, or even just someone employed by Bill O’Reilly. Chauhan did not have anything specific to ask, like “What do you think of the president’s assertion that he was wiretapped by Obama?” No, it was along the lines of, “Have you committed treason too?
Just like the president. Can you tell me about Russia?”
Mind, the woman apparently did not know what she was talking about when she was babbling about fascists. A real fascist would have made a gesture and goons would appear to drag her and her smartphone to some nasty place where she would be made to explain why she was pestering good servants of the state. Instead, Spicer muttered something about the United States being a great country for allowing her to be here. Chauhan chose not to take that as a reminder of freedom of the press, but rather as something racist. She also called Spicer, “Mr. Secretary,” a title reserved for heads of cabinet departments.
Here is a pro tip for the Chauhan’s of the world.
If you are going to bushwack White House officials in a public space, be prepared with research and probing questions. Otherwise, all you are doing is providing people with another reminder of why they voted for Trump in the first place.