For White House staff facing the Press traditionally must feel like stepping into the lion’s pit. The journalists present, or television hosts are full of questions and any mispronunciation, or incorrect detail is swooped upon and can make the wrong headlines for the wrong reasons. This would not please the man to whom they are responsible.
In the public eye
Sallyanne Conway is a senior White House Advisor and #Sean Spicer is the White House Press Secretary and Communications Director for President Trump. For these reasons they are on the firing line to publicly address matters raised by President #Donald Trump , whether they are in Press conferences, public speeches, or even by the many tweets he sends every day.
The beginning of the new Administration has not been easy for them.
Both have made missteps in carrying out their duties. Over recent days Conway has been subject to criticism for using a nonexistent "#bowling green Massacre." to justify the ban on Moslem Immigration now being contested in the courts. At the same time Spicer’s performances in the daily Press briefings have been the subject of criticism from the Press and inspired a devastating impersonation of him on the latest episode of Saturday Night Live by Melissa McCarthy that did nothing to help his image with the public.
According to overnight reports President Trump is considering replacing Spicer in his position. Only time will tell whether or not these reports are true.
In any case this report emphasizes the fact that the White House has matters to resolve in its relations to the Press.
The President and the Press
The relationship between any President and the Press Corps is potentially a rocky one that changes from day to day according to developing news stories. Some Presidents, such as Barack Obama and Ronald Reagan had easy going relationship with the journalists following them and others, famously Richard Nixon, did not hide their mistrust.
Since his Inauguration Donald Trump has broken the mould and through Conway and Spicer has attempted to take a hard line approach on the news being released and the image of the President that they want given to the public. The results have not been to the satisfaction of anyone on either side of the fence.
Sallyanne Conway and Sean Spicer have become the symbols of this defective relationship and must as a consequence become part of the solution.
The question remains whether or not the Commander in Chief who chose them will continue in this task, or change his and their tactics with the Press.
Undoubtedly the two White House staff members have drunk from their personal poisoned chalice and thus they now symbolize the difficulties of balancing information with projecting the image that the President wants to give to the public. This is never an easy task, but with this new style Presidency it is even more difficult. The only thing anyone can say with certainly is that the future will be interesting not only for the Press Corps, but also for the White House staff having to work with it.
