The journalists at ABC on Tuesday cheered White House Secretary Sean Spicer’s “reset” and the need to “repair his heated relationship with reporters.” Talking to Good Morning America’s George Stephanopoulos, reporter Jon Karl recounted his demand that Spicer pledge to tell only the truth.
Karl pushed the idea that the White House needed to back down from reporters: “It was a clear reset, George. You know, Sean Spicer went into this briefing room over the weekend because President Trump was upset and wanted him to come out here and deliver a tongue lashing at the press. He did that. It did not go over well.”
ABC journalists were clearly impressed with Karl’s battle. Stephanopoulos opened the show by hyping Trump’s “press secretary tries to repair his heated relationship with reporters.” Reporter Cecilia Vega said that Spicer faced “the cameras again after his much-criticized first performance this weekend.”
She then featured a clip of Karl demanding to Spicer: “ Is it your intention to always tell the truth from that podium and will you pledge never to knowingly say something that is not factual?”
Stephanopoulos and Karl even recounted rumors that Trump himself was unhappy with Spicer:
STEPHANOPOULOS: Some reports, also, that he wasn't very happy after Spicer's briefing on Saturday.
KARL: Yeah, it was like worst of both worlds for the press secretary. Certainly, he didn't make any, build bridges with the press and President Trump, by all reports, was not happy with the performance.
Recounting his own time as Bill Clinton’s press secretary, Stephanopoulos bragged:
I think one of the reasons Sean got in trouble on Saturday is he was saying things that weren't true.... That's why the question Jon Karl asked Sean yesterday was so important. Is it your intention to always tell the truth from the podium?
Partial transcripts are below:
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GMA
1/24/17
7am:GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: As the President takes executive action on trade and abortion policy, his press secretary tries to repair his heated relationship with reporters.
SEAN SPICER: Our intention is never to lie to you, Jonathan.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Going back and forth with our Jon Karl.
7:03
CECILIA VEGA: Press Secretary Sean Spicer facing the cameras again after his much-criticized first performance this weekend.
SPICER: This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period.
VEGA: This time a different tune to ABC's Jonathan Karl.
KARL: Is it your intention to always tell the truth from that podium and will you pledge never to knowingly say something that is not factual?
SPICER: It is. It's an honor to do this and, yes, I believe that we have to be honest with the American people. I think sometimes we can disagree with the facts. There are certain things that we may miss — we may not fully understand when we come out but our intention is never to lie to you, Jonathan.
7:06
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Let’s get more on this from Jon Karl, or chief White House correspondent. Jon, you were pretty tough, pretty direct questions to Sean Spicer yesterday. What you got back is kind of a mix of concessions and combativeness.
JON KARL: Yeah, but it was a clear reset, George. You know, Sean Spicer went into this briefing room over the weekend because President Trump was upset and wanted him to come out here and deliver a tongue lashing at the press. He did that. It did not go over well. He refused to take questions. So when he came out here yesterday for his first official briefing, there was a little bit of humor and there were, critically, some concessions. He did acknowledge some of the information that he gave over the weekend was not correct. He said it was not intentional and that he would always as you heard do his best to tell the truth from the podium.
STEPHANOPOULOS: And you mentioned it right there. We know that President Trump was upset on Saturday. That's why Sean Spicer came into the briefing room. He is keeping a close eye on all this. Some reports, also, that he wasn't very happy after Spicer's briefing on Saturday.
KARL: Yeah, it was like worst of both worlds for the press secretary. Certainly, he didn't make any, didn't build bridges with the press and President Trump, by all reports, was not happy with the performance. Some aides thought it shouldn't have been done to begin with but what we hear about yesterday's performance is that the President was quite happy with it.
7:35
ROBIN ROBERTS: It’s a real balancing act, because you have to hold your ground. You have to be forceful. But you have to be respectful.
STEPHANOPOULOS: I think one of the reasons Sean got in trouble on Saturday is he was saying things that weren't true. You also have got to do everything you can — you're not always going to be right, but you have to do everything you can to try to tell — be accurate and tell the truth. That's why the question Jon Karl asked Sean yesterday was so important. Is it your intention to always tell the truth from the podium?
