With former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer set to cut a rug on the new season of Dancing With the Stars, cue the Trump Derangement Syndrome from the liberal media. CNN media janitor Brian Stelter perfectly encapsulated the media’s over the top reaction during a Thursday afternoon appearance on Right Now with Brianna Keilar, where he called for “outrage and backlash” to the story.
Despite admitting that “there’s many examples of this”, such as George Stephanopoulos bounced from the Clinton White House to eventually become the chief anchor for ABC News, Stelter was still suggesting it as appalling that Spicer and his fellow former Press Secretary Sarah Sanders would get jobs in the media.
NewsBusters had extensively documented the revolving door between the liberal media and Obama administration, yet Stelter continued to push the false CNN narrative that it should be considered unusual for Trump aides to go work at Fox News:
Obviously, Sanders going to Fox is not surprising. There's been a revolving door between Fox and the Trump White House for several years. But it should still be surprising that someone who misled the public and defended a man who calls the press the enemy would land these kinds of jobs.
“The difference, of course, is the Trump White House…” he admitted before trying to argue that the spinning this White House did was different from past administrations. CNN probably hopes their viewers don’t realize that their network hired former Obama Press Secretary Jay Carney, that’s not to mention the slew of other Obama White House folks that they try to pass off as objective reporters.
Taking a parting shot a Spicer, Stelter mocked the show as “dancing with the down and out.” “This is the kind of job you take when you might not have many other options,” he chided. Stelter probably couldn’t understand that the snide dig proved his grievances basically moot. If that’s what the show was, then what was he whining about?
Shortly before Stelter’s ridiculousness, his fellow CNN media reporter Oliver Darcy was there to share the outrage and backlash from ABC staffers.
“And some people said there are moans and grumblings, some eye rolls going on inside ABC News. But other people were more furious about it,” he reported. “Some people described it as a slap in the face. Some others said that they were disgusted by this because Sean as press secretary had misled a lot of reporters at ABC News. So, they’re not too happy.”
Darcy even shared the griping from Dancing with the Stars host Tom Bergeron:
Tom Bergeron who released a statement yesterday. And I can read part of it. He said, “My hope was that Dancing with the Stars, in its return following unprecedented year-long hiatus would be a joyful respite from our exhausting political climate and free of divisive bookings and any party affiliations.”
In an apparent conversation over the phone, Spicer told Darcy that if viewers had a problem with him on the show, they should watch the news.
[H/T Washington Examiner's Julio Rosas]
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
CNN’s Right Now
August 22, 2019
1:48:13 p.m. EasternBRIANNA KEILER: Big job news for President Trump's former press secretaries. They both landed TV gigs within 24 hours of each other. Sarah Sanders will be joining Fox News as a contributor, while her predecessor Sean Spicer will be a contestant on ABC's Dancing With the Stars. But we're told that not everyone at ABC is thrilled about that news. In fact, some of the staffers are reportedly up in the arms calling the decision, quote, “a slap in the face”. Joining me now is CNN's Brian Stelter and we also have Oliver Darcy with us. And Oliver even the host of Dancing With the Stars is upset. What can you tell us?
OLIVER DARCY: Yeah, not everybody is happy inside ABC over Sean Spicer being selected for this Dancing With the Stars gig. Like you said, Brian and I spoke with nine staffers about this appointment. And some people said there are moans and grumblings, some eye rolls going on inside ABC News. But other people were more furious about it.
Some people described it as a slap in the face. Some others said that they were disgusted by this because Sean as press secretary had misled a lot of reporters at ABC News. So, they’re not too happy.
And as you mentioned, not only coming from ABC News, anonymously, it's coming on the record from the host of Dancing with the Stars, Tom Bergeron who released a statement yesterday. And I can read part of it. He said, “My hope was that Dancing With the Stars, in its return following unprecedented year-long hiatus would be a joyful respite from our exhausting political climate and free of divisive bookings and any party affiliations.”
He went on to say, “We can agree to disagree, as we do now, but ultimately it’s their call”, referring to the show’s producers.
I spoke to Sean Spicer yesterday by phone and he basically dismissed concerns from ABC staffers and saif, if people are upset, they should watch a news program and not Dancing With the Stars. And I know he was on Fox & Friends earlier this morning addressing that. And I think we have video, if we want to roll that.
(…)
DARCY: Yes, Spicer's basically saying that he's hoping to show a different side of him on Dancing With the Stars this season, that people may not have seen as press secretary. And so, I guess we're going to have to stay tuned and see what happens.
KEILER: Well, we have not seen him dance as press secretary. I don't believe – I don’t believe anyway, Brian Stelter. You can fact check me there. But, I mean, let’s be fair here because Spicer and Sanders, it's like they're the only ex-White House officials to land TV jobs after leaving office. That’s not unusual, right? They’ve probably been the most visible. Is that why we’re seeing so much backlash you think, Brian?
BRIAN STELTER: ABC has George Stephanopoulos, who was at the White House, of course, during the Clinton years. There’s many examples of this. The difference of course is the Trump White House has a record of misleading the public. All administrations spin, this administration lies consistently whether it’s Sanders or Spicer or other White House aides. And it's all led from the top by a President who lies even about the weather and the time of day. That. I think, is why, this does deserve outrage and backlash.
Obviously, Sanders going to Fox is not surprising. There's been a revolving door between Fox and the Trump White House for several years. But it should still be surprising that someone who misled the public and defended a man who calls the press the enemy would land these kinds of jobs.
Let me just say though, Spicer, you know, he’s not at the top of his career right now. You don't go to Dancing With the Stars when you're at your peak. As one source said to me, it’s more like dancing with the down and out. This is the kind of job you take when you might not have many other options. But hey, maybe he’s got an incredible dancing talent that we don't know about. I guess we'll find out Brianna.
KEILER: We will find out. Oliver Darcy, Brian Stelter, thank you so much to both of you.
