Hours after it was revealed that Sean Spicer had resigned on Friday as White House Press Secretary, Anthony Scaramucci was announced as the new Director of Communications. In an inaugural press conference, journalists made it all about themselves. ABC’s Jon Karl demanded, “Let me ask you a variation of what I asked Sean Spicer on his first day. Is it your commitment to the best of your ability give accurate information and truth from that podium?”
Jeff Mason from Reuters complained about a lack of televised briefings: “Are you committed to regular televised briefings and having a transparent relationship with the press?”
An unidentified reporter followed up with the same question, “Has the President expressed any frustration at all that a lot of these briefings have been off camera? And since he wants to get his message out, wouldn’t he believe that putting them on camera would be beneficial?"
At one point in the briefing, Scaramucci brought up the issue of media bias:
I sort of don't like the fake news. If you said to me is there media bias out there, you want me to be as candid as I would like to be with you guys, there feels like there’s a bit of media bias. So, what we hope we can do is de-escalate that and turn that around.
A partial transcript is below:
White House press briefing
7/21/17
2:37pm ETJON KARL: There has been questions about credibility, some things that have been said in this room. Let me ask you a variation of what I asked Sean Spicer on his first day. Is it your commitment to the best of your ability give accurate information and truth from that podium?
ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI: I sort of feel like I don't even really need to answer that question. I hope you can feel that from me, just from my body language. That’s the kind of person I am.
2:39pm ET
JEFF MASON (Reuters): Are you committed to regular televised briefings and having a transparent relationship with the press?
ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI: Again, I obviously am committed to being transparent, I'm standing here, but I want to talk it over with the President and a new press secretary, I would like to talk it over with her, and then we'll get back to you on th but you know, listen, I'm standing right here to try to answer every question.
...
SCARAMUCCI: I have empathy for journalists in terms of sometimes they’re going to get stories wrong, but I sort of don't like the fake news. If you said to me is there media bias out there, you want me to be as candid as I would like to be with you guys, there feels like there’s a bit of media bias. So, what we hope we can do is de-escalate that and turn that around.
...
UNIDENTIFIED: Has the President expressed any frustration at all that a lot of these briefings have been off camera? And since he wants to get his message out, wouldn’t he believe that putting them on camera would be beneficial?
