Tuesday’s White House Press Briefing was fraught with tension over issues such as EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, North Korea, and trade, but the primary topic was the President’s less-than-factual dispute with the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles amid the NFL’s national anthem dispute.
Reporters asked pointed (and snide) questions about the President’s statements less than 24 hours after he canceled the traditional White House visit. That’s fine, but American Urban Radio Networks correspondent and CNN political analyst April Ryan rudely bought the briefing to a halt and got into a shouting match with noted adversary/White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
Sanders repeatedly tried to call on CBS News Radio’s Steven Portnoy, but Ryan burst out screaming (click “expand” to read more):
RYAN: Why won’t you answer about police-involved shootings?
SANDERS: Sorry, Steven. Go ahead.
RYAN: Is the President aware that this is about police-involved shootings and not about disrespecting the flag. Is the President aware of that, Sarah? Please —
SANDERS: Steven, if you could go ahead.
RYAN: — because I know you’re going to Steven, but I'm asking, is the — this is — there's an underlying issue that it just keeps going about disrespect of the flag and soldiers. There are black and brown soldiers that fight in the military as well, who feel that taking a knee, bringing attention to police-involved shootings is something that this White House should deal with. Is the President aware that taking a knee is about police-involved shootings?
Sanders stated that “[t]he President has made his position crystal clear,” but Ryan kept shouting and so the White House Press Secretary lashed out, telling her that “I let you rudely interrupt me and your colleague and I'm going to ask that you allow me to finish me answer.”
Ryan apologized, but argued that she did so because “it’s important that this question be answered.” Here’s Sanders’s full response:
I would be happy to answer if you would stop talking long enough to let me do that. The President has made his position crystal clear on this. He feels strongly that standing for our national anthem is something that we should do. Something that matters to what makes our country special and unique and what sets us apart. He’s not going to waiver on that and he’s not going to apologize for it and frankly, more than 70 percent of Americans agree with him on that matter. If you go back to what the original intent was, this has been made a political argument of which the President is not going to back down from and he's been clear on it.
Sanders again attempted to go to Portnoy, but Ryan wasn’t having it and claimed that “people are standing up, so will he deal with the issue of police involved shootings?”
“April, I've addressed your question and I'm not going to continue to engage with you,” Sanders replied.
“I understand, but people are asking and the NFL is now telling people they have to stand. Will the President deal with the issue of police-involved shootings. It's a real question. Can you take it to the President and come back to us? Please,” Ryan concluded.
Ryan relented and Portnoy was able to seek comment from Sanders about the latest controversies surrounding Pruitt.
To see the relevant transcript from May 5's White House Press Briefing, click “expand.”
White House Press Briefing
May 5, 2018
2:55 p.m. Eastern
SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS: I'll take one last question. Steven.
RYAN: Why won’t you answer about police-involved shootings?
SANDERS: Sorry, Steven. Go ahead.
RYAN: Is the President aware that this is about police-involved shootings and not about disrespecting the flag. Is the President aware of that, Sarah? Please —
SANDERS: Steven, if you could go ahead.
RYAN: — because I know you’re going to Steven, but I'm asking, is the — this is — there's an underlying issue that it just keeps going about disrespect of the flag and soldiers. There are black and brown soldiers that fight in the military as well, who feel that taking a knee, bringing attention to police-involved shootings is something that this White House should deal with. Is the President aware that taking a knee is about police-involved shootings?
SANDERS: The President has made his position crystal clear and that is —
RYAN: Is the President aware that this is about police-involved shootings?
SANDERS: I let you rudely interrupt me and your colleague —
RYAN: I'm sorry, but it’s important that this question be answered.
SANDERS: — and I'm going to ask that you allow me to finish me answer. I would be happy to answer if you would stop talking long enough to let me do that. The President has made his position crystal clear on this. He feels strongly that standing for our national anthem is something that we should do. Something that matters to what makes our country special and unique and what sets us apart. He’s not going to waiver on that and he’s not going to apologize for it and frankly, more than 70 percent of Americans agree with him on that matter. If you go back to what the original intent was, this has been made a political argument of which the President is not going to back down from and he's been clear on it.
RYAN: But people are standing up —
SANDERS: Steven, last question.
RYAN: — so will he deal with the issue of police involved shootings?
SANDERS: April, I've addressed your question and I'm not going to continue to engage with you.
RYAN: I understand, but people are asking and the NFL is now telling people they have to stand. Will the President deal with the issue of police-involved shootings.
SANDERS: I'm going to deal with the issue of addressing your colleague's question.
RYAN: It's a real question. Can you take it to the President and come back to us? Please?
SANDERS: Steven, go ahead.
STEVEN PORTNOY: Always happy to yield to a colleague.
RYAN: Thank you.
PORTNOY: But let me ask about Scott Pruitt.
