Veteran reporter April Ryan has been a hero for many, many years. Ryan, the Washington bureau chief for American Urban Radio Networks and longtime White House correspondent, was the same reporter who asked Emperor Bigly Fists about the Congressional Black Caucus during Bigly’s unhinged press conference in February. That was the moment that Bigly assumed that all black folks know each other, and he asked April Ryan to set up the meeting.
So, April Ryan was at work again yesterday for what is becoming Sean Spicer’s daily rage-fest/White House briefing. Spicer lies so much and so thoroughly, it’s sort of difficult to even keep a running fact-check tally. Plus, as the Russia-Trump situation grows more dire, the whole White House seems to be operating on an *OBVIOUS PANIC MODE* setting. April Ryan didn’t even get through her question when Sean Spicer interrupted her, talked over her, yelled at her and then, in the pièce de résistance, he told her to STOP SHAKING HER HEAD at his obvious lies.
“Two and a half months in, you’ve got this [Sally] Yates story today, you’ve got other things going on, you’ve got Russia, you’ve got wiretapping,” said Ryan, until Spicer cut her off.
“No, we don’t have that,” said Spicer. Ryan cited investigations into the activities of the Trump campaign and Russia. “I get it but … I’ve said it from the day I got here until whenever that there is no connection. You’ve got Russia. If the president puts Russian dressing on his salad tonight, somehow that’s a Russian connection,” Spicer said.
After some more pushback from Ryan, Spicer said, “I appreciate your agenda here.” He said that people briefed on the Russia thing have reached the same conclusion about this matter. And as he unfurled his explanation, he snapped at Ryan: “I’m sorry that that disgusts you. You’re shaking your head. I appreciate it,” he said with sarcasm. As a matter of fact, Ryan was displaying unimpeachable body language at that moment.
“At some point, April, you’re going to have to take no for an answer with respect to whether or not there was collusion,” Spicer said. On the matter of changing the perception of the White House, Spicer said, “We’re going to keep doing everything we’re doing to make sure that what the president told the American people he was going to do — to fulfill those pledges and promises that he made to bring back jobs, to grow the economy, to keep our nation safe.”
Then the conversation took a turn. Ryan asked about a meeting with former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, someone who hasn’t supported Trump. Spicer responded:”It’s interesting that you ask those two questions back to back. On the one hand, you’re saying what are we doing to improve our image? And then here he is once again meeting somebody that hasn’t been a big supporter of his. … It seems like you’re hellbent on trying to make sure that whatever image you want to tell about this White House stays. … I’m sorry, please stop shaking your head again.”
I used to think that it wasn’t a great idea to boycott the Bigly White House briefings. Like, yes, of course Trump’s people don’t know what the hell they’re doing. But I felt like it was the fourth estate’s duty to, at the bare minimum, sit there, ask questions and attempt to speak truth to power. At this point though… I wonder. Sean Spicer is a rage machine who just wants to shout and lie and act crazy, because that’s what impresses his boss. He’s also practicing the Bigly Code of Conduct in the Workplace: mock, denigrate and neg women and for fun, toss in as much casual racism as possible. Maybe a boycott is in order?
Sean Spicer speaking to veteran reporter April Ryan like this is DEPLORABLE. Please RT if you think his place is in an asylum! #StopSpicer pic.twitter.com/bRRNNv71I5
— #RemoveTrump (@France4Hillary) March 28, 2017
Photos courtesy of Getty.
Another Jackass.
I watched this in horror. It was disgusting. This guy has no people skills or charisma, he should be removed from his post. His behaviour is that of a bully. It is quite clear that this guy has not the skills for the job as he lacks detailed information.
well, he’s working for a lying bully so the boss probably likes him just fine.
even though he looks foolish and bumbling…
The whole administration is full of bullies. Par for the course.
what does this have to do with being black ?
I don’t think it has anything to do with being black. It has to do with being female, he probably wouldn’t speak to a man that way.
The Spicey show is on now and he gave April the first question. He was definitely nicer and both laughing so there must have been an apology. Still it does not excuse his behavior and he and his bosses are awful! Yay for Ms. Ryan for being awesome under pressure and attack!
Super-douche. You’re not the boss of ANYone, SS.
I think it totally had to do with her being black. It’s like a Police state as far as Trump and company is concerned. He felt he could bully a black journalist and get away with it. FK Him
She can do whatever she wants with her head, Sean Jerk Spicer.
I was horrified by this. Watched it live. Panic makes people do awful things, but the misogyny and racism have to already be there.
Exactly.
Her poise in the face of the treatment she’s received by both Trump and Spicer are enough to qualify her not just for hero status but for sainthood, imo.
I think he proved that in the Apple store video.
April Ryan is a dedicated professional doing her job. Trying to uncover the facts in the rapidly expanding ball of lies that is this administration is no small task. I appreciate her fortitude in pressing Spicer. As for the Russian dressing quip, Spicer needs a new joke writer.
I cringed when he called her April. He should have referred to her as Ms. Ryan. It was belittling to me.
Actually that part doesn’t bother me. Other spokespeople and presidents have been on a first name basis with the press corps. To me that shows a mutual familiarity that the reporter has earned.
He’s a worldclass azz, but calling reporters by their first name is completely normal. To say Ms. or Mr. so-and-so would be incredibly odd and formal.
This is some banana Republican sh-t.
Speaking of Republican ish — why are all the Republican men so bad at makeup? Shouty Spice and Cheeto Jesus both look like they made out with drugstore bronzer, and Paul Ryan’s eyeliner is always uneven.
The fact some that some female Republicans think Paul Ryan is “hot” makes me gag.
I hope it’s because professional MUAs are giving them intentionally bad makeup tips. Let’s add Bill O’Lielly to that list — his makeup sucks, too. He looks like a melted pile of Silly Putty.
OMG…once you said it I went back to look at Spicy! I think he and Cheeto Jesus are using the makeup room that Melania put in the WH, and they are doing each others makeup! Oh please…someone get a picture of that!!!
@INeedANap :
Same thing with Kellyanne Conway’s makeup when she was allowed to go on TV (her TV pass has since been revoked by WH I think). She looked horrible every time – like a drunken drag queen (and I mean no insults to drag queens). I started to think it was some kind of conspiracy of makeup artists around Washington (#DeepStateMakeUpArtists) to make her look bad as she said bad things.
As for Spicer, he is selling his soul and he knows it. It is a tough job due to the fact that you have to defend the president regardless of what kind of holy hell they bring down. It is a daily dose of defending the undependable. I don’t see Spicer lasting too long in this job – his health (physical and/or emotional) will take him down within the calendar year IMO.
i get physically ill and in rage mode when i see him. I would totally boycott the press conferences. You are not getting a straight answer anyhow and giving him platform to feel superior and insult you. Which then again empowers the moronic Trump followers.
That’s What I’ve been thinking all along.
Just boycott all their lousy press conferences.
I respectfully disagree, for 2 reasons. 1: The garbage spewing out of the hole in spicey’s face needs to be recorded so the lies and misogyny/racism can be used against him. 2: If fantastic reporters like Ryan boycott these press conferences, only Faux news and Breibart will be there to support his lies. We need the Ryans of this country to continue to ask the hard-hitting questions and stay under this burnt turd’s skin. Keep resisting.
I agree Juls. Still, it’s asking a lot of these respected journalists to be offered up as the sacrificial lambs here. I know that journalists are used to being seen as the adversary but this is an unprecedented level of hostility.
I mean…this administration refuses to treat them with an even basic level of respect. It’s absolutely astounding.
I’ve heard several really high caliber journalists both here and some from Russia who’ve been dealing with Putin’s Russia for years say not to participate in these. Spicer is basically mimicking Putin who humiliates and sputters at the press in his press conferences much like Spicer. They can send interns or someone else but the real reporting needs to be elsewhere this is theater.
I agree Kitten, it is asking a lot from them to continue to be treated this way. They truly are serving our country by placing themselves in a position to be ridiculed mercilessly and publicly by this meathead neanderthal. As Beth stated below, all of these reporters should shake there heads at him at the next press conference. Solidarity might soften the blow somewhat.
I agree with Jules. Information is power. The more lies they spew can be used against them in case of an investigation.
Seriously. I know there is a bit of bull shit with every press secretary but this idiot just straight up angry lies through every press conference. What is the point?
This disrespectful behavior with April Ryan (she really was not shaking her head!!), another angry GOP rep attacking Mika Brundzinski on Morning Joe for asking about family leave (and I hate Mika for being an airhead but she was asking smart questions for once) and then Nunes being patronizing and yelling at reporters for asking about his shady behavior made me decide yesterday that I will no longer watch interviews with the Trump enablers.
They are so angry and fool of bile that they are affecting my mood. I just can’t, Spicer owes Ms. Ryan an apology.
I stopped watching….now I read…everything I can get my hands on. I still want to know what’s going on, I just cannot watch it. I need to put some distance between my soul and his words. Trust His Word, not his words. That’s all I’ve got.
I understand completely. But then I think these press briefings are important for one reason. They’re official statements by the WH. No Twitter sh*t, no interview etc. This is the press secretary talking in his official capacity as WH representative and every time he opens his mouth, he digs a deeper hole. It’s disgusting and tedious and exhausting but it needs to be recorded for posterity.
Like Juls said above, if veteran journalists like Ryan boycott these briefings, the story sold to the public will be a twisted pile of horsesh*t at best. And not to be crass about it but basically Spicey will get daily bj’s from Breitbart et al. That can’t happen.
I wish someone would say “I’ll do as I damn well please”. Spicer has no authority over anyone, ANYONE! He is there to answer questions for the public, that’s his job.
There’s no reverence necessary for these people. If I met Donald Trump I would call him a liar to his face. He thinks he’s a king, and people give him the deference and respect that is normal to give a president but I think everyone needs to stop. He has no real authority over any person. He is disrespecting the office of president every day of his life and so people should disrespect it with him. Be rude to his face, defy him, laugh at him right in front of him. This isn’t a goddam dictatorship (yet), he’s not a king. We are FREE PEOPLE and if a journalist wants to shake her head in a press conference when she’s hearing endless ridiculous lies, shake away!!
word!
Co-sign (a thousand times over).
Amen. He’s been this way long before he became POTUS and if more people (beyond Hillary, who was great at putting him in his place) had just called him out on his insanity or at least not given him a legit platform then perhaps we wouldn’t be stuck in this nightmare right now.
Patricia for president.
Yeah and I think we would all do the same but obviously journalists don’t have that luxury. They need access to do their jobs and we all know that Trump and his people have absolutely NO problem barring journalists from the White House.
I studied journalism and did brief stints as a college news and weekly newspaper reporter before changing fields.
Part of me thinks she should have gotten up and left, but the logical answer is same as yours. They have a job to do, and need that access. They are the ones working for the people.
I think she should have asked him if he wanted to come down there and make her stop.
^^^^ Perfect, Patricia. 1000% agree.
Reports are that “the president” watches Spicer’s every move in these so called press conferences, and word is Trump thinks Spicer is not aggressive enough. Bright spot: plenty of new material for the brilliant Melissa Mcarthy.
God. That’s disheartening. Not aggressive enough? He’s a gdamned PRESS SECRETARY! Their job is to answer journalist’s questions in a clear, articulate fashion. He’s not supposed to be policing the media via toddler tantrums and screaming word diarrhea.
Talk about disrespect! This entire administration is comprised of Veruca Salt clones. (The character, not the band.)
That’s an OUTSTANDING analogy!
Go ahead and boycott those briefings. Right now it’s the Fourth Estate’s duty to dig, dig, dig and to expose, expose, expose.
I really wish the media would boycott. In the situation with April, I wish all the reporters would have walked out in mass….a solidarity protest. Media needs to demonstrate they won’t be treated just any old way by Trump and his goons.
I think they’re afraid to leave the doors open for Brietbeetle (or whatever) and the other Neo-Nazi publications that have come to prominence with Trump. They don’t want to get shut out, because then you just have Alt-Right lunatics spewing propaganda with no serious way to counter it. And them getting all the page views because they have “exclusives” on all of the White House bullshit.
I’m not sure Melissa Spicey is this bright and calculating, but that may be what they want. Get the mainstream folks to leave and let only supportive outlets (however little known) have access.
Then all the real, valid journalists need to band together, make a pact – if their colleague doesn’t get a straight answer then the next one needs to ask to same question and on and on and on. Keep pressing.
And when one is treated disrespectfully, as Ms Ryan was, the next questioner needs to bring that up. Stop letting the liars get away with crap.
I second this, SusanneToo. They need to show solidarity together. Spicer may stroke out from the rage if that happened.
+ 1,000, SusanneToo. I agree with everything you said.
Get him, Melissa.
This is the second time in as many months that she has been in this situation. First, Agent Orange talking to her like she was a secretary and now this. I am pretty sure this is not the first time she has dealt with this, but it seems especially notable because of who these people are: illegitimate administration trying desperately to legitimize themselves by creating a new narrative. This cannot happen though if people keep asking questions about what the stories that this racist Dumpster fire is continually trying to sell to them.
I don’t think that they should boycott, though. These questions are obviously getting to them, so keep up the pressure. The more pressure applied the more mistakes these fools keep making. If they ease up, they will be getting away with it. I will say they should take the advice of the AP: treat them like the AP treats Iran and a lot of other hostile nations.
This is EXACTLY who these people are – signing sick fiats while surrounded by nothing but old fat white men.
http://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/846828561491202048
Or signing sick fiats doing away with worker safety rules while surrounded by old fat white men and a few fellow travellers.
http://twitter.com/miafarrow/status/846803906508328961
I was literally just texting my BF saying that the pics of Trump signing these atrocious EOs surrounded by old white men is enough to make me lose my breakfast.
I’m tripping on Agent Orange. That’s a new one on me!
said, “We’re going to keep doing everything we’re doing to make sure that what the president told the American people he was going to do — to fulfill those pledges and promises that he made to bring back jobs, to grow the economy, to keep our nation safe.”
This is similar to how Trudeau and his people respond when asked about anything from the electoral reform lies to pay for access meetings with very rich Chinese nationals. “Well we are focusing on helping the middle class with tax credits”
seriously
Well the dofference is trudeaus tax credits are really helpful so it’s not bs,, deflection is the same though
seriously
Yes, seriously. It is on YouTube for anyone curious. Nothing compared to USAs problems, I know, but his lack of shame and honour is still disappointing.
Bill O’Reilly blatantly throwing a racial, unkind, uncalled for slur at Congresswoman Waters and now this tool Spicer says stop shaking your head to a black reporter. WTF. He regularly yells at all of the press, black or white and does the Kellyanne Conway dance of not answering questions or giving alternative facts. How is this happening and when will it stop. Same shit different day. It won’t stop until trump is gone and we have normal human beings in Washington if that is even possible anymore.
I hope the day he finally pops a blood vessel it is live during one of these press conferences.
I used to feel sorry for him, having to go out day after day, repeating 45’s absolutely ridiculous drivel, other days flat out lying. It must be exhausting. But I don’t anymore. Every day he is more shrill and angry, striking out at even a hint of opposition. He’s like a angry, rabid little terrier.
He’s the type of sh*tty little creeper that follows women around and then when they don’t respond, calls them whores that never like “nice guys”. Like 45 and Bannon, I’m pretty sure he probably got beat up a lot when he was a kid and all of this is revenge for not getting the respect he thought he was entitled to.
Spicer, Trump, Bannon all look like prime canadiates for a heart attack or a stroke. Always angry or unhealthy habits( too much junk food or booze) . My money is on Spicer quitting for “health reasons” before year’s end
If he makes it to the end of the year I’d be shocked. I agree, it’s amazing how unhealthy these “men” look. I put men in quotes on purpose.
Rage machine, indeed. What a bunch of thin skinned, impotent morons.
Next time, all the reporters should shake their heads during the meeting and hold bottles of Russian salad dressing. His head would explode!
Lol, love it
Now that is a brilliant idea. Every time he answers, all the reporters shake their heads.
My thoughts exactly! People should be sending him cases of Russian dressing. In fact, sent some cases to Devin Nuñes and Jerrod Kushner, too.
And of course Trump supporters are defending Spicer’s actions, commenting that she deserved it and he put her in her place. Uggghhhhh….I don’t know how much more of this I can take!
Yeah….put that insolent black woman in her place….smh. You know those Trump supporters are hoping for a return to the good old days when folks knew their place. Hell will freeze over before that ever happens again.
I’m surprised Spicer has lasted this long. One of these days, he is going to quit in the middle of a presser and it will be glorious.
His ulcer is probably the size of Rhode Island by now.
Or completely strokes out, whichever comes first.
Me too. He strikes me as someone who can’t take the pressures of the job and is just about ready to crack (which when it comes will epic).
How does he live with himself?
I think he’ll get so heated he’ll have an aneurysm during one of these briefings.
He seems really nervous, frustrated, and impatient. Definitely not a polite guy. If he can’t handle the job, he should quit and take Trumps people with him
Spicer is malfunctioning at this point. Someone needs to reset him.
Ryan showed unimaginable grace when she went on CNN later in the day and talked about how she understands that she and Sean are both doing their jobs, and they have to do what they have to do.
Spicer is an asshole, no doubt, but I see what she’s saying. He’s in a terrible position. What’s he going to do, go up there and say what his eyes are already telling us? That this whole presidency is built on lies and shadiness and money laundering? Of course not. He has to do his job. I have NO sympathy, don’t get me wrong. But April Ryan is right about that.
That’s… generous.
Really, it’s nice of you. You are truly one of the nicest posters here.
I’m mostly just repeating what April said. I have no sympathy for him, I think he’s a slimy disgusting dickhead, and he was absolutely racist and condescending toward April yesterday. I just think she made a good point when she said he’s doing his job, and there’s no way he can go up there and actually tell the truth. That still doesn’t excuse the fact that he’s a total angry asshole about it. He’s doing his job, but he’s so bad at it. His spin is barely believable at this point.
Ok please don’t shoot the messenger here but….
…..I listen to a lot of political podcasts and on almost all of them, Spicy’s name has come up and on a bipartisan level, he is actually really well-liked. From what I’ve heard he’s actually a really nice guy who has “always wanted to be famous”.
(yes major eyeroll)
Those descriptions of him have always been a source of conflict for me. When I’m watching him at these pressers, it’s really hard for me to reconcile that characterization of him with what I’m seeing on my TV screen.
But we kind of saw a glimpse of his alleged niceness when he was interviewed about Melissa McCarthy’s impression of him: he called it “cute” and was surprisingly nice about it. Is it just that our standards are so damn low for this administration that if one of these f*ckers doesn’t fly off the handle, we applaud it? IDK
But at the end of the day, Spicy still sold his soul to be a professional propaganda minister for Trump so I won’t feel too bad for him.
Also meant to add that none of this erases the fact that he was disgustingly racist and rude to April.
I can almost see why he would be “liked,” because under normal circumstances it seems like he might be a good schmoozer. He always tries to get up there and make self deprecating jokes to lighten the mood or something. While that might work in casual political settings, you can tell the reporters are having none of it and it always falls flat. No one is laughing Sean. You’re trying to cancel democracy and we hate you.
“No one is laughing Sean. You’re trying to cancel democracy and we hate you.”
Haha..yeah this totally, Shamby.
“Nice” doesn’t mean sh*t when you’re part of the Evil Empire that’s trying to destroy our country, Sean.
When he first appeared in this job (before Melissa’s spot-on SNL debut), well known news figures claimed he was really a nice guy. They were giving him the benefit of the doubt from Day One.
I don’t know how he reconciles what he’s doing, or expects to get a respectable job in the future. But if he craved fame, maybe it’s worth it to him.
@ Christin-Yeah if he’s the fameho that people say he is then maybe this is a dream gig? I bet he loved MM’s impression of him because it made him feel like he finally “made it”.
@Kitten
I hear the same “Spicer is a nice guy just doing his job”, but I really hate those responses from the press because we don’t know him personally and as taxpayers he looks like an angry bully. Unless his family or children are being held as hostages with a gun to their heads, no one is forcing him to keep his job, he can quit. So many other press secretaries have faced stressful situations yet can keep calm and carry on.
If this is a show he has to put on for Trump, they can just call it the Spicer show and have him spend an hour yelling at a chair.
I’ve had it with my favorite journalists defending Spicer’s “secret” niceness. I’m no longer watching another of his abusive briefings after the April Ryan incident. Even douche Ryan can remain even toned and not bark like a bad dog while evading questions. Nunes and Spicer need to watch his press conferences.
@ Original T.C- I completely get it and I don’t have any sympathy for these shmucks either. Can you imagine if a female press secretary handled things the way Spicy does?
She would be vilified to no end.
Kitten, I’ve heard the same thing said about that trump pundit Jeffery Lord, and I’ve struggled with the idea of being a good person and still support the policies of the far right. It’s like the old argument people make about their exes. “He’s a terrible partner, but a great Dad”. Really? Can that be possible?
Donald probably makes him eat a shit sandwich if he doesn’t display dominance, and we know the only way for impotent cowards to feel dominant is to harass women and minorities.
I watched this live also and was ashamed at the treatment of Ms Ryan, a three-POTUS WH correspondent…soon to be FOUR!!!!!
What an a$$. She wasn’t even shaking her head when he told her to stop.
Spicy’s behavior is atrocious, for sure. But it’s all distraction from DT’s regressive policies. He rolled back environmental regs, workplace safety regs and promoted filthy coal energy. All yesterday.
God this administration is evil.
This is another example of that same sh!t I was talking about yesterday: to wit, Auntie Rep. Maxine Waters getting insulted live on air by some overtall serial workplace sexual harraser, April Ryan here, for the secobd time in under a year being talked to like she istheir negro (NOT✋🏾) random white people telling them about themselves, the way they look, how they carry themselves, their hair their tone policing them this is exactly what is never extended to black women in many predominantly white spaces and a handy lesson on why i’m never letting that Rachel Transracial trash prosper under my face, These are excellent women being treated any kind of way in public by actual certified Dirtbags. As such I encourage those of you with ears listening and actively trying to learn instead of positing Bullsh!t “But what if for the sake of negating your real ass plight _____”(Alllives but not all men and certainly not all transbeckys) to Peruse what is like for Most of us in the #BlackWomenAtWork Tag on Twitter (but if its too long for yall Black women talking about how when and where they get undermined at work, to share with class A few weeks back a contractor put his hands through my hair cause “now is curly” so.. neat stuff like that)
Are you allowed to slap his face because “now it’s ugly”? I’m sorry you had to deal with that. Would a loud, “Would you stop touching me?” work. I knew a (white) woman who said that when a co-worker grabbed her. The right person overheard her and the grabby guy was reassigned.
These incidents perfectly illustrate what you and other WoC commenters were saying on the becky with the bad perm thread from yesterday.
And I continue to be horrified by the stories that black women have shared in this forum of random white strangers touching their hair. Like what in the actual f*ck is wrong with people.
Me too, Kitten, me too. Never in a million years would I walk up to anyone and put my hands on them or something as personal as their hair. How can anyone be so casually demeaning? Like you said, horrifying.
Between your boss and people like this contractor, I feel for you.
I do hope that you immediately filed a workplace complaint. No vendor/contractor/boss/fellow employee has the right to touch another person, especially not when combined with such a comment.
I’m so sorry that happened to you QQ.
Spicey is making the job of the sketch writers very easy at this point.
Isn’t that the truth? They’re going to have so much to choose from that it will be ridiculous. They could probably do a whole SNL of nothing but Melissa McCarthy’s Spicey.
Is he any better with getting people’s name right? That was so embarassing there for awhile where he would continue to get the name wrong.
If the journalist wants to shake their head, then so be it.
It was a disgusting and revealing display on Spicer’s part. He should apologize but won’t, of course.
He’s as likely to apologize as his Orange Master will apologize to Barack Obama. Never.
Kudos to April Ryan for keeping her cool while that disgusting mouthpiece was dissing her. I don’t think I could have.
Did I see wrong, or was he shaking his head when he told her not to shake her head? I don’t think they should boycott. They need to keep pressing the issues with all these people and not let up.
This is why I couldn’t do it because I would have said I’m a grown ass woman.I will shake my head,roll my eyes…
Let me calm down
Be Strong April.She told Brooke on CNN she has never experienced anything like this in all years at the WH.
I think that the next press conference they have, all the members of the press should sit there and shake their heads like a bunch of bobble-heads gone crazy. Spicer would go into cardiac arrest.
This gave me a good chuckle. Thanks!
On the very day #blackwomenatwork trended on Twitter with tales of black women dealing with condescension and racism at work, we have this accomplished, published professional journalist being talked down to by the miniature talking puppet of a false president. How dare you, Spicer?! They want to run her off. Intimidate her into keeping quiet. It. Won’t. Work.
QQ – Just WOW. What an entitled moron. I have curly hair but haven’t had people touch it since I was a child. This is a sickening but true everyday occurrence for black women. As soon as I read it I had the immediate reaction that the hand should be macheted at the wrist and I’m a pacifist.
All of the special snowflakes in Pinocchio’s reign need to put their big boy/girl pants on. Their tiresome tantrums reek of their overlord. Spicer & company need shock collars.
April and other news reporters need to keep asking tough questions. All of them need to attend to bear witness & keep barraging these liars. We need them to expose the lies and hypocrisy. Right on April!
What this racist incident throws into stark relief, is how wide the chasm is between a true professional like April Ryan and a trashy hack like Spicer.
I thought he was imitating Mellissa McCarthy. Word.
trying to intimidate a journalist…although as a journalist myself (on a much smaller scale) it is best not to be too expressive when writing in your notebook but from my experience she could have been shaking her head for many, many other reasons…like “what am I going to write after this turkey tells me a bunch of lies” and thinking..”how will I get this story in before lunch with so few quotes?” who knows what she was shaking her head for…but for someone to call you out on it in front of all your colleagues is embarrassing and rarely happens or should not happen and is an attempt to intimidate and humiliate. Bad.
@Geneva, Um, I’m a journalist, too. And she is shaking her head because he is directly making accusatory statements to her. He is not just speaking generally, so I think it’s totally fine that she was being expressive. There is no rule preventing journalists from being expressive. Journalists are, after all, human beings, not robots. I have never been told that I have to have a completely blank face when interacting with spokespeople, and I have written for national, highly established publications.
Trying to make April Ryan the story and I can see Trump’s revengeful spirit in back of Spicer’s over-personalizing of her.
This and the Maxine Waters incident remind me of this election day gem brought to us by Patton Oswalt – “What I’ve learned so far tonight: America is WAAAAAAAAY more sexist than it is racist. And it’s pretty fucking racist.”
For the second time this poor reporter gets hit with crap from this ridiculous administration. Enough with the microaggressions, brings back memories of the ones I experienced.
This is a guy lashing out in panic because he’s in way over his head, and he knows it. It’s truly pathetic.
April Ryan was on Hardball tonight. Pure grace and dignity. You could tell she didn’t really want to discuss Spicer. She was all business.
Chris showed a clip of Hillary Clinton speaking on this topic. Part of what Hillary said: “Too many women, especially women of color, have had a lifetime of practice, taking precisely these kinds of indignities in stride”.
Ryan’s reaction: “I wash shocked that she did it. But, um, she’s right”.
I watch the clown show live almost everyday. Spicer can barely keep the sneer off his now “Trumped-bronze” face at times as his anger bubbles not far below the surface. At times, you can see him physically straining to keep himself under control.
I’m actually glad in a way that Spicer is such a douchebag. Everybody gets to see for themselves every day the “phenomenal” incompetence and pervasive sleaziness of the Trump administration. His boss thinks he’s doing a good job? That says it all.
The seasoned journalists like April Ryan have met and interviewed a LOT of azzholes over the years. Spicer may be doing it bigly but he is surely nothing new to them.
On days when he is particularly bad, like this recent incident, I sometimes go to youtube and re-watch the Melissa McCarthy SNL sketches. And I laugh and laugh.
Yes, Sean, people are not laughing WITH you, they are laughing AT you!