On Wednesday, the White House Press Briefing
began with Press Secretary Sarah Sanders stating, “The President has made it
clear that his administration will not tolerate foreign interference in our
elections from any nation-state or other dangerous actor.”
“Last year, the
President signed an executive order to strengthen and review the cybersecurity
of our nation and its critical infrastructure. Last week, the President
chaired a meeting of his National Security Council to address ongoing threats.
He asked the officials standing next to me to brief the American people on the
work being done to protect the integrity of our elections.”
“Efforts are underway
to provide cybersecurity assistance to state and local authorities, and actions
to investigate, prosecute, and hold accountable those who illegally attempt to
interfere in our political and electoral process.”
“To address these
matters further, I want to welcome Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats,
FBI Director Christopher Wray, Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen,
Director of the National Security Agency General Paul Nakasone, and National
Security Advisor John Bolton to make some comments and take questions on this
topic.”
“As you all know, we’ve
addressed what occurred during the 2016 election numerous times and rather
extensively. The purpose of today’s briefing is about what we are doing
now and, in the future, to protect the integrity of our elections moving
forward, and we ask that you stay on that topic.”
Each of the
abovementioned officials gave a opening statement and Sanders opened the floor
for questions. She first called on Fox
News’ John Roberts who asked a question of Dan Coats, Director of National
Intelligence. Next, Sanders called on Toluse Olorunnipa of Bloomberg News who
had a question for FBI Director Christopher Wray. Then Saagar Enjeti of The Daily Caller was
given the opportunity to ask Director Coats a question. Jeff Zeleny of CNN also had a question for
Coats. Blake Burman of Fox News posed a
question to FBI Director Wray. National
Security Advisor John Bolton got a question from Jennifer Jacobs of Bloomberg
News.
And so it went. At no time was CNN’s Jim Acosta anywhere in the mix on critical issues
concerning “malign influence operations” that target election infrastructure
and voter registration databases. Instead, he bided his time until
this happened:
SARAH GILBERT─NPR: Ivanka
Trump made two statements this morning at odds with positions of her
father. She said the media are not the enemy of the people, and also
called family separation at the border a low point. But what does the
President think of the statements?
SANDERS: Certainly, the President himself has
stated that he doesn’t like the idea of family separation. I don’t think
anybody does. We also don’t like the idea of open borders. We don’t
like the idea of allowing people into our country if we don’t know who they
are, where they’re going and why they’re coming.
The President wants to
secure our borders, which is why he has asked Congress to fix the law. We
haven’t been unclear about what our position is here. We want to secure
the borders. We want to change the law. It’s Congress’s job to do
that. We’d like them, particularly Democrats, to stop playing political
games and step up and do their jobs.
GILBERT: And on
the press being an enemy of the people or not being?
SANDERS: The President is rightfully
frustrated. Ninety percent of the coverage on him is negative, despite
the fact that the economy is booming, ISIS is on the run, and American
leadership is being reasserted around the world.
Just this week, the
media refused to cover his remarks in Florida, highlighting efforts on
workforce development. In fact, the pooler for the press said that there
was no news made, despite the fact that the governor of the state joined with
dozens of businesses across the state of Florida to announce thousands of new
jobs.
That may not be news in
Washington, DC, but I can assure you that it’s news in the state of Florida,
that people that didn’t have a job before this President took office have
better opportunity and the opportunity to have a job moving forward.
That’s actually real news and something that people in the state of Florida and
across this country appreciate. And that was totally ignored.
Not only that—before, a
journalist on CNN claimed that the President hadn’t taken questions in over a
week, despite the fact that same journalist did a live shot from the two-and-two
press conference that the President had with the Prime Minister of Italy just
moments after making that accusation.
With this sort of
misinformation and lack of interest that’s so pervasive in the media, it’s
completely understandable for the President to be frustrated.
Gilbert’s question, obviously
prearranged, swung open the door for CNN’s Jim Acosta to grandstand in front of
the nation.
ACOSTA: I just wanted to
follow up on Sarah’s question from NPR. She asked you about Ivanka
Trump’s statement that the press is not the enemy of the people. And she
asked you whether or not the press is the enemy of the people.
You read off a laundry
list of your concerns about the press and things that you feel like are
misreported, but you did not say that the press is not the enemy of the
people. And I think it would be a good thing if you were to say, right
here, at this briefing, that the press, the people who are gathered in this
room right now, doing their jobs every day, asking questions of officials like
the ones you brought forward earlier, are not the enemy of the people. I
think we deserve that.
SANDERS: If the President has made his position
known, I also think it’s ironic —
ACOSTA: Would you mind
telling us, Sarah, if you don’t —
SANDERS: I’m trying to answer your
question. I politely waited, and I even called on you despite the fact
that you interrupted me while calling on your colleague.
ACOSTA: Well, you attacked
our news organization —
SANDERS: I said it’s ironic —
ACOSTA: — which is why I interrupted.
SANDERS: I’m trying —
ACOSTA: But when you
finish, if you would not mind letting me have a follow-up, that would be fine.
SANDERS: It’s ironic, Jim, that not only you and
the media attack the President for his rhetoric when they frequently lower the
level of conversation in this country. Repeatedly — repeatedly — the
media resorts to personal attacks without any content other than to incite
anger.
The media has attacked
me personally on a number of occasions, including your own network; saying I
should be harassed as a life sentence; that I should be choked. ICE
officials are not welcome in their place of worship and personal information is
shared on the Internet. When I was hosted by the Correspondents’
Association, of which almost all of you are members, you brought a comedian up
to attack my appearance and called me a traitor to my own gender.
ACOSTA: We didn’t try to do
that, Sarah.
SANDERS: In fact, as far as I know, I’m the first
Press Secretary in the history of the United States that’s required Secret
Service protection.
SOMEONE YELLS: Tell
that to the five dead people in Annapolis.
SOMEONE ELSE YELLS: Brian,
let her finish.
SANDERS: The media continues to ratchet up the
verbal assault against the President and everyone in this Administration, and
certainly we have a role to play, but the media has a role to play for the
discourse in this country, as well.
ACOSTA: And, Sarah, if you
don’t mind — hold on, if I may follow up. If I may follow up —
(Inaudible)
ACOSTA: — excuse me.
You did not say, in the course of those remarks that you just made, that the
press is not the enemy of the people. Are we to take it, from what you
just said — we all get put through the wringer, we all get put in the meat
grinder in this town, and you’re no exception. And I’m sorry that that
happened to you. I wish that that had not happened.
But for the sake of
this room, the people who are in this room, this democracy, this country, all
the people around the world are watching what you’re saying, Sarah. And
the White House, for the United States of America, the President of the United
States should not refer to us as the enemy of the people. His own
daughter acknowledges that, and all I’m asking you to do, Sarah, is to acknowledge
that right now and right here.
SANDERS: I appreciate your passion; I share
it. I’ve addressed this question. I’ve addressed my personal
feelings. I’m here to speak on behalf of the President, and he’s made his
comments clear.
I found it utterly
appalling that some idiot thought reminding the Press Secretary of the tragic
shooting of journalists at the Capital Gazette in Annapolis was germane given
the fact that the tragedy involved the personal grudge of a madman and nothing whatsoever
to do with President Trump.
If he doesn't want to
hear the truth, he should just stay home and watch CNN.
UPDATE: Welcome readers of Bad Blue Uncensored
News. We are grateful to Doug Ross
for linking to this post.
UPDATE II: Welcome readers of the GOP
Briefing Room. We are grateful to
Pookie for linking to this post.
