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Sean Spicer in a bake off

I predicted this train wreck.

Tapping my vast network of contacts in D.C., I published a post on May 16 that managed to piece together President Trump’s first draft of a job description for press secretary.

When it comes to this White House, the smoke signals don’t lie. Sean Spicer resigned last Friday.

Let’s look at the positive side. Sean Spicer in the role of press secretary brought new-found interest in the communications function.  Even if you weren’t a fan of Spicer (and who was after he chastised journalists for not being able to count the people at the President’s inauguration?), there’s no getting around the fact that the erratic behavior of his boss made the job impossible.

The New York Times noted that “Whoever replaces Mr. Spicer will inherit one of the toughest public relations jobs in modern political history.” I suppose if the new press secretary avoids Melissa McCarthy’s parodies, that’s a win.

As for Mr. Spicer, what becomes of him?

He would certainly give CNN a ratings spike.

But here’s where things get interesting. Again, my D.C. sources tell me that Spicer is quite the baker, enjoying nothing more than creating cherry crumbles and the like as a means to unwind. I haven’t been able to authenticate the photo above, but there’s talk that he’s headed to Great British Bake Off. What’s more, consider this seemingly innocuous comment from Spicer on Fox News, pointing out that with the appointment of Mr Scaramucci’s there was a risk of “too many cooks in the kitchen.”

In the meantime, reaction to his resignation flooded the air waves. Here are some of the more amusing comments and passages:

Every day when I went up to that podium to speak to the bad press, I would speak into the big sticks and wizard’s magic would make my voice loud. I spoke into the magic sticks and said loud words. It was so fun to say the loud words to the bad press.

− “You’re Not Going to Believe This, But We Somehow Got Sean Spicer’s Resignation Letter”  (Mashable, July 21, 2017)

Comment: Apparently, Mashable also has the ability to tap sources in D.C.

Sean Spicer’s detractors might say that he sold his soul to lie on behalf of an unhinged and unfit president. Fair. But we shouldn’t welcome his exit. We shouldn’t be happy about this. Mr. Spicer was truly the perfect mouthpiece for the Trump White House, and, in the same way one might feel phantom pain in an amputated gangrene-ridden arm, he will be missed.

− “We’ll Miss You Sean Spicer ” (The New York Times, July 21, 2017)

Comment: And President Trump thought The New York Times lacked empathy for his administration.

By the end of his active tenure as press secretary — which we can date to June when the administration started platooning in Sarah Huckabee Sanders for on-camera briefings—Spicer had become the Lord Haw-Haw of the Trump administration. That’s a mighty harsh appraisal. Lord Haw-Haw was, after all, a British citizen who broadcast German propaganda into the UK from Hamburg during World War II.

− “Should You Feel Sorry For Sean Spicer?” (Politico, July 21, 2017)

Comment: You could also make comparisons to Lord Farquaad who knew how to command a stage.

As the lights go out on Sean Spicer’s unforgettably awful tenure, we can only wish — for his sake — that he had seen this moment coming and saved himself months of humiliation. Instead, likable as he is said to be, Spicer goes down in history as a joke: The president’s spokesman who couldn’t speak for the president.”

− “Don’t Cry For Spicer. His Tenure Was a Disaster from Day One and He Should Have Quit Immediately.” (The Washington Post, July 21, 2017)

Comment: That last line is unfair. He delivered a perfect microcosm of the White House to journalists and the outside world.

“I am grateful for Sean’s work on behalf of my administration and the American people. I wish him continued success as he moves on to pursue new opportunities — just look at his great television ratings.”

− “Sean Spicer, White House Press Secretary, Resigns” (Statement from President in CNN, July 21, 2017)

Comment: This stuff writes itself. The White House gig is a reality TV show from the perch of President Trump.

Less than a month into his new job, White House press secretary Sean Spicer needed to keep his food and drink cold. He wanted a mini-fridge. He dispatched a top aide to a nearby executive office building where junior research employees are crammed into a room, surviving on Lean Cuisine frozen lunches. Mr. Spicer wants your icebox, the aide said, according to people familiar with the incident. They refused to give it up. So Mr. Spicer waited until sundown — after his young staffers had left — to take matters into his own hands. He was spotted by a fellow White House official lugging the icebox down the White House driveway after 8 p.m.

− “Sean Spicer Faced Myriad Obstacles During Dramatic White House Rise and Fall” (The Wall Street Journal, July 21, 2017)

Comment: Now that’s a delicious anecdote. On one hand, you have to respect Sean for his tenacity and problem-solving acuity. On the other hand and the bigger story missed by the WSJ reporter, Sean’s power had diminished to the point that he couldn’t expense a $60 mini fridge from Walmart.

Back to the big picture, I’ll continue to follow the crumbs to see if they lead to Sean appearing on the Great British Bake Off.

Or perhaps I’ll just ask him if he has a killer recipe for a cherry crumble.

Side note: I appreciate the helping hand from our intern Gerard Smith, who handled some of the heavy lifting (research) for this post.

Comments

  • Amy Horton

    You were a little too quick with the keyboard trigger yesterday, with the Mooch now out after only 10 days as WH comms director. You apparently just can’t quit Trump, as much as you try!

    Reply

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