Spicer Clash with Report a Blow to Credibility
BOLDUAN: White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, and the press, it's safe to say at times has not been the most harmonious of relationships. But when is it ever with the press secretary and the press? One that has often led to some fiery exchanges in the daily press briefings, like this one yesterday with reporter April Ryan. Watch.</s>SEAN SPICER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: But, April, hold on. It seems like you're hellbent trying to make sure that whatever image you want to tell about this White House stays. Because at the end of the day, let me --</s>SPICER: OK. But, you know what, you're asking me a question and I'm going to answer it, which is the president -- I'm sorry, please stop shaking your head again.</s>BOLDUAN: Joining me now CNN political commentator, Angela Rye, the former director of the Congressional Black Caucus; Joe Borelli is here, Republican New York Councilman; and Jackie Kucinich is here, CNN political commentator, Washington bureau chief for "The Daily Beast." Angela, a lot of people talking about that moment, April Ryan, having her own say about it. Did you see a problem with that exchange yesterday?</s>ANGELA RYE, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Absolutely. Absolutely. In part, because this is now the third instance of disrespect for April Ryan in this White House. Donald Trump set the tone. Omarosa (ph) had an issue. They were once friends and now this. April Ryan for many people, not just African-Americans but many people is a very straight shooter, a tremendous reporter and deserves jut most respect. He doesn't get to be a daddy and tell her not to shake her head.</s>BOLDUAN: Do you think it's gotten to the point that Hillary Clinton has gotten to? Do you think it's racist and sexist?</s>RYE: I think it definitely was sexist. I think the other issues she's had he with the White House have issues with racism. Again, we've had issues historically of people believing that all black people look the same. Donald Trump thought all black people know each other, and she should set up a meeting with the CBC, despite being a reporter.</s>BOLDUAN: I will say this. Sean Spicer has worked in Washington for a long time. I think a lot of folks will agree no one has ever sensed any racism or sexism coming from him, Jackie. He was asked to respond this morning on the Hugh Hewitt show. Here's what he said?</s>SPICER (voice-over): April is a tough reporter that knows how to throw it back and take it back. So to somehow -- I think it's frankly demeaning to for some folks to say she can't take it. We went back and forth. I disagreed with the angle and the way she was coming at the question. But that's what we do, we go back and forth. I don't treat one person different than the next. But to suggest that somehow, because of her gender or race, she would be treat differently, I think is frankly demeaning to her.</s>BOLDUAN: White House briefings get tense. That's not unique to this White House. Do you think Sean Spicer is more helping or hurting the White House with this stuff?</s>JACKIE KUCINICH, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I don't think that this had anything to do with her race or gender. I think this has to do with respect. I think the way that this White House is conducting themselves with reporters and adversaries, in general, the name calling, the condescending nature that we saw yesterday, that is corrosive. We've all had chippy conversations with press secretaries.</s>BOLDUAN: Yeah.</s>KUCINICH: That's the nature of this job. But it does go too far. Sean Spicer called another reporter an idiot this week. That's not appropriate.</s>KUCINICH: That's not appropriate on a playground and certainly isn't appropriate in the White House briefing room.</s>BOLDUAN: If you take there and misstatements coming from the podium since inauguration day, Joe, do you think the press secretary's credibility has been hurt?</s>JOSEPH BORELLI, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think Sean has a tough job, and one he needs to repair some of the damage he may have done over the first few months. The initial press conference with the crowd size didn't help. (</s>CROSSTALK0 BORELLI: We can't treat every instance, like this one, like it's a unique, the first time it ever happened. There's no evidence that there's any gender discrimination in this. Sean is an equal opportunity brash responder to people of both sexes. He's not the first to do it. Roberts Gibbs was cited by "The Daily Beast" as having a contentious relationship, often in shouting matches with reporters.</s>BOLDUAN: Yep.</s>BORELLI: President Obama, in 2016, got into a little shouting match with a "Washington Post" reporter in October. There was headlines about that. We can't treat this as unique because it's Sean Spicer and because it's Trump.</s>BOLDUAN: I've clashed many times with Sean Spicer. I never thought it had to do with my gender. I'll say that much. But to this point, if his credibility has taken a hit, if he's lost all credibility, who is he losing credibility with? Here's my point. Would it be any different coming from that podium from a different press secretary when the tone is set from the top, the man in office?</s>RYE: That's very true. Part of the issue here is I think, I don't know Sean Spicer. But I watched him interact with you during the campaign. That is a completely different person than who's presenting it himself at the podium. I'm sorry, he's a totally different guy. I've heard people say he's very respectable and all of that. It is a problem at the top. Donald Trump does set the tone. You see how leadership trickles down to the bottom. He is the person that is to blame for this new spicy Sean Spicer.</s>BOLDUAN: Do you think it would be different if it was a different press secretary? And I mean that, because the tone is set from the top. The message has been all along with this administration that often, what it comes from those daily briefings is for an audience of one, the president.</s>KUCINICH: It is the audience of one. Look how some of his surrogates, people on the campaign behaved during the campaign towards reporters. It's all you need to know. And Donald Trump likes this is combative in your face style. He doesn't really take much stock in the press. And it shows. It really does. And so everyone has a different style, of course, and maybe someone would approach it separate. I feel some of the press secretaries stood up there and on the Hill, you know when someone's being straight with you. Sometimes you just don't think Sean Spicer straight with the people in that room and the American people beyond the cameras.</s>BOLDUAN: If he -- if he wants to turn around the relationship with the press -- and let's be honest, a contentious relationship with the press has been great for this president, pre-taking office and post- taking office. How does he do it.</s>BORELLI: I think he's got a lot of work to do. But as Jackie was saying, with the way surrogates acted during the campaign -- I was a surrogate myself -- but I have to say --</s>BORELLI: No, no. But I was probably scolded worse on panels like this than Sean Spicer scolded this reporter.</s>RYE: Come on.</s>RYE: The only time we had a moment --</s>BORELLI: I'm saying it's a two-way street, that this type of relationship, this type of contention, this type of language is sometimes often used in relationships like this. We can't treat it as unique.</s>BOLDUAN: All right, guys, thanks so much.</s>RYE: Thank you, Kate.</s>BOLDUAN: Thanks for joining us AT THIS HOUR, everybody. "Inside Politics" with John King starts right now.</s>JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you, Kate. Welcome to "Inside Politics." I'm John King.