Incoming press secretary Sean Spicer told Joe Concha of The Hill that the media are still not treating President-elect Donald Trump with respect, and insisted the media continue to cheer on Democrats without shame.
“There's some positive aspects here and there, but largely it still continues to not treat him with the respect that he deserves,” Spicer said.
“I think for a lot of folks inside the beltway, and inside pundit-world, they don't fully appreciate the understanding that he has of where the American people are," Spicer continued. “They continue to mock him in ways, when it frankly just shows the lack of understanding of that they have of where the American people are and what they think.”
Spicer also criticized what he said are “countless examples” of the media cheering on Democrats.
“There are countless examples of the media engaging — overtly or covertly — cheering on Democrats and there's no accountability. But it's also not even frowned upon,” he said.
Concha reported Spicer “doubled down on previous signals from Trumpland” that they will be shaking up the way the White House press corps is handled, although he said the new administration intends to talk the media each day.
“It will be a daily something. When I say 'something,' maybe it's a gaggle, maybe it's an on-camera briefing,” Spicer explained.
“Maybe we solicit talk radio and regional newspapers to submit questions — because they can't afford to be in Washington — but they still have a question. Maybe we just let the American people submit questions that we read off as well,” he added.
Concha noted a recent poll found six in ten Americans would like Donald Trump to stop tweeting, as if it was undignified. Spicer suggested Trump has a right to call out the media for being reckless or partisan:
“Journalists and everyone in America has a Constitutional right to express themselves or write what they want to write,” Spicer explained.
“But he equally has a right to make sure that the record is set straight, the facts are known, and that people can't just take potshots without being held accountable.”
