July 21, 2017

Sean Spicer resigns.

"Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, resigned on Friday morning, telling President Trump he vehemently disagreed with the appointment of the New York financier Anthony Scaramucci as communications director," the NYT reports.

ADDED: Earlier this morning, from Politico:
Scaramucci, who is a frequent TV surrogate for Trump, is liked by the president. Trump "thinks he is really good at making the case for him," one of these people said. "He loves him on TV."
Here's how he looks on TV (from a month ago), in case you want to check out what Trump loves:



UPDATE: Scaramucci is the new communications director. The new press secretary is Sarah Huckabee Sanders (WaPo).

110 comments:

rcocean said...

That's very disappointing. I liked Sean Spicer a lot.

Oso Negro said...

Scaramouche, Scaramouche, can you dance the fandango?

Jael (Gone Windwalking) said...

Time for me to do the cha-cha, until my tiny little nipples go to France.

This woman, mean as she can be is saying, “this is your mission, should you choose to accept it.”

WTF.

Jael (Gone Windwalking) said...

... out.

Etienne said...

What a bunch of losers.

Trump is trying to make the Presidency a family business. He has completely left the road.

Trump has lost my confidence that he can drain the swamp. He has tested the water, and he likes the smell, and now he is going in all the way.

Comanche Voter said...

Rough there at Pecos on the Potomac. Some days you are a cowboy; other days you are an Indian.

Matt Sablan said...

Isn't Scaramucci the guy who CNN lied about?

I don't know if it is a good or bad move to pick someone to work in communications who starts in such a clearly hostile position.

Humperdink said...

Disappointing. Spicer was a true soldier for Trump.

YoungHegelian said...

I clicked over & expected to see, like, you know, a story. What an "inside baseball" story!

Would it have killed someone at the Times to explain what impact Scaramucci's appointment would have on Spicer? Is the WH "Communications Director" Spicer's direct "report to" boss? Or, if not, what is chain of authority?

I understand that this is a developing story, but that doesn't mean the Times can't flesh out the situation more than it did. What's the problem between Spicer & Scaramucci will ultimately come out, but there's no reason not to understand the bureaucratic structure behind it all from the start.

Bay Area Guy said...

I liked Spicer -- he was somewhat contentious. I actually think those SNL skits about him probably hurt him, politically, and thus slightly hurt his boss. Ergo, he had to go.

I remember those SNL skits where John Goodman played a big fat Linda Tripp -- which I think played an effective role in undermining Ken Starr's investigation of the Lewinsky blow-job scandal. Admittedly, it wasn't much of a scandal. Unlawful use of a cigar? Who knows.

Culture is a powerful force, let's not forget.

Qwinn said...

And everyone who hated Spicer yesterday will suddenly respect and admire him in 3... 2... 1...

Darrell said...

Replace him with Paul Joseph Watson.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8FknvfSInU

Mr. D said...

I’m more concerned about the potential loss of the Sean Spicier Twitter account.

Jael (Gone Windwalking) said...

Etienne said...

Etienne! On my way out, thank you!

Yesterday for Roadrunner/Coyote.

I refuse to watch it - yet. No, no, no, no, never! Coyote can never eat Roadrunner. I accuse you of making shit up!

“Wiley E. Coyote - Genius,” forever is my cure for narcissism! I DON’T need Obamacare. Just Wiley!

If Wiley gets the bird (and I’m about to give it to him), then the series is over. I die drowning in my pool of Narcissus. The world ends. Etienne is to blame.

Etienne! - cure for narcissism: “Earthquake Pills!” Once a week - take "Earthquake Pills!"

I will not watch that episode (yet)!

Bob Ellison said...

This is a press secretary. He only matters to the press folks.

Jimmy Carter fired his entire cabinet.

The Bergall said...

Who would want the damn job in the first place?

Michael P said...

I'm with Mr. D. I never followed the White House press briefings, and so never had an opinion on Sean Spicer, but his Twitter alter ego has been awesome.

Rick.T. said...

I was hoping Sarah Huckabee Sanders would get a promotion.

Matt Sablan said...

"Jimmy Carter fired his entire cabinet."

-- How'd that work out for him?

Drago said...

Trump is trying to make the Presidency a family business. He has completely left the road.

Laughable.

Scaramucci is not a family member.

Do you have any relevant criticism?

Etienne said...

Scaramucci has been a lap dog since the Trumps immigrated to Washington DC.

He's been humping Ivanka's leg, and Kushner likes to scratch his ears.

I don't see anything good out of it, except maybe some puppies later in the fall...

Drago said...

Etienne: ".........(lots of meaningless stuff here)...."

Scaramucci will be fine in the Director role with Sarah as Press Secretary.

Chuck said...

Looking forward to Sean Spicer's book!

MayBee said...

Scaramucc! Scaramucc!
Can you do the fandango?

Etienne said...

Drago said...Scaramucci is not a family member.

Are you saying a lap dog is not a family member?!!

What kind of man are you? :-)

Drago said...

"Looking forward to Sean Spicer's book!"

As much as you enjoyed Joe McGinniss's hatchet job on Sarah Palin?

Clyde said...

Sean Spicier parody Twitter account hardest hit...

Drago said...

Etienne: "Are you saying a lap dog is not a family member?!"

Yes, I'm saying exactly that.

In this case, Scaramucci is simply a strong supporter and self-made fellow who has achieved great success on his own.

But go ahead with your trashing of him. It will save Chuck and Maddow a little work.

Drago said...

Sean Spicier parody Twitter account hardest hit...

Nonsense!

I feel a "Ghost of Sean Spicier" twitter account coming on which will live forever!

Matt Sablan said...

The more I think of it, the more I think that's a bad change. Your spokespeople should never be the story, and Scaramucci has been in the news. He's a useful surrogate, but better outside than in.

Unknown said...

A good addition to the Trump Crime Syndicate.

Drago said...

Your spokespeople should never be the story, and Scaramucci has been in the news.

Scaramucci has been a rather solid spokesperson and campaign/admin rep.

On the plus side, he comes "Pre-lied About" by a certain Althouse commentator's beloved CNN where CNN had to back down, so that's a plus.

rhhardin said...

I don't know about the replacement but Spicer can't do zingers.

Drago said...

Unknown: "A good addition to the Trump Crime Syndicate."

A crime syndicate so fantastically vast and powerful no actual crimes can be identified nor even mentioned.

But labels are fun!

I for one would like to thank Unknown for resurrecting the "Bush Family Evil Empire" talk that disappeared for awhile.

Remember, the lefties told us during the W admin that the Bush family had actually financed Hitler!!

LOL

Gee, were we not supposed to remember the decades of insane accusations coming from the left? Not to worry, a certain commenter will be along shortly to obfuscate and minimize all the previous lies.

rhhardin said...

Press conferences should be done in morse code, to prevent network grandstanding.

rhhardin said...

By your seat you'll find a J-38 straight key for questions.

Darrell said...

DBQ called it yesterday. Why we need a new Press Secretary--

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8FknvfSInU

Nyamujal said...

Sean Spicer was the best white house press secretary ever, period.

Thorley Winston said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
n.n said...

With finance and communication, there is a separation of roles. The conflict between Spicer and Scaramucci must be personal. As is the conflict between establishment and Trump, between journolists and facts, between anti-nativists and Americans, Libyans, Ukrainians, etc.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Press secretary job now open.

I wonder what Milo is up to these days...

Etienne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Etienne said...

Scaramucci: "...and the other thing I have learned about these people in Washington is they have no money. So what happens when they have no fucking money is they fight about what seat they are in and what the title is."

"Fucking congressmen act like that. They are fucking jackasses. Do you know how many congressional liaisons we are going to have?"

"I don’t either, but I told Pence, it should be four times whatever Obama had."

"I don’t know how many he had, but I’m telling you that didn’t work out. I’m telling [Pence] if you want to decrease the government, you gotta increase it in certain ways."

Sounds like an used car salesman to me... In a town surrounded by swamps...

Wince said...

Sure, that's who they say he is, but does he have a superfluous third nipple to prove it?

Thorley Winston said...

Just checked the New York Times and their headline reads: Sean Spicer Resigns - Melissa McCarthy Hardest Hit.

tcrosse said...

Sounds like an used car salesman to me.

More appropriately, a guy selling time-shares.

Drago said...

Etienne: "Sounds like an used car salesman to me... In a town surrounded by swamps..."

Well, it's probably necessary for you to pigeon hole everything into mental "cubbies" that you know best.

I wont attempt to dissuade you regarding this Tufts-Economics/Harvard Law JD/Winner of Entrepreneur of the Year award (E&Y) in 2016 as well as a recognized global finance power player.

So, yeah, if that CV doesn't just "scream" "used car salesman" I don't know what does!

Well played Etienne!

Unknown said...

Poor Spicey, out on his ear and what has he got to show for it? The loss of his dignity and credibility for a long time to come, if not for the rest of his career in this field. Who would hire this man after his stint with the Trump Crime Syndicate?

glenn said...

And in an instant Sean Spicer morphs from amiable dunce carrying water for evil megalomaniac Trump to BESTEST PRESS SPOKESPERSON EVER forced to resign by evil megalomaniac Trump.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Spicer was a very good press secretary. That job has to be horribly stressful and wearing on a person's mental and physical health. It must be difficult to put up with the moronic, repeated, shouted questions day after day. The same stupid question that you said you couldn't answer already, being asked 20 different ways by 20 different morons.

I would snap and go all Jurassic Park on the reporters. Raaaaawr!!!!! Probably Spicer is taking a break before they have to haul him away to a rubber room or before going ballistic and strangling one of the idiot reporters.

Kate said...

Diamond and Silk, now's your chance!

Drago said...

Unknown 2017: "Who would hire this man after his stint with the Trump Crime Syndicate?"

Every leftist 2007: Bush Crime Family eleventy!!1!11!!!1!

https://www.amazon.com/Immaculate-Deception-Crime-Family-Exposed/dp/0922356807

Blurb: "Perhaps the most shocking book written this century about treason committed by the highest leaders within the US government."

Wow.

Crime family accusations. Treason accusations!

It all sounds so familiar, doesn't it.

But remember, Trump is "unique"...except for every other republican the left accused of all the same "crimes".

Nonapod said...

Never a dull moment with Trump.

D 2 said...

No reports yet if the "new Press Secretary Rob Goldstone" rumours, cited in an Azerbaijani pop music list serve, are true.

Developing....

Drago said...

DBQ: "Spicer was a very good press secretary"

Spicer has the generic skills and background to be a good press secretary.

However, he was not a "good fit" for this "disrupting" operations and communications environment. He would do well in any typical run of the mill Washington or corporate engagements.

Etienne said...

as well as a recognized global finance power player.

New York Magazine: '...the Mooch, as he is affectionately called, is known more for his charismatic personality and relentless self-promotion than the middling performance of his company, SkyBridge Capital, a “fund of funds,” which invests in other hedge funds for a fee."'

I'm laying down my full house, to your puppies... You can pay the waitress tip, I'm cashing out.

Drago said...

Etienne believes a that a New York Magazine quote is somehow dispository.

LOL

Adorable.

I don't blame you for running out of the room on that dud finish.

TreeJoe said...

I'm sorry but Sean Spicer was terribly ineffective the few things I truly tuned in to him, and his visual presentation and body language was not good either.

traditionalguy said...

The day that the Health Care Bill sabotage was finished by Sneaky Snake Ryan was the day that Ryan's inside spies, Priebus and Spicer were as good as gone.

Hunter said...

Based on that clip he seems pretty collected and articulate.

Spicer's attack dog schtick was plenty entertaining, but I don't know if it was particularly helpful.

Perhaps Trump is planning to install a "good cop" to follow Spicer's "bad cop".

Fritz said...

Drago said...
Sean Spicier parody Twitter account hardest hit...

Nonsense!

I feel a "Ghost of Sean Spicier" twitter account coming on which will live forever!


Scaramucciest

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

SNL gearing up to mock the next one. You know - like they mocked Obama's cabinet and staff picks...

Lawcruiter said...

Pity Spicer wasn't as effective (and entertaining) as his Twitter parody account:
https://twitter.com/sean_spicier

Unknown said...

this is most incoherent and idiotic set of comments I've ever seen on AA.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

America was lucky to have our very own Baghdad Bob with this guy as the press secretary.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Scaramucci, who is a frequent TV surrogate for Trump, is liked by the president. Trump "thinks he is really good at making the case for him," one of these people said. "He loves him on TV."

Which is, for Trump, all that matters. He really does think that reality lies within the television set.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Hunter said...

Perhaps Trump is planning to install a "good cop" to follow Spicer's "bad cop".

When the next press secretary takes over, I suspect we will find Spicer was the good cop.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

However, he was not a "good fit" for this "disrupting" operations and communications environment.

Haha. What are you talking about? He "disrupted" reality itself! Best attended inauguration IN HISTORY! BY FAR!!!

All that was missing was a military uniform and a tight armband with a special symbol on it. To denote loyalty to the leader. And promises of a thousand-year regime.

And a small, under-the-nose only mustache.

But all the dramatic histrionics and vocal flourishes were there, as well as the outright lies dispatched in the service of the all-important cause of regime survival, and exaltation of the deified "leader" of it.

It was great stuff. Will definitely be on looped reels on the History Channel someday. Along with the historical references for it.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Why do we even need a Press Secretary and all of these live grilling sessions, I mean press sessions. All it seems to be is an inquisition and a forum where the press ignores the information from the Press Secretary and the President so that they can focus on their own latest memes....Russia Russia Russia.

How about a bi-weekly press release in a written format. And a bi monthly live event where the press can ask a few questions. One person at a time. And if the answer was NO or I can't answer, if they ask the same question over and over......a big gong goes off and a hook from off stage snags the reporter by the neck and hauls him/her off. Too bad Chuck Bariss is dead. He would be a perfect Press Secretary for this format.

No. Really. Unless there is some emergency. Why do we need these daily press briefings? It isn't mandatory.

I think the White House should just back off a bit....bi weekly or weekly and tell the press to STFU. This is why I am not in politics. No patience for dealing with malicious morons.

Darrell said...

America was lucky to have our very own Baghdad Bob with this guy as the press secretary.

What lies did he push? Did he say a video on YouTube caused the terrorist attacks in Benghazi and Egypt--something completely stupid like that? Because then he'd be just as big a c-sucker as you.

readering said...

Understandable that Spicer didn't want to go from being his own boss to having a boss with no experience in the business.

Birkel said...

Unknown44 has entered the comments section to pronounce on the Althouse comments.

Unknown44 is a new Unknown. There must be 44 ways to criticize.

FullMoon said...

Gingrich would be fun

Big Mike said...

Considering that he had from the second week in November until the third week in January to get his team selected and vetted, Trump should not be replacing this many people this soon (I'm including Jeff Sessions).

Big Mike said...

@Ignorance is Bliss

+1

Birkel said...

I enjoy the idea that the Press Secretary or the Communications Liaison or whatever must have great experience to perform the job. Do we need TOP MEN?

TOP MEN with EXPERIENCE?

What is needed is the following: an ability, on the fly, to identify the unsupported assumptions within Leftist propagandists statements, presented in the forms of questions, so that a reasonable listener can understand just how duplicitous the Leftist propagandists who work for giant media corporations actually are.

traditionalguy said...

DJT is upping his Press game. Scaramouche will bring his team of Trial lawyers to the podium with him to read the criminal statute for leaking classified information and for riots to the scum, and then fill in any offender's names and and serve them pre-prepared lawsuits on camera.

That Hawaiian District Court Judge is gonna be busy setting rules for the Daily Press briefing.

hombre said...

Fox clip suggests he talks too much. The less said, the better, when answering the media.

Drago said...

"Haha. What are you talking about?"

My comment was quite clear.

Spicer was not effective in his role in this adminstration.

You can argue that no one would be but that remains to be seen.

I thought Sanders was an improvement over Spicer.

Fairly straightforward.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

What lies did he push?

"THAT WAS THE LARGEST AUDIENCE TO WITNESS AN INAUGURATION, PERIOD!!!"

"There are no American infidels in Baghdad. Never!"

'We have destroyed 2 tanks, fighter planes, 2 helicopters and their shovels - We have driven them back."

Oh wait, only one of those was regime-puffery from the mouth of an American press secretary.

Although he does share your feelings on the press:

"I blame Al-Jazeera - they are marketing for the Americans!"

Also, the two could have better coordinated their message on election results. Trump's broad popular vote win (or so he claims) is still probably not as ambitious as the 99+% that Baghdad Bob's boss won by.

Darrell said...

These are your Democrats. Fuck Donald Trump--

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mfbrz4obJNM

Hunter said...

Just breaking, Sarah Huckabee Sanders will be the new press secretary.

Left Bank of the Charles said...

Bohemian Rhapsody: "Scaramouche, Scaramouche, can you do the Fandango?" Who is Scaramouche, and what is a Fandango?

Scaramuccia/"little skirmisher", also known as Scaramouche or Scaramouch, is a stock character of the Italian commedia dell'arte. Usually attired in black Spanish dress and burlesquing a don, he was often beaten by Harlequin for his boasting and cowardice.

...

Big Mike said...

Dave Barry posted a photo of Sean holding up a "Dave Barry for President" bumper sticker. Donald Trump saw it, and that was that.

Etienne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Drago said...

Left Bank is trying to pass off a wikipedia entry as his own!

Hey left bank, next time why don't you post a link to where you cribbed your notes instead of writing as if the words were yours? BTW, simply deleting one line between the 2 lines you are plagiarizing is not sufficient!

LOL

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaramouche

Left Bank is doing his best Joe Biden impression!

Drago said...

Etienne: "It ain't over until the fat lady sings...

Colonel Sanders raises you one greasy chicken leg.."

And there it is.

Just as you knew it would be since the Lefties/"lifelong republicans" don't believe a single thing they lecture everyone else about (Fen's Law).

Francisco D said...

Press Secretary for a Republican POTUS is a thankless job.

Imagine having to go in front of a bunch of raving leftist jackals and explain yourself every day.

Ritmo's significant other probably understands.

Drago said...

I can't wait to see what other "original" content Left Bank of Joe Biden's Mind will provide for us.

mccullough said...

Spicer will be Kid Rock's campaign spokesman

Drago said...

Francisco D: "Press Secretary for a Republican POTUS is a thankless job"

I respectfully disagree.

You simply have to enjoy the arena and the battles and be a good fit with the admin team.

Of course, you have to accept that your detractors on the left will go after your spouse and children with the full support of certain commenter types who may or may not portray themselves as lifelong members of one particular political party.

Achilles said...

Oh dear a press secretary resigned. This has never happened before.

Drago said...

Left Bank really should make his services available to Wikipedia as his thoughts are so clearly appropriate for wiki page descriptions of all sorts of minutia.

Thanks in advance for your many contributions to our general knowledge base Left Bank.

Perhaps you could next tackle the thorny issue of how many soldiers and sailors, precisely, it would take to tip Guam over.

Be precise please, lest you be accused of racism for opposing the deep, deep thoughts of a well respected leftist congressperson.

Drago said...

Oh dear a press secretary resigned. This has never happened before.

This will almost certainly trigger calls to activate the 37th Amendment which calls for immediate impeachment of a duly elected President if he/she/xe attempts to modify his/her/xer administrations staff.

readering said...

Doubt it.

Jersey Fled said...

Drago:

You forgot to mention that said amendment does not apply to the White House travel office.

dreams said...

I've known of Anthony Scaramucci for years, he's been on CNBC and FOX business news lots of times down through the years. This is good news.

Lyle Smith said...

Don Surber says Scaramucci is already doing better than Spicer. A better voice for POTUS.

Paddy O said...

Clearly I don't follow the news closely. I thought Spicer had left a month or so ago and that Sanders was already in that role.

It's hard living backwards from in front.

Drago said...

Drago: You forgot to mention that said amendment does not apply to the White House travel office.

Apologies.

I should have mentioned this amendment applies only to republican Presidents, as stipulated in the 38th Amendment.

Not to be confused with the 38th Parallel.

Drago said...

"Don Surber says Scaramucci is already doing better than Spicer. A better voice for POTUS"

We want know for sure until New York Magazine writers chime in, per Etienne.

Fabi said...

Drago in rare form today -- bravo!

StephenFearby said...

Fresh new material for SNL! (Way better than Alec Baldwin's well past it's sell date stupid Trump imitation.)

‘Bunny Ranch’ Brothel Offers PR Job To Sean Spicer

'...After Spicer resigned from his post as White House press secretary Friday, Dennis Hof quickly followed up with a job offer, saying that Spicer will actually make more money at Bunny Ranch, a brothel in Nevada."

"...“Once I negotiate an incentive package with Sean, he’s going to be real happy here on Team Bunny Ranch.”

Part of the reason Spicer is such an attractive potential hire for the Bunny Ranch public relations team is because Spicer could bring strong customer leads to the table from the political world.

‘We’ve made a business out of servicing hypocritical politicians, and my bet is that Sean Spicer’s contacts will be an endless source of new client recruitment in that regard,” Hof said.

Hof also extended a job offer to O.J. Simpson as a greeter...'

Humperdink said...

Bravo Etienne, with the fat lady, fried chicken comment!! Good thing Sarah H. Sanders is not an African-American, otherwise I suspect you would be dishing out other types of humor.

jacksonjay said...

"I personally apologize for the 50th time for that comment." This guy hsd a lot to learn. Trump prefers propogandists who are unapologetic.

Michael K said...

I skipped the comments but am not happy about this. I like Spicer and think he did a good job.

Etienne said...

Even soldiers deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Croatia, have to do 12 month tours. It seems elite to only do a 6-month tour...

Anonymous said...

Another Spicer fan here.

To me, this is the least forgivable thing Trump has done.

Brookzene said...

This is probably not as bad as keeping Spicer from meeting the Pope.

Joe said...

I thought Spicer was in over his head, knew it and was looking for a way out. Trump gave him one.