Sean Spicer on Inauguration Crowd and Press Corps — Transcript

Full transcript

1. 0:00[ LAUGHTER ]
2. 0:01>> Jimmy: HERE WE GO.
3. 0:04FROM THE OVAL OFFICE TO THE
4. 0:05BUSHES IN THE ROSE GARDEN, OUR
5. 0:05FIRST GUEST HAS SEEN IT ALL.
6. 0:07HE SURVIVED ONE OF THE WORST
7. 0:09JOBS EVER AND IS FREE AT LAST TO
8. 0:15EXPECTATION SPEAK ABOUT IT.
9. 0:16FROM OUR NATION'S CAPITAL PLEASE
10. 0:17SAY HELLO TO FORMER WHITE HOUSE
11. 0:18PRESS SECRETARY SEAN SPICER!
12. 0:23[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
13. 0:23♪
14. 0:30>> Jimmy: THERE YOU ARE.
15. 0:33IT'S VEG TO HAVE YOU HERE.
16. 0:34THANK YOU FOR COMING.
17. 0:35>> IF I'D KNOWN I WAS GOING TO
18. 0:38GET THAT KIND OF APPLAUSE I
19. 0:39WOULD HAVE LEFT EARLIER.
20. 0:40>> Jimmy: IS IT WEIRD FOR YOU TO
21. 0:40GET APPLAUSE WHEN YOU WALK OUT
22. 0:42ONTO A STAGE?
23. 0:44USUALLY YOU'RE LOOKING AT ALL
24. 0:46THESE GRIM-FACED REPORTERS.
25. 0:46>> YEAH, ESPECIALLY IN
26. 0:47CALIFORNIA.
27. 0:50>> Jimmy: OH, HAVE YOU BEEN
28. 0:50GETTING -- HAVE YOU BEEN
29. 0:51HARASSED?
30. 0:51>> NO, NO, IT'S BEEN
31. 0:54UNBELIEVABLY PLEASANT SINCE --
32. 0:55FOR THE LAST MONTH.
33. 0:56PEOPLE HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY
34. 0:57SUPPORTIVE.
35. 0:58AND THAT'S I THINK VERY HELPFUL
36. 0:59TO KNOW.
37. 1:00PEOPLE COME UP AND SAY, THANK
38. 1:01YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, I DIDN'T
39. 1:02VOTE FOR THE PRESIDENT, I'M NOT
40. 1:03A REPUBLICAN, BUT I APPRECIATE
41. 1:04YOU SERVING THE COUNTRY.
42. 1:06I THINK THAT GETS BACK TO WHAT
43. 1:08THIS SHOULD ALWAYS BE ABOUT IS
44. 1:09THAT WE HAVE ELECTIONS, THEY GET
45. 1:11DECIDED, THEN PEOPLE OF BOTH
46. 1:12PARTIES SHOULD BE ABLE TO SERVE
47. 1:14THIS COUNTRY.
48. 1:14>> Jimmy: ARE YOU DISTANCING
49. 1:15YOURSELF FROM THE PRESIDENT
50. 1:16RIGHT NOW?
51. 1:17[ LAUGHTER ]
52. 1:17>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.
53. 1:18NO I'M NOT.
54. 1:19>> Jimmy: WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS
55. 1:20IS OBVIOUSLY A HARD JOB.
56. 1:21AND, I MEAN -- IT TURNED OUT TO
57. 1:24BE KIND OF FUNNY IN A LOT OF
58. 1:25WAYS.
59. 1:25WAS IT FOR YOU?
60. 1:26>> FUNNY?
61. 1:29[ LAUGHTER ]
62. 1:30[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
63. 1:32>> I'M NOT SO SURE I SEE IT THAT
64. 1:34WAY.
65. 1:35BUT I APPRECIATE THE JOKES.
66. 1:36>> LET'S GO BACK TO THE
67. 1:37BEGINNING.
68. 1:39HOW DID YOU GET THE JOB OF PRESS
69. 1:39SECRETARY IN THE FIRST PLACE?
70. 1:40>> SO I HAD BEEN AT THE
71. 1:42REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE
72. 1:42FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS.
73. 1:44YOU KNOW, OUR JOB IS TO SYNC UP
74. 1:46WITH THE NOMINEE.
75. 1:49AFTER THE INDIANA PRIMARY, TRUMP
76. 1:51BECAME THE APPARENT NOMINEE.
77. 1:53WENT INTO THE CONVENTION.
78. 1:55THEY RAN A RATHER UNCONVENTIONAL
79. 1:56CAMPAIGN.
80. 1:57AND SO THERE WAS A LOT OF NEED
81. 1:59FOR COMMUNICATIONS STAFF.
82. 2:01AND I WAS ASKED TO GO UP AND
83. 2:02START HELPING OUT ON A MORE
84. 2:04FULL-TIME BASIS, HELP UP AND
85. 2:06DOWN THE TICKET.
86. 2:08I STARTED BASICALLY COMMUTING TO
87. 2:09NEW YORK THE LAST WEEK OF
88. 2:10AUGUST, SPENT THE LAST 3 1/2
89. 2:12MONTHS GETTING TO KNOW THE
90. 2:14PRESIDENT.
91. 2:14TRAVELING WITH HIM, DOING THE
92. 2:15EVENTS.
93. 2:15AND YOU KNOW, THEN WE WON.
94. 2:18>> Jimmy: THEN HE SAID YOU'RE
95. 2:19THE GUY.
96. 2:19>> THEN, YOU KNOW, I LITERALLY
97. 2:20GOT A PHONE CALL FROM THE
98. 2:22PRESIDENT, AND HE SAID, LET'S DO
99. 2:24THIS.
100. 2:24I WANT YOU TO DO THE JOB.
101. 2:25AND I THANKED HIM PROFUSELY.
102. 2:27AND OFF WE WENT.
103. 2:28>> Jimmy: AND SO RIGHT OFF THE
104. 2:30BAT, YOUR FIRST-EVER PRESS
105. 2:32CONFERENCE.
106. 2:33YOU GET IN THERE AND IT'S THE
107. 2:34DAY AFTER THE INAUGURATION,
108. 2:36RIGHT?
109. 2:37>> YES.
110. 2:37>> Jimmy: AND YOU ARE CHARGED
111. 2:38WITH THE JOB OF GOING IN FRONT
112. 2:41OF THE PRESS AND SAYING THAT THE
113. 2:44INAUGURATION CROWD WAS THE
114. 2:46BIGGEST CROWD I THINK EVER,
115. 2:48BIGGEST AUDIENCE --
116. 2:48[ LAUGHTER ]
117. 2:49>> YES, I'M AWARE.
118. 2:50[ LAUGHTER ]
119. 2:51[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
120. 2:57I APPRECIATE THE REMINDER HOW IT
121. 2:58WENT DOWN.
122. 3:02>> Jimmy: SO DID THE PRESIDENT
123. 3:04HIMSELF -- IF IT WAS UP TO YOU
124. 3:06WOULD THIS EVEN HAVE BEEN A
125. 3:07TOPIC?
126. 3:08>> YOU KNOW, IF IT WAS UP TO ME
127. 3:09I WOULD HAVE PROBABLY WORN A
128. 3:10DIFFERENT SUIT.
129. 3:12I THOUGHT I WAS GOING IN ON A
130. 3:13SATURDAY MORNING TO SET MY
131. 3:14OFFICE UP, GET THE COMPUTER,
132. 3:16MAKE SURE THE E-MAILS WENT OUT.
133. 3:17YOU KNOW.
134. 3:18AND --
135. 3:19>> Jimmy: SOMEBODY TOLD YOU, YOU
136. 3:20NEED TO GO OUT THERE AND SAY
137. 3:22THIS?
138. 3:22>> THE PRESIDENT WANTED TO MAKE
139. 3:23SURE THE RECORD GOT SET
140. 3:25STRAIGHT.
141. 3:25>> Jimmy: WHY IS HE SO CONCERNED
142. 3:27WITH SIZE?
143. 3:28HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THE PRESIDENT
144. 3:29NAKED?
145. 3:30>> I HAVE NOT, NO.
146. 3:32>> Jimmy: YOU HAVE NOT, OKAY.
147. 3:33>> BUT LOOK, I SAID IT AT THE
148. 3:34TIME AND I BELIEVE IN ALL
149. 3:37SERIOUSNESS, AGAIN, WHETHER OR
150. 3:38NOT YOU VOTED FOR HIM OR NOT,
151. 3:39THE PRESIDENT WON THE ELECTION.
152. 3:41HE WAS -- FACED A LOT OF
153. 3:42HEADWINDS.
154. 3:43I THINK THERE WAS A FACTION OF
155. 3:44PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT DIDN'T
156. 3:46WANT TO GIVE HIM THE CREDIT THAT
157. 3:47HE RIGHTLY DESERVED.
158. 3:48I THINK HE TAKES A LOT OF THAT
159. 3:49SOMETIMES PERSONALLY.
160. 3:50SOME OF US WHO WORKED VERY HARD
161. 3:52TO GET HIM ELECTED FELT AS
162. 3:53THOUGH A LOT OF FOLKS IN THE
163. 3:56MEDIA IN PARTICULAR CONSTANTLY
164. 3:57SOUGHT TO UNDERMINE THE VALIDITY
165. 3:58OF THAT ELECTION.
166. 3:59AND SO YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IT
167. 4:01SOMETIMES FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
168. 4:02>> Jimmy: BUT THE VALIDITY OF
169. 4:04THE ELECTION, COMPARED TO
170. 4:06LOOKING AT PHOTOS OF THE CROWD
171. 4:08AT AN INAUGURATION.
172. 4:09I MEAN, THERE ARE LIKE ONE IS
173. 4:11THIS AND ONE IS THIS.
174. 4:12DID YOU TRY TO TALK HIM OUT OF
175. 4:15THAT LINE OF DEFENSE?
176. 4:16>> I THINK WE, YOU KNOW --
177. 4:17THERE'S A LOT OF US THAT WANTED
178. 4:18TO BE FOCUSED ON HIS AGENDA,
179. 4:20WHAT HE SPOKE ABOUT IN HIS
180. 4:22INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
181. 4:23SO, YOU KNOW, LOOK.
182. 4:24HE'S PRESIDENT, HE MADE A
183. 4:24DECISION --
184. 4:25>> Jimmy: YOU HAVE TO GO ALONG,
185. 4:28EVEN THOUGH -- EVEN IF YOU KNOW,
186. 4:30AND I'M NOT GOING TO ASK YOU TO
187. 4:32SAY, EVEN IF YOU KNOW THE CROWD
188. 4:33WASN'T BIGGER YOU HAVE TO GO, AS
189. 4:35PRESS SECRETARY, YOU HAVE TO SAY
190. 4:36THAT IT WAS?
191. 4:37>> LOOK, YOUR JOB AS PRESS
192. 4:39SECRETARY IS TO REPRESENT THE
193. 4:40PRESIDENT'S VOICE.
194. 4:41AND TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE
195. 4:44ARTICULATING WHAT HE BELIEVES
196. 4:45HIS VISION IS ON POLICY, ON
197. 4:48ISSUES, ON OTHER AREAS THAT HE
198. 4:50WANTS TO ARTICULATE.
199. 4:52WHETHER OR NOT YOU AGREE OR NOT
200. 4:53ISN'T YOUR JOB.
201. 4:54YOUR JOB IS TO GIVE HIM ADVICE.
202. 4:56AND WHICH WHAT IS WE WOULD DO ON
203. 5:00A VARIETY OF ISSUES ALL THE
204. 5:01TIME.
205. 5:01HE WOULD ALWAYS LISTEN TO THAT
206. 5:03ADVICE, BUT ULTIMATELY HE'S THE
207. 5:05PRESIDENT.
208. 5:05HE'D SAY, AGREE SOMETIMES, HE'D
209. 5:07SAY THAT'S A GOOD POINT,
210. 5:08INCORPORATE IT, SOMETIMES HE
211. 5:09WOULD SAY, DEPENDING ON THE
212. 5:11ISSUE, I KNOW WHAT I BELIEVE AND
213. 5:12THIS IS WHAT I THINK THE RIGHT
214. 5:13THING TO DO IS.
215. 5:13>> Jimmy: THEN YOU HAD TO MARCH
216. 5:15OUT AND SAY, YEAH, HE HAD A
217. 5:16BIGGER CROWD, EVERYBODY.
218. 5:18[ LAUGHTER ]
219. 5:18>> AS I SAID, HE'S THE.
220. 5:19>> THE.
221. 5:19HE DECIDES.
222. 5:20>> Jimmy: I UNDERSTAND, THAT'S
223. 5:21WHAT YOU SIGN UP TO DO.
224. 5:22>> Jimmy: A LOT OF THESE GUYS,
225. 5:24THESE MEMBERS OF THE PRESS, WERE
226. 5:25YOUR FRIENDS, RIGHT?
227. 5:26>> I THINK WERE, YEAH.
228. 5:28>> Jimmy: WERE, OKAY.
229. 5:28LAUGH LIVE
230. 5:32[ LAUGHTER ]
231. 5:32JONATHAN KARL FROM ABC NEWS WHO
232. 5:33WAS A FRIEND OF YOURS?
233. 5:34>> I'VE KNOWN JONATHAN FOR A
234. 5:36LONG TIME.
235. 5:36>> Jimmy: OKAY, ALL RIGHT.
236. 5:37HERE'S HOW YOU GUYS KIND OF GOT
237. 5:38IT GOING.
238. 5:39>> IS IT YOUR INTENTION TO
239. 5:40ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH FROM THAT
240. 5:43PODIUM, AND WILL YOU PLEDGE
241. 5:44NEVER TO KNOWINGLY SAY SOMETHING
242. 5:46THAT IS NOT FACTUAL?
243. 5:47>> IT IS.
244. 5:48IT'S AN HONOR TO DO THIS.
245. 5:52AND YES, I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE
246. 5:53TO BE HONEST WITH THE AMERICAN
247. 5:54PEOPLE.
248. 5:54I THINK SOMETIMES WE CAN
249. 5:55DISAGREE WITH THE FACTS.
250. 5:57>> Jimmy: CAN WE, THOUGH,
251. 5:59DISAGREE WITH THE FACTS?
252. 5:59>> LOOK, I THINK THE POINT IS
253. 6:03THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT A SET OF --
254. 6:07AN ARGUMENT OR SET OF FACTS AND
255. 6:08COME OUT WITH ONE OPINION,
256. 6:08SOMEONE ELSE CAN SAY, WHILE THE
257. 6:10FACTS ARE THE SAME I COME OUT
258. 6:12WITH A DIFFERENT CONCLUSION.
259. 6:13>> Jimmy: I SEE.
260. 6:13>> THAT'S WHAT MAKES OUR COUNTRY
261. 6:16GREAT IS THAT THERE'S WAYS THAT
262. 6:18YOU CAN LOOK AT ECONOMIC MODELS
263. 6:19AND SAY, WE BELIEVE THAT GROWTH
264. 6:21RATES WILL BE HIGHER OR LOWER
265. 6:21AND THAT'S --
266. 6:23>> Jimmy: IF I WERE TO SAY TO
267. 6:25YOU, I'M SITTING ON A HORSE
268. 6:26RIGHT NOW --
269. 6:27>> YOU ARE NOT.
270. 6:28>> Jimmy: RIGHT, EXACTLY!
271. 6:29[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
272. 6:35>> Jimmy: SO I WANT TO ASK ABOUT
273. 6:38JONATHAN.
274. 6:38WHEN HE'S ASKING YOU THIS
275. 6:39QUESTION ARE YOU LIKE, YOU SON
276. 6:40OF A BITCH, I'VE KNOWN YOU FOR
277. 6:4120 YEARS!
278. 6:43>> THERE WERE A COUPLE OF OTHER
279. 6:43WORDS.
280. 6:44[ LAUGHTER ]
281. 6:46BUT THAT'S THE TV VERSION.
282. 6:50WE'RE ON CABLE.
283. 6:51YOU KNOW, YEAH, THERE'S TIMES
284. 6:52WHEN YOU'RE THINKING TO
285. 6:53YOURSELF, YOU KNOW -- IF YOU
286. 6:55WANT TO ASK ABOUT POLICY OR A
287. 6:58PARTICULAR INSTANCE, BUT TO GET
288. 6:59UP THERE AND QUESTION, YOU KNOW,
289. 7:01ON DAY ONE MY INTEGRITY, I THINK
290. 7:04WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT I
291. 7:05ANTICIPATED.
292. 7:05>> Jimmy: YEAH.
293. 7:06WELL, I'M SURE.
294. 7:06ALTHOUGH WHEN YOU BROUGHT THAT
295. 7:08CROWD SIZE THING OUT, IT OPENED
296. 7:10THIS TERRIBLE PANDORA'S BOX.
297. 7:11YOU THINK THAT'S WHAT GOT YOU
298. 7:12OFF TO KIND OF A BAD START WITH
299. 7:13THE PRESS CORPS?
300. 7:16>> I DON'T THINK IT WAS -- IT
301. 7:19WAS PROBABLY NOT THE BEST START,
302. 7:20NO.
303. 7:21>> Jimmy: DID DONALD TRUMP --
304. 7:22DID THE PRESIDENT WATCH ALL YOUR
305. 7:23PRESS CONFERENCES?
306. 7:23>> I DON'T THINK, NOT EVERY ONE
307. 7:24OF THEM.
308. 7:25>> Jimmy: WOULD HE BE WAITING
309. 7:26FOR YOU AFTERWARDS?
310. 7:27>> THERE WERE SOME DAYS WHEN HE
311. 7:30WOULD AT SOME POINT EITHER SEE
312. 7:32CLIPS OR WATCH IT, DEPENDING ON
313. 7:33THE DAY AND WHAT MEETINGS WERE
314. 7:35HAPPENING AND WHAT TIME THE
315. 7:36BRIEFING WAS.
316. 7:37SO A LOT OF TIMES HE WOULD
317. 7:39PROVIDE FEEDBACK BASED ON,
318. 7:40AGAIN -- MY JOB IS TO ARTICULATE
319. 7:42HIS POSITION.
320. 7:42>> Jimmy: YEAH, RIGHT.
321. 7:43>> HE WOULD SAY, HEY, I THOUGHT
322. 7:45THAT WAS REALLY GOOD HOW YOU
323. 7:47ARTICULATED THIS.
324. 7:48I THINK I WOULD HAVE PHRASED
325. 7:50THIS DIFFERENTLY.
326. 7:51>> Jimmy: REALLY?
327. 7:51HE'S THAT CONSTRUCTIVE IN THE
328. 7:52WAY HE PUTS THINGS?
329. 7:53>> SOMETIMES.
330. 7:54DEPENDS ON THE ISSUE.
331. 7:55IT DEPENDED ON THE ISSUE, AND
332. 7:57AGAIN, IT'S MY JOB TO SPEAK ON
333. 7:59HIS BEHALF.
334. 8:00>> Jimmy: YEAH.
335. 8:00>> IF YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING IN THE 336 00:08:01,448 --> 00:00:00,000 WAY THAT HE WANTS, OBVIOUSLY HE