‘I Think It's My Turn Now!’ ABC’s Karl, WH’s Huckabee Sanders Quarrel Over Comey Firing

Newsbusters.org ^ | May 11, 2017 | Curtis Houck

[Kaslin]

In Thursday’s White House daily briefing, Deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders held her own in another pinch-hit appearance for Sean Spicer, tussling with ABC chief White House correspondent Jonathan Karl over the timeline for James Comey’s ouster from the FBI. 

At one point in the briefing, Huckabee Sanders had clearly moved on from Karl to another reporter, but he nonetheless continued shouting and Huckabee Sanders invited Karl to “trade places” with her. If not, he’d best remain quiet because “I think it's my turn now.”

‘I Think It's My Turn Now!’ ABC’s Karl, WH’s Huckabee Sanders Quarrel Over Comey Firing

The exchange built up to those verbal fireworks with Karl first asking:

Sarah, two parts of the Comey question regarding the interview the President just gave. First of all, isn't it inappropriate for the President of the United States to ask the FBI Director directly if he is under investigation?

Huckabee Sanders responded that she doesn’t believe it was inappropriate so Karl shot back with a follow-up, noting how one such denial of Trump being under investigation came during a dinner with Comey.

“Don’t you see how that’s a conflict of interest? The FBI Director is saying he wants to keep his job and the President is asking whether or not he is under investigation,” Karl wondered.

The daughter of former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee disagreed and Karl took this as a greenlight to offer a lecture masquerading as a question:

It’s a different subject, related to Comey. I asked you directly yesterday if the President had already decided to fire James Comey when he met with the Deputy Attorney General and Attorney General and you said no. Also, the Vice President of the United States said directly that the President acted to take the recommendation of the Deputy Attorney General to remove the FBI Director. Sean Spicer said directly, “it was all him,” him meaning the Deputy Attorney General. Now we learn from the President directly that he had already decided to fire James Comey. So why were so many people giving answers that just weren't correct? Were you guys in the dark? Was the Vice President misled again? 

Karl later argued that Huckabee Sanders been providing the press with “answers that weren’t true” regarding why Comey was fired, but not before she took a few swipes at the liberal media, with one being “I know you would love to report that we were misled.”

Huckabee Sanders barely had a chance to speak for more than a few seconds, so she made it clear to Karl that it was her turn to talk:

Hold on, Jonathan. I let you finish and read off every single one of those statements, so unless you want to trade places, I think it's my turn now. I think it's pretty simple. I hadn't had a chance to have the conversation directly with the President to say. I'd had several conversations with him, but I didn't ask that question directly — had you already made that decision? I went off of the information that I had when I answered your question. I've since had the conversation with him, right before I walked on today, and he laid it out very clearly. He had already made that decision. He had been thinking about it for months, which I did say yesterday and have said many times since. And Wednesday, I think, was the final straw that pushed him, and the recommendation that he got from the Deputy Attorney General just further solidified his decision. And again, I think reaffirmed that he made the right one. 

KARL: But was the Vice President in the dark, too? This is important. Was the vice President in the dark, too?

HUCKABEE SANDERS: Nobody was in the dark, Jonathan. You want to create this false narrative. If we want to talk about contradicting statements and people that were maybe in the dark, how about the Democrats? Let’s read a few of them. You want to talk about them, here's what Democrats said not long ago about Comey. Harry Reid said, Comey “should resign and be investigated by the Senate.” Senator Chuck Schumer said, “I don't have confidence in him any longer.” Senator Bernie Sanders said, “it would not be a bad thing for the American people if Comey resigned.” Nancy Pelosi said, “Comey was not in the right job.” Former DNC chair, Debbie Wasserman Schultz said that she thought Comey was “no longer able to serve in a neutral and credible way.” President Obama's adviser, Valerie Jarrett, reportedly urged him to fire Comey. Just yesterday, Representative Maxine Water said that “Hillary Clinton would have fired Comey.” If you want to talk about people in the dark, our story is consistent. The President is the only person that can fire the Director of the FBI. He serves at the pleasure of the President. The President made the decision. It was the right decision. The people that are in the dark today are the Democrats. They want to come out, they want to talk about all of these -- they love Comey and how great he was. Look at the facts. The facts don't lie. Their statements are all right there. I think it's extremely clear that -- and frankly, I think it's kind of sad, in Washington, we finally had something that I think we should have all been able to agree on, and that was that Director Comey shouldn't have been at the FBI, but the Democrats want to play partisan games and I think that's the most glaring thing that’s being left out of all of your processed stories.

[Kaslin]

He’s in the Navy reserves

[Bodleian_Girl]

Cernovich reported on how filthy the room is, and even how dirty and smelly the reporters are.

He said they’ve already trashed Tom Hanks coffee machine and its filthy.

[CaptainK]

Mark Simone, a talk show host in NYC who has known Trump for decades, said today that Trump isn't crazy about Spicer and he may be out by the time he gets back from reserve duty.

[georgiegirl]

Why the White House feels compelled to hold a daily party for these demented scumbags is beyond me.

THAT is exactly what Mr. and I were commenting on today. Everyone knows these so called "journalists" are the DNC and all they do daily is hold an inquisition. What happened to the real news journalists that Spicer called on? Even had them on Skype?

[BamaDi]

I like this lady.....she needs to be the permanent spokesperson.....

[RitaOK]

Through no real fault of her own, Sarah was a disaster all day yesterday. It was so bad that somehow the Communications Department had to have been left screaming for help from Trump to get the facts.

Because of yesterday, the press at the WH conference today were there to devour her. She wasn’t a hell of a lot better today. To hide the fact that she was uninformed she did throw out some zingers to distract the ravenous crew before her, but clearly they knew she was left out of the loop on TRUMP firing Comey.

The president’s people had given her nothing and she went out there and proved it. She should have issued only a statement until which time she learned the facts and the chronology of events with Trump and his lead-up to the Rosenstein FBI review/investigation.

[Dawgreg]

I love that girl. She’s an asset to the Trump administration. Couldn’t have picked a better deputy press secretary........;)

[willibeaux]

Susan handed Karl his @zze.....HEH HEH HEH1

[publius911]

Perhaps Jonathan Karl and the ABC crew should be specifically disinvited from attending press briefings for a week or two.

That's a good start.
Written rules should be distributed at the next press briefing, with the admonition that it applies to all attendees, defining the minimum standards of decorum expected from all.
Two rules, if violated will disqualify anyone who can't respect the members who do exercise a modicum of decorum.

Rule #1 : it's a White House briefing, and the White house decides what the rules are.
You will be called on to ask a question. no more than one follow up.
When allowed to ask a question, it is not a license to sermonize or launch a filibuster.
If a question takes longer than 15 seconds, you will not be allowed to continue.
If you persist in being disruptive, you will be asked to leave. Just once. You may decide to test this rule at your own risk.

[Az Joe]

You’re living on another planet. She should be the press secretary.

[nutmeg]

bookmark

[Tammy8]

Then he would not talk about the Cubs or the firing in his response- rambling on about random things. Afterward the media would report how brilliant he was. They still think we don’t know what is going on!

[RitaOK]

You must have missed the press conference. The guy who should be press secretary was a guest— the Homeland Security spokesman who opened the presser yesterday. That’s how it’s done by a pro.

[txlurker]

Through no real fault of her own, Sarah was a disaster all day yesterday. It was so bad that somehow the Communications Department had to have been left screaming for help from Trump to get the facts.

Because of yesterday, the press at the WH conference today were there to devour her. She wasn’t a hell of a lot better today. To hide the fact that she was uninformed she did throw out some zingers to distract the ravenous crew before her, but clearly they knew she was left out of the loop on TRUMP firing Comey.

The president’s people had given her nothing and she went out there and proved it. She should have issued only a statement until which time she learned the facts and the chronology of events with Trump and his lead-up to the Rosenstein FBI review/investigation.

Wow. Not sure how you could possibly come to that conclusion. She was fantastic and I would love to see much more of her speaking for the President. Perhaps you would find fault with anyone or anything Trump related.

[Maverick68]

I said throw down, boy!

[moehoward]

I like her, she plays rough. Those fiction writers will be glad to see Spicer come back.

[VideoDoctor]

Sarah Huckabee is a formidable opponent for ANY of the LIBERAL screwball who think they have superior intellect.. and of course they DO NOT.

In my opinion Sarah could act as the "INTELLECTUAL BOUNCER" at a MENSA event.

[VideoDoctor]

Sarah Huckabee is a formidable opponent for ANY of the LIBERAL screwballs who think they have superior intellect.. and of course they DO NOT.

In my opinion Sarah could act as the "INTELLECTUAL BOUNCER" at a MENSA event.

[John W]

Yes, I think the ignoramuses have finally realized if somehow Trump is out its Pence not Hillary.

[Az Joe]

You said she was a disaster. You are f’n nuts.