Over the last five months (sweet Christmas, how has it only been five months?), Sean Spicer and the rest of the White House team have made a number of attempts to get around that whole pesky “free & independent press” thing. They’ve tried having closed-door, invitation-only briefings (that didn’t go over well), they’ve tried hiding in bushes (ditto), and now they’ve banned cameras from the White House press briefings.
So CNN did the only reasonable thing: they brought in their courtroom sketch artist to cover the briefing.
The White House has been prohibiting cameras at some press briefings, so we sent a sketch artist https://t.co/FuKv8RjYD2 pic.twitter.com/pCPzMZas5G
— CNN (@CNN) June 23, 2017
This not only highlights the absurdity of the Trump administration’s efforts to avoid accountability and keep the press from reporting all the “alternative facts” that come out of these briefings, but it allows CNN’s Jim Acosta to make a Grade-A Dad Pun.
So sketchy to not have cameras at WH briefing. So CNN sent sketch artist to capture the moment. pic.twitter.com/tNAoDHkozj
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 23, 2017
Others were having just as much fun.
🎼Take on me, (take on me)
Take me on, (take on me)
I’ll be gone🎼 pic.twitter.com/eo7QjECzyU— Maggie Serota 🚽 (@maggieserota) June 23, 2017
was not a supporter of the idea of a courtroom sketch artist in the white house briefing room but this is pretty good tbh pic.twitter.com/XHeVrhkZN3
— darth:™ (@darth) June 23, 2017
“how was the press conference”
“fine” pic.twitter.com/xnvRwbdSIc— darth:™ (@darth) June 23, 2017
— Evil MoPac (@EvilMopacATX) June 23, 2017
FOX News brought a sketch artist to the press briefings too. pic.twitter.com/bqSAklT8ic
— Tom the Dancing Bug (@RubenBolling) June 23, 2017
Others, though, weren’t feeling the jokes. Because while we do need to be able to point out the absurdity of the Trump administration, the degree to which the White House is fighting to restrict journalists’ access to the office of the President is not normal, and not democratic. It’s a legitimate threat to the First Amendment, and cheeky jabs aside, the press needs to put up a fight.
the cnn courtroom sketch artist is kind of cutesy ha ha but they could just turn on the camera and dare spicer to shut them down
— Oliver Willis (@owillis) June 23, 2017
Dear @CNN, I don’t want to see drawings by your sketch artist. I want to see you refuse to turn off your cameras when ordered by Trump & Co.
— Peter Gleick (@PeterGleick) June 23, 2017
WHITE HOUSE: Let’s undermine the press and destroy democratic norms
WHITE HOUSE PRESS: Let’s send a sketch artist in protest
— Jesse Berney (@jesseberney) June 23, 2017
Because the sketch is a cute visual and makes for good headlines, but it can’t get across the buckets of misinformation Spicer spewed out up at that podium.
I know people are getting desensitized to Spicer lying, but this is one of the biggest lies the Trump White House has ever told. pic.twitter.com/uF1BaEs2KK
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) June 23, 2017
(featured image: NBC)
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