Reporter Who Shouted at Sarah Sanders Roasted by Fellow Journalists
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders was both castigated and defended by reporters after Tuesday’s news briefing at the White House.
After about 15 minutes at the podium, Sanders stepped out of the room after encouraging reporters to “tune into the president’s event.”
As she ended the briefing, a reporter was heard shouting at the press secretary, “Do your job, Sarah!”
As Sarah Huckabee Sanders ends White House press briefing after only a few minutes, reporter is heard yelling, “Do your job, Sarah!” https://t.co/o2KeLsffHD pic.twitter.com/cPTcbStrHF
— CBS News (@CBSNews) December 18, 2018
According to Fox News, the reporter who yelled at the press secretary was Andrew Feinberg of Breakfast Media, a Washington-based website.
Feinberg was so dissatisfied with the briefing that he went on a Twitter rant, calling out President Donald Trump’s press secretary and his frustration with how she is doing her job.
“Sarah Huckabee Sanders refuses to do the job for which she is paid money raised from US taxpayers,” Feinberg tweeted.
“She delays each briefing so she can use a presidential event as an excuse to end it early. She does not respond to emails, she does not meet with (most) reporters. Why is she here?”
Sarah Huckabee Sanders refuses to do the job for which she is paid money raised from US taxpayers. She delays each briefing so she can use a presidential event as an excuse to end it early. She does not respond to emails, she does not meet with (most) reporters. Why is she here?
— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) December 18, 2018
Feinberg went on to complain that since Sanders has taken over the position, he has been unable to get a meeting with her.
“When I find her in her office she is invariably heading to a meeting and tells me to ‘shoot me a note.’”
Since Sarah Sanders took over for @seanspicer as @PressSec MORE THAN A YEAR AGO I have not been able to get a single meeting with her despite my many requests. When I find her in her office she is invariably heading to a meeting and tells me to “shoot me a note.”
— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) December 18, 2018
At the end of his 12-tweet commentary on Sanders’ position and execution of it, the disgruntled reporter said this:
“Bottom line: @PressSec refuses to brief us, when she does she arranges it to avoid taking more than a few questions before ducking out, and for most of us she’s totally unresponsive. Why is she in that job drawing $180k/yr salary if she won’t perform its essential functions?”
Bottom line: @PressSec refuses to brief us, when she does she arranges it to avoid taking more than a few questions before ducking out, and for most of us she’s totally unresponsive.
Why is she in that job drawing $180k/yr salary if she won’t perform its essential functions?
— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) December 18, 2018
While Feinberg’s position was clear to those in the audience and anyone who watched the event on television, some of his fellow journalists were less than delighted with the reporter’s outburst.
Curtis Houck, managing editor of the conservative NewsBusters.org, said he believes that Sanders can’t make the White House press corps happy, no matter what she does.
“If she holds regular briefings, they’ll devolve into chaos with folks like (CNN Chief White House Correspondent) Jim Acosta and (CNN political analyst) April Ryan playing for the cameras,” Houck told Fox News.
“If she doesn’t, there’s complaints about a lack of press access to the executive branch,” Houck said. “This is yet another example of how the D.C. press want to have their cake and eat it, too.”
For those who might not be familiar with Feinberg, here’s a compilation of his work from November that he posted on YouTube.
CRTV reporter Jordan Schachtel had harsh words for Feinberg’s actions — and mocked him as auditioning for a spot on anti-Trump networks like CNN or MSNBC:
“Your conduct was rude and extremely unprofessional,” Schachtel wrote in a Twitter post. “It’s not your job to shout out to the WH Press Sec and tell her how to do her job. Props for shooting your shot for the CNN/MSNBC gig though!”
Your conduct was rude and extremely unprofessional. It’s not your job to shout out to the WH Press Sec and tell her how to do her job. Props for shooting your shot for the CNN/MSNBC gig though!https://t.co/ILRHwPCNvQ
— Jordan Schachtel (@JordanSchachtel) December 18, 2018
Washington Examiner reporter Paul Bedard chimed in with his own sarcastic tweet.
And WH reporters wonder why @realDonaldTrump cancelled their Christmas party. Today one reporter repeatedly yelled ‘Do Your Job’ as @PressSec Sarah Sanders left the podium — after doing her job. pic.twitter.com/sIZ06eIAyc
— Paul Bedard (@SecretsBedard) December 18, 2018
“And WH reporters wonder why @realDonaldTrump cancelled their Christmas party,” he wrote.
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