After FBI Director James Comey’s hearing this morning, in which he confirmed that the FBI is indeed investigating the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia, America’s favorite flack Sean Spicer was put on duty. He followed the administration’s line—shared by good haircut haver Trey Gowdy—that the story here is not about any potential collusion between Russia and the campaign, but rather the fact that classified information was leaked to the press.
Press Sec. Spicer on FBI investigation into Russia and Trump campaign: “It’s clear nothing has changed” https://t.co/B2cXmD8GD8
— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 20, 2017
But perhaps the most egregious moment during the briefing was when Spicer tried to convince everyone that Paul Manafort, Trump’s former campaign manager, barely had anything to do with the campaign.
Sean Spicer describes Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign manager, as playing "only a very limited role on the campaign"
— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) March 20, 2017
He also called Michael Flynn, who was Trump’s national security adviser, a “volunteer.”
Spicer: Flynn was a "volunteer" on the campaign.
— Phil Elliott (@Philip_Elliott) March 20, 2017
None of this is new territory for Spicer, who spent his first day on the job trying to convince the press, despite photographic evidence, that Trump’s inauguration had “the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period.” He has tried to claim that Trump’s Muslim ban was “not a ban” and “not about refugees.” And he has defended Trump’s claim that Barack Obama wiretapped Trump by reading a bunch of press clips that said no such thing.
Spicer’s strategy has literally been to try to hand-wave all of the administration’s problems away, which might work better if he had actual Jedi powers.