Her first press conference since the shooting —
Sarah Sanders is reading her statement about the Parkland massacre like it’s a book report she really doesn’t want to deliver.
— Matt Novak (@paleofuture) February 20, 2018
“It’s very clear that Russia meddled in the election. It’s also very clear it didn’t have an impact in the election,” Sarah Sanders says from the podium.
— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) February 20, 2018
Wow, Sarah Sanders is defensive and especially obnoxious today.
— Karoli (@Karoli) February 20, 2018
Asked about the tweet that the FBI would have got the killer if it hadn’t been focusing on “collusion”
“He was speaking not necessarily that that is the cause,” Sarah Sanders says of the president’s tweet saying the FBI missed the tip because it was too focused on Russia. “…He is making the point we would like our FBI agencies to not be focusing on something that is a hoax.”
— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) February 20, 2018
“The FBI shouldn’t be focused on a hoax.” -Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Just said this.
…which kinda seems like an attempt to obstruct an ongoing FBI investigation.
— Caroline O. (@RVAwonk) February 20, 2018
Support for stricter gun laws hits a 10-year high https://t.co/mHQPnp5tUY pic.twitter.com/e6lpy40TfC
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) February 20, 2018
Sanders is listing things that Trump is going to do re: mass shooting. Listening session with students, meeting with governors, etc. Sounds like a lot of talk.
“We haven’t closed the door on any front,” Sarah Sanders says when asked if Trump would support an assault weapons ban.
— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) February 20, 2018
Unless I misheard @PressSec had a chance to reject assault weapons ban just now and didn’t. You can’t take WH podium statements on policy seriously but, again, that’s a sign that Republicans are feeling political pressure.
— Jonathan Cohn (@CitizenCohn) February 20, 2018
SHS wants everyone to know Trump hasn’t applied sanctions because HE CALLED OUT RUSSIA BY NAME
— Karoli (@Karoli) February 20, 2018
Sanders says Trump opposes bump stocks. That is a reg thing, which means no new laws (statutes) coming out of Congress. Trump isn’t going to push for it either, because GOP.
She says “Unfortunately, when horrific tragedies like this happen, everybody wants a quick and a simple answer. But there isn’t one.”
Quick and simple? Sandy Hook was six years ago. Orlando, last year. Las Vegas, this year. This isn’t a one-off event.
Well, that was a quick presser.
UPDATE:
The Wall Street Journal reports:
The White House said Tuesday there was “an incident” last week which will be revealed in the coming days that will show how President Donald Trump is “tough on Russia.” Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders made the comment at the daily briefing, but offered no more details. Trump has suggested on Twitter that President Barack Obama’s administration didn’t do enough to counter meddling in the 2016 election, and called himself “much tougher on Russia than Obama.”
I must have missed that. In any event, if we don’t know about it, it probably isn’t that big.