Stephanie Grisham came into her new role with a reputation for toughness, but nobody expected this.
Not one week on the job, President Trump’s new press secretary was reportedly injured in a scuffle with North Korean officials on Sunday. Grisham reportedly led a push — a physical push –– to help members of the White House press corps get a better view of Trump’s historic touchdown on North Korean soil on Sunday.
Grisham, who suffered bruises in the scuffle, earned kudos from a number of reporters for fighting to help the media do its job.
Into the fire
When Donald Trump became the first president in American history to set foot in North Korea on Sunday, a clash broke out between North Korean security officials and reporters who were blocked from capturing the historic moment. Leading the charge for media access was Trump’s new press secretary, Stephanie Grisham.
After President Trump shook hands with Kim in the demilitarized zone, the two leaders entered a private room in the Freedom House to talk. When reporters tried to push their way into the room, security officials pushed back.
That’s when Grisham dove in. The new press secretary was captured on video jostling with guards and shouting “go! go!” to make a path for reporters. She reportedly sustained injuries in the scuffle, something several White House reporters noted with apparent respect. A source told CNN’s Jim Acosta that it was an “all out brawl.”
Reporters in the White House press pool shared their impressions of the exchange on Twitter.
“To add to madcap day at DMZ, the North Korean security was a little overzealous, at times trying to block US reporters’ view,” tweeted Jennifer Jacobs, senior White House correspondent for Bloomberg. “New WH press secretary Stephanie Grisham threw herself into it to make sure the US TV camera got into House of Freedom, and it came to body blows.”
“Grisham was seen on camera pushing back North Koreans who were blocking US press. Shouting ‘Go! Go!’ as she created a path for press to join the Trump-Kim meeting,” CNN’s Allie Malloy tweeted.
Grudging respect
Grisham was announced as the replacement for former Press Secretary Sarah Sanders last week. She entered the press secretary role with a reputation for ruthlessness, honed during her tenure as Melania Trump’s spokeswoman and defender, and devotion to the Trump family.
With those qualities, many have expected Grisham to bring a similar combativeness to the press that made Sanders so unpopular with journalists. But Grisham’s charge this weekend earned — at least momentarily — their grudging respect.
Several journalists contrasted her physical fight for press access with the antagonism towards the media shown by Sanders. For reporters used to having a negative relationship with the media, Grisham’s bold move was an unusually friendly one.
Even CNN’s Jim Acosta said that Grisham deserves “credit” for helping reporters do their jobs.
Will the media’s goodwill last? If Grisham brings the toughness she showed against the North Koreans down on them — which seems likely — it seems improbable.
No comments: