Just 2 Months Ago Sean Spicer Said White House Would Never Ban News Outlets Because That’s What a ‘Dictatorship’ Does

‘You Know, Conservative, Liberal, or Otherwise, That’s What Makes a Democracy a Democracy Versus a Dictatorship’

Just two months ago, before Donald Trump took office, Sean Spicer sat down with POLITICO’s Jake Sherman and promised that the Trump administration would never ban a media outlet. On Friday afternoon, Spicer broke that promise, banning The New York Times, CNN, and POLITICO from a White House press briefing. That came just hours after President Trump delivered a speech at CPAC bashing the “dishonest media,” as he called the “fake news” press.

“There’s a big difference between a campaign where it is a private venue using private funds, and a government entity. We have a respect for the press when it comes to the government,” Spicer said, speaking of the incoming Trump administration. “That that is something that you can’t ban an entity from.”

“You know, conservative, liberal, or otherwise, that’s what makes a democracy a democracy versus a dictatorship.”

POLITICO’s Kenneth Vogel today posted this clip of Spicer’s remarks:

While Spicer refused to allow the Times, CNN, and POLITICO into today’s briefing, which also was not televised as it is every day, far right wing outlets including Breitbart were allowed entrance.