Following Sean Spicer’s Tuesday sparring with American Urban Radio’s White House correspondent April Ryan, he gave her the first question at Wednesday’s press briefing.
WATCH:
“Why, thank you, Sean,” Ryan thanked the White House press secretary.
“How are you today?” he added, drawing laughter from the crowded briefing room.
After Ryan answered she’s fine — and reciprocated pleasantries — Spicer shouted, “fantastic.”
On Tuesday, Spicer told Ryan to stop “shaking” her head during a particularly heated exchange, which critics called both racist and sexist.
Spicer told Hugh Hewitt Wednesday morning that attacks against him regarding the exchange are actually demeaning to Ryan.
“We have very spirited back and forth,” he explained. “I think that’s what makes her a tough reporter. Frankly I’m kind of astonished.”
“I think if you look at the exchanges I have with Jonathan Karl or Peter Alexander or a number of the other individuals in the press briefing room, Jim Acosta from CNN, we go back and forth all the time, rather heatedly in fact.”