[ LAUGHTER ]
>> Jimmy: HERE WE GO.
FROM THE OVAL OFFICE TO THE
BUSHES IN THE ROSE GARDEN, OUR
FIRST GUEST HAS SEEN IT ALL.
HE SURVIVED ONE OF THE WORST
JOBS EVER AND IS FREE AT LAST TO
EXPECTATION SPEAK ABOUT IT.
FROM OUR NATION'S CAPITAL PLEASE
SAY HELLO TO FORMER WHITE HOUSE
PRESS SECRETARY SEAN SPICER!
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
♪
>> Jimmy: THERE YOU ARE.
IT'S VEG TO HAVE YOU HERE.
THANK YOU FOR COMING.
>> IF I'D KNOWN I WAS GOING TO
GET THAT KIND OF APPLAUSE I
WOULD HAVE LEFT EARLIER.
>> Jimmy: IS IT WEIRD FOR YOU TO
GET APPLAUSE WHEN YOU WALK OUT
ONTO A STAGE?
USUALLY YOU'RE LOOKING AT ALL
THESE GRIM-FACED REPORTERS.
>> YEAH, ESPECIALLY IN
CALIFORNIA.
>> Jimmy: OH, HAVE YOU BEEN
GETTING -- HAVE YOU BEEN
HARASSED?
>> NO, NO, IT'S BEEN
UNBELIEVABLY PLEASANT SINCE --
FOR THE LAST MONTH.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY
SUPPORTIVE.
AND THAT'S I THINK VERY HELPFUL
TO KNOW.
PEOPLE COME UP AND SAY, THANK
YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, I DIDN'T
VOTE FOR THE PRESIDENT, I'M NOT
A REPUBLICAN, BUT I APPRECIATE
YOU SERVING THE COUNTRY.
I THINK THAT GETS BACK TO WHAT
THIS SHOULD ALWAYS BE ABOUT IS
THAT WE HAVE ELECTIONS, THEY GET
DECIDED, THEN PEOPLE OF BOTH
PARTIES SHOULD BE ABLE TO SERVE
THIS COUNTRY.
>> Jimmy: ARE YOU DISTANCING
YOURSELF FROM THE PRESIDENT
RIGHT NOW?
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.
NO I'M NOT.
>> Jimmy: WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS
IS OBVIOUSLY A HARD JOB.
AND, I MEAN -- IT TURNED OUT TO
BE KIND OF FUNNY IN A LOT OF
WAYS.
WAS IT FOR YOU?
>> FUNNY?
[ LAUGHTER ]
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
>> I'M NOT SO SURE I SEE IT THAT
WAY.
BUT I APPRECIATE THE JOKES.
>> LET'S GO BACK TO THE
BEGINNING.
HOW DID YOU GET THE JOB OF PRESS
SECRETARY IN THE FIRST PLACE?
>> SO I HAD BEEN AT THE
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE
FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS.
YOU KNOW, OUR JOB IS TO SYNC UP
WITH THE NOMINEE.
AFTER THE INDIANA PRIMARY, TRUMP
BECAME THE APPARENT NOMINEE.
WENT INTO THE CONVENTION.
THEY RAN A RATHER UNCONVENTIONAL
CAMPAIGN.
AND SO THERE WAS A LOT OF NEED
FOR COMMUNICATIONS STAFF.
AND I WAS ASKED TO GO UP AND
START HELPING OUT ON A MORE
FULL-TIME BASIS, HELP UP AND
DOWN THE TICKET.
I STARTED BASICALLY COMMUTING TO
NEW YORK THE LAST WEEK OF
AUGUST, SPENT THE LAST 3 1/2
MONTHS GETTING TO KNOW THE
PRESIDENT.
TRAVELING WITH HIM, DOING THE
EVENTS.
AND YOU KNOW, THEN WE WON.
>> Jimmy: THEN HE SAID YOU'RE
THE GUY.
>> THEN, YOU KNOW, I LITERALLY
GOT A PHONE CALL FROM THE
PRESIDENT, AND HE SAID, LET'S DO
THIS.
I WANT YOU TO DO THE JOB.
AND I THANKED HIM PROFUSELY.
AND OFF WE WENT.
>> Jimmy: AND SO RIGHT OFF THE
BAT, YOUR FIRST-EVER PRESS
CONFERENCE.
YOU GET IN THERE AND IT'S THE
DAY AFTER THE INAUGURATION,
RIGHT?
>> YES.
>> Jimmy: AND YOU ARE CHARGED
WITH THE JOB OF GOING IN FRONT
OF THE PRESS AND SAYING THAT THE
INAUGURATION CROWD WAS THE
BIGGEST CROWD I THINK EVER,
BIGGEST AUDIENCE --
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> YES, I'M AWARE.
[ LAUGHTER ]
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
I APPRECIATE THE REMINDER HOW IT
WENT DOWN.
>> Jimmy: SO DID THE PRESIDENT
HIMSELF -- IF IT WAS UP TO YOU
WOULD THIS EVEN HAVE BEEN A
TOPIC?
>> YOU KNOW, IF IT WAS UP TO ME
I WOULD HAVE PROBABLY WORN A
DIFFERENT SUIT.
I THOUGHT I WAS GOING IN ON A
SATURDAY MORNING TO SET MY
OFFICE UP, GET THE COMPUTER,
MAKE SURE THE E-MAILS WENT OUT.
YOU KNOW.
AND --
>> Jimmy: SOMEBODY TOLD YOU, YOU
NEED TO GO OUT THERE AND SAY
THIS?
>> THE PRESIDENT WANTED TO MAKE
SURE THE RECORD GOT SET
STRAIGHT.
>> Jimmy: WHY IS HE SO CONCERNED
WITH SIZE?
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THE PRESIDENT
NAKED?
>> I HAVE NOT, NO.
>> Jimmy: YOU HAVE NOT, OKAY.
>> BUT LOOK, I SAID IT AT THE
TIME AND I BELIEVE IN ALL
SERIOUSNESS, AGAIN, WHETHER OR
NOT YOU VOTED FOR HIM OR NOT,
THE PRESIDENT WON THE ELECTION.
HE WAS -- FACED A LOT OF
HEADWINDS.
I THINK THERE WAS A FACTION OF
PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT DIDN'T
WANT TO GIVE HIM THE CREDIT THAT
HE RIGHTLY DESERVED.
I THINK HE TAKES A LOT OF THAT
SOMETIMES PERSONALLY.
SOME OF US WHO WORKED VERY HARD
TO GET HIM ELECTED FELT AS
THOUGH A LOT OF FOLKS IN THE
MEDIA IN PARTICULAR CONSTANTLY
SOUGHT TO UNDERMINE THE VALIDITY
OF THAT ELECTION.
AND SO YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IT
SOMETIMES FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
>> Jimmy: BUT THE VALIDITY OF
THE ELECTION, COMPARED TO
LOOKING AT PHOTOS OF THE CROWD
AT AN INAUGURATION.
I MEAN, THERE ARE LIKE ONE IS
THIS AND ONE IS THIS.
DID YOU TRY TO TALK HIM OUT OF
THAT LINE OF DEFENSE?
>> I THINK WE, YOU KNOW --
THERE'S A LOT OF US THAT WANTED
TO BE FOCUSED ON HIS AGENDA,
WHAT HE SPOKE ABOUT IN HIS
INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
SO, YOU KNOW, LOOK.
HE'S PRESIDENT, HE MADE A
DECISION --
>> Jimmy: YOU HAVE TO GO ALONG,
EVEN THOUGH -- EVEN IF YOU KNOW,
AND I'M NOT GOING TO ASK YOU TO
SAY, EVEN IF YOU KNOW THE CROWD
WASN'T BIGGER YOU HAVE TO GO, AS
PRESS SECRETARY, YOU HAVE TO SAY
THAT IT WAS?
>> LOOK, YOUR JOB AS PRESS
SECRETARY IS TO REPRESENT THE
PRESIDENT'S VOICE.
AND TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE
ARTICULATING WHAT HE BELIEVES
HIS VISION IS ON POLICY, ON
ISSUES, ON OTHER AREAS THAT HE
WANTS TO ARTICULATE.
WHETHER OR NOT YOU AGREE OR NOT
ISN'T YOUR JOB.
YOUR JOB IS TO GIVE HIM ADVICE.
AND WHICH WHAT IS WE WOULD DO ON
A VARIETY OF ISSUES ALL THE
TIME.
HE WOULD ALWAYS LISTEN TO THAT
ADVICE, BUT ULTIMATELY HE'S THE
PRESIDENT.
HE'D SAY, AGREE SOMETIMES, HE'D
SAY THAT'S A GOOD POINT,
INCORPORATE IT, SOMETIMES HE
WOULD SAY, DEPENDING ON THE
ISSUE, I KNOW WHAT I BELIEVE AND
THIS IS WHAT I THINK THE RIGHT
THING TO DO IS.
>> Jimmy: THEN YOU HAD TO MARCH
OUT AND SAY, YEAH, HE HAD A
BIGGER CROWD, EVERYBODY.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> AS I SAID, HE'S THE.
>> THE.
HE DECIDES.
>> Jimmy: I UNDERSTAND, THAT'S
WHAT YOU SIGN UP TO DO.
>> Jimmy: A LOT OF THESE GUYS,
THESE MEMBERS OF THE PRESS, WERE
YOUR FRIENDS, RIGHT?
>> I THINK WERE, YEAH.
>> Jimmy: WERE, OKAY.
LAUGH LIVE
[ LAUGHTER ]
JONATHAN KARL FROM ABC NEWS WHO
WAS A FRIEND OF YOURS?
>> I'VE KNOWN JONATHAN FOR A
LONG TIME.
>> Jimmy: OKAY, ALL RIGHT.
HERE'S HOW YOU GUYS KIND OF GOT
IT GOING.
>> IS IT YOUR INTENTION TO
ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH FROM THAT
PODIUM, AND WILL YOU PLEDGE
NEVER TO KNOWINGLY SAY SOMETHING
THAT IS NOT FACTUAL?
>> IT IS.
IT'S AN HONOR TO DO THIS.
AND YES, I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE
TO BE HONEST WITH THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE.
I THINK SOMETIMES WE CAN
DISAGREE WITH THE FACTS.
>> Jimmy: CAN WE, THOUGH,
DISAGREE WITH THE FACTS?
>> LOOK, I THINK THE POINT IS
THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT A SET OF --
AN ARGUMENT OR SET OF FACTS AND
COME OUT WITH ONE OPINION,
SOMEONE ELSE CAN SAY, WHILE THE
FACTS ARE THE SAME I COME OUT
WITH A DIFFERENT CONCLUSION.
>> Jimmy: I SEE.
>> THAT'S WHAT MAKES OUR COUNTRY
GREAT IS THAT THERE'S WAYS THAT
YOU CAN LOOK AT ECONOMIC MODELS
AND SAY, WE BELIEVE THAT GROWTH
RATES WILL BE HIGHER OR LOWER
AND THAT'S --
>> Jimmy: IF I WERE TO SAY TO
YOU, I'M SITTING ON A HORSE
RIGHT NOW --
>> YOU ARE NOT.
>> Jimmy: RIGHT, EXACTLY!
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
>> Jimmy: SO I WANT TO ASK ABOUT
JONATHAN.
WHEN HE'S ASKING YOU THIS
QUESTION ARE YOU LIKE, YOU SON
OF A BITCH, I'VE KNOWN YOU FOR
20 YEARS!
>> THERE WERE A COUPLE OF OTHER
WORDS.
[ LAUGHTER ]
BUT THAT'S THE TV VERSION.
WE'RE ON CABLE.
YOU KNOW, YEAH, THERE'S TIMES
WHEN YOU'RE THINKING TO
YOURSELF, YOU KNOW -- IF YOU
WANT TO ASK ABOUT POLICY OR A
PARTICULAR INSTANCE, BUT TO GET
UP THERE AND QUESTION, YOU KNOW,
ON DAY ONE MY INTEGRITY, I THINK
WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT I
ANTICIPATED.
>> Jimmy: YEAH.
WELL, I'M SURE.
ALTHOUGH WHEN YOU BROUGHT THAT
CROWD SIZE THING OUT, IT OPENED
THIS TERRIBLE PANDORA'S BOX.
YOU THINK THAT'S WHAT GOT YOU
OFF TO KIND OF A BAD START WITH
THE PRESS CORPS?
>> I DON'T THINK IT WAS -- IT
WAS PROBABLY NOT THE BEST START,
NO.
>> Jimmy: DID DONALD TRUMP --
DID THE PRESIDENT WATCH ALL YOUR
PRESS CONFERENCES?
>> I DON'T THINK, NOT EVERY ONE
OF THEM.
>> Jimmy: WOULD HE BE WAITING
FOR YOU AFTERWARDS?
>> THERE WERE SOME DAYS WHEN HE
WOULD AT SOME POINT EITHER SEE
CLIPS OR WATCH IT, DEPENDING ON
THE DAY AND WHAT MEETINGS WERE
HAPPENING AND WHAT TIME THE
BRIEFING WAS.
SO A LOT OF TIMES HE WOULD
PROVIDE FEEDBACK BASED ON,
AGAIN -- MY JOB IS TO ARTICULATE
HIS POSITION.
>> Jimmy: YEAH, RIGHT.
>> HE WOULD SAY, HEY, I THOUGHT
THAT WAS REALLY GOOD HOW YOU
ARTICULATED THIS.
I THINK I WOULD HAVE PHRASED
THIS DIFFERENTLY.
>> Jimmy: REALLY?
HE'S THAT CONSTRUCTIVE IN THE
WAY HE PUTS THINGS?
>> SOMETIMES.
DEPENDS ON THE ISSUE.
IT DEPENDED ON THE ISSUE, AND
AGAIN, IT'S MY JOB TO SPEAK ON
HIS BEHALF.
>> Jimmy: YEAH.
>> IF YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING IN THE 336 00:08:01,448 --> 00:00:00,000 WAY THAT HE WANTS, OBVIOUSLY HE