Briefing: Trump calls Don Jr. 'high quality,' but who knows when they last spoke

Kerry Eleveld

Daily Kos Staff

Tuesday July 11, 2017 · 12:29 PM PDT

2017/07/11 · 12:29

LAS VEGAS, NV - FEBRUARY 23: Donald Trump Jr. (L) looks on as his father, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, waves after speaking at a caucus night watch party at the Treasure Island Hotel & Casino on February 23, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The New York businessman won his third state victory in a row in the "first in the West" caucuses. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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Let's face it: The fact that these White House briefings aren't being televised is criminal (a White House mantra of sorts, these days).

Anyway, deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders read a statement from Donald Trump at the top of Tuesday's briefing. Here it is in full:

“My son is a high-quality person and I applaud his transparency.”

Yep, that's it. Trump either forgot what he was doing after that or wandered off camera, but the family bond is clearly as strong as ever:

Asked if she knows the last time Trump talked with Don Jr., Sarah Huckabee Sanders says: "I don't." https://t.co/c0Qa6X3G4M
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) July 11, 2017

Also, Trump and Mike Pence are totally on the same page ...

Sarah Huckabee Sanders: "There's absolutely no distance between the president and the vice president." https://t.co/wV6EKB7gdq
— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) July 11, 2017

We take “no distance” to mean that Pence is in the Oval Office measuring drapes right now. But he did take time out to have his spokesperson issue a statement saying he was “not aware” of Jr.’s meeting with the Russian lawyer.

“He is not focused on stories about the campaign, particularly stories about the time before he joined the ticket.” (emphasis added)

Zing.

Huckabee Sanders spent most of the briefing repeating the phrase, “I would refer you to Don Jr.'s counsel and outside counsel.”

As in:

Reporter: You are not disputing any of the facts?

SHS: I'm simply referring you to people that can answer that question.

That would be a “no.” As of now, the White House is not disputing the facts reported in the New York Times’ story on Trump Jr. meeting with a Kremlin-connected Russian attorney to dig up dirt on Hillary Clinton.

But SHS was clear on this point:

Asked about the new words "treason" and "perjury" in Russia conversation, Sarah Huckabee Sanders: "I think those new words are ridiculous."
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) July 11, 2017

If there’s one thing this White House specializes in, it’s ridiculousness—we can give her that.

Briefing: Trump calls Don Jr. 'high quality,' but who knows when they last spoke

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