(The Federalist) — While President Obama is trying to keep a conciliatory tone about his successor, his spokesman is not. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest is emerging as the West Wing’s bad cop to Obama’s good cop. Except this bad cop is kind of like your peevish little brother who tattles about the kegger you had when your parents were out of town and tries to be funny in a cringe-worthy way.
White House press secretary is a tough job. Yet it’s one thing to flak for your boss and defend him against his political detractors; it’s another thing to directly insert yourself in the most contentious, divisive presidential election in modern history. Since Election Day, Earnest has waded into areas he should not, ginning up doubt about everything from Donald Trump’s win to his cabinet choices to his central role in the Russian hacking scandal.
On Monday, Earnest unleashed a lengthy monologue, laying out a series of alleged connections between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in an effort to buttress the idea that Russia influenced the election in Trump’s favor.