- Title: White House spokesman says he let Trump down in comparison of Assad and Hitler
- Date: 12th April 2017
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (APRIL 12, 2017) (REUTERS - Broadcasters: NONE Digital: NONE) WIDESHOT WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY SEAN SPICER ARRIVING ON STAGE AT THE START OF A NEWSEUM EVENT ON THE FIRST 100 DAYS ON THE PRESIDENCY OF DONALD TRUMP (SOUNDBITE) (English) WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY SEAN SPICER, IN AN EXCHANGE WITH A MODERATOR, SAYING: MODERATOR: "The Holocaust situation. Question: your thoughts today?" SPICER: "I made a mistake. There's no way--, the way--, I mean, there's no other way to say it. I got into a topic that I shouldn't have. And then I screwed up. I mean, you know, and I hope people understand that that we all make mistakes. I hope I show that--, that I understand that I did that and that--, that I sought people's forgiveness because I screwed up. And, you know, and I hope each person can understand that--, that part of existing is understanding that when you do something wrong, if you own up to it, you do it. You let people know. And I did. So, for me, I mean, obviously, there's two takeaways. One is: it's a very holy week for both the Jewish people and the Christian people and this is not--, to make a gaffe and a mistake like this is inexcusable and reprehensible. And so, of all weeks, this was not--, this compounds that kind of mistake. But second of all: and so, first of all, it's obviously--, it's just--, it's--, it's--, it's--, it really is painful to myself to know that I did something like that because that obviously was not my intention. And, to know when you screw up that you possibly offended a lot of people--, I just, you know, and so I would ask obviously for folks' forgiveness to understand that I should not have tried to make a comparison. There's no comparing atrocities and it is a very solemn time for so many folks that this is part of that. And so, that--, that's obviously a very difficult thing, personally, to deal with because you know that there are a lot of people who don't know you wonder why you would do that. So, that's--, that's first and foremost, and then, secondly, you know, just from a professional standpoint, it's obviously disappointing. I think the President had an unbelievable couple of weeks. He took very decisive action in Syria. He's made tremendous progress with President Xi and his visit with China. And, your job as the spokesperson is to help amplify the president's actions and accomplishments. And I think he's had an unbelievable successful couple of weeks. And when you're distracting from that message of accomplishment and that's--, your job is to be the exact opposite. On a professional level, it's disappointing because I think I've--, I've let the President down and, so, on both a personal level and a professional level, that would definitely go down is not a very good day in my history. " WIDESHOT WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY SEAN SPICER WITH MODERATOR
- Embargoed: 26th April 2017 16:22
- Keywords: Donald Trump Sean Spicer Syria chemical attack Hitler Nazi Holocaust apology Newseum
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- City: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016C3H0LJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: White House spokesman Sean Spicer said on Wednesday (April 12) he had let down U.S. President Donald Trump with his "inexcusable and reprehensible" comments comparing the use of poison gas by Syria's president to the atrocities of Adolf Hitler.
Spicer triggered an uproar at a White House briefing on Tuesday while discussing chemical weapons use by the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, saying that even Hitler did not use chemical weapons during World War II.
The comments drew sharp criticism on social media and elsewhere for overlooking the fact that the Nazis killed millions of Jews and others in gas chambers. Eighty-seven people, including children, were killed in last week's chemical weapons attack in Syria.
Offered a chance to clarify his remarks during Tuesday's briefing, Spicer attempted to draw a distinction between the two different uses of deadly chemicals. Later on Tuesday, he apologized for his handling of the topic, which came on the Jewish holiday of Passover and as Christians prepare to celebrate Easter.
On Wednesday, Spicer said the comments were "inexcusable and reprehensible" and all the more painful because they were made at a time sacred to Jews and Christians. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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