Reports of Sean Spicer’s resignation as White House press secretary overtook the news cycle on Friday, earning live coverage across all three cable networks and top billing on leading news websites.
Yes, summer Fridays are notoriously slow news days. Yes, Spicer’s resignation was part of a shakeup involving the unusual hiring of a former Wall Street financier as White House communications director. And, yes, it’s clear the story has implications for how business will be conducted in this administration.
Spicer, furthermore, was one of the most recognizable members of Trump’s team, boosting television ratings with his fiery briefings and earning a recurring impression on “Saturday Night Live.”
But the media should be careful to ensure coverage of the story doesn’t snowball out of proportion with its importance. Conservatives focus frequently on liberal media bias, but members of the media on both sides possess another undeniable bias that comes with being in the press ? a heightened interested in stories that relate directly to the press.
In the same way, a person who works in business has a heightened interest in business news, those of us who work in media are naturally more interested in media news. Thus, Spicer, as the former head of the White House communications shop, is more interesting to us than he is to others.
In addition to all of the headlines and breathless tweeting, after the news broke, Reuters ran a live stream of Sean Spicer’s house. Cable networks broadcast riveting live footage of reporters milling about the White House briefing room long before the briefing was set to occur.
Again, it’s a serious story and should be covered and discussed. But we shouldn’t forget that ongoing healthcare and budget negotiations will impact people more than a staff shakeup in the White House communications office.
Emily Jashinsky is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
