Political commentator David Gergen attempted to normalize conservative radio host Laura Ingraham in light of recent rumors that she may become White House press secretary, saying that Americans have to give her a chance.
CNN’s Carol Costello asked Gergen what he thought about Ingraham saying that she thinks the press has a lot of work to do to build back its own credibility, and that Trump will pick a press secretary who will have a “transparent” and “practical” approach to the press. Gergen said those comments were “non-controversial,” but did note that Ingraham herself is extremely controversial.
“But it was an interesting choice because she is—she has taken very strong stances on a number of issues in her own writings and her radio show and that sort of thing,” he said. “She brings to it a lot of past controversies she will be sorting out and as you know, she’s combative. She doesn’t suffer fools gladly. She can be tough. It’s an unusual choice but I must say, it’s consistent with the way Donald Trump has responded to the press in which he’s often been very combative, very prickly.”
Despite citing Igraham’s more “prickly” qualities, Gergen said that he hopes Americans will give her a chance if she joins the Trump administration, even invoking Hillary Clinton to make that point.
“Look, a lot of Americans are going to welcome Laura Ingraham. A lot of Americans will say ‘Whoa, you are really putting her in as press secretary?'” he said. “I think as Hillary Clinton has said, you have to give people a chance. The president deserves that. The president has a right and it’s a tradition the president can ask those he wants to sort of have near him and the public can make their decisions after.”
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