No, Reince Priebus Did Not Screw Up That Football Analogy

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus answers questions from The Associated Press about Thursday’s face-to-face meeting between Donald Trump, the GOP’s presumptive presidential nominee, and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., at RNC headquarters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, May 13, 2016. With the GOP both energized and torn over Trump’s rise, Trump and Ryan pledged to work together despite their differences, though the speaker stopped short of a full-throated endorsement.  (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus answers questions from The Associated Press about Thursday’s face-to-face meeting between Donald Trump, the GOP’s presumptive presidential nominee, and Speake... Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus answers questions from The Associated Press about Thursday’s face-to-face meeting between Donald Trump, the GOP’s presumptive presidential nominee, and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., at RNC headquarters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, May 13, 2016. With the GOP both energized and torn over Trump’s rise, Trump and Ryan pledged to work together despite their differences, though the speaker stopped short of a full-throated endorsement. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) MORE LESS
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Updated at 5:31 p.m. ET: 

A reporter for The Hill who landed White House chief of staff Reince Priebus in a dog pile of mockery Thursday has corrected her reporting and apologized to Priebus.

Molly Hooper originally reported that after House Republicans passed an Obamacare repeal bill, Priebus told her, “The president stepped up and helped punt the ball into the end zone.” In fact, Hooper reported later, Priebus said that Trump had helped to “punch” the football into the end zone, a colorful description of Trump providing the extra energy necessary to pass the bill.

The original story is below: 

White House chief of staff Reince Priebus found himself on the receiving end of his own unfortunate football metaphor Thursday.

After Republicans in the House of Representatives voted to pass their effort to repeal and replace Obamacare, Priebus reportedly responded with a colorful metaphor to The Hill’s Molly Hooper:

However, in football, punting the ball into the end zone results not only in a change of possession, but also the placement of the opposing team’s next snap at the 20-yard line.

In other words, Priebus had congratulated Trump for giving Democrats a favorable field position for the next health care battle.

A few football jokes ensued.

This post has been updated.

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Notable Replies

  1. Avatar for darcy darcy says:

    “The president stepped up and helped punt the ball into the end zone.”

    I’m guessing Reince doesn’t watch a lot of football.

  2. When you don’t know the sport, don’t use it metaphorically.

  3. Avatar for darcy darcy says:

    Republicans can do whatever they want. It’s right there in the constitution.

  4. People who are clueless about football, or any sport for that matter, should not make analogies using football or other said sport. Otherwise, ridicule is sure to follow.

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