Sean Spicer’s explanation of Donald Trump’s “covfefe” tweet is peak Sean Spicer

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The day after Donald Trump posted an incoherent tweet about “covfefe” and then left it up all night, the White House press corps couldn’t help but ask Press Secretary Sean Spicer about the matter. The trouble with his answer is that it sounded a whole lot like the jokes that people had spent all night making about how Spicer would answer, and now there’s debate about whether he was being sarcastic or serious.

Sean Spicer was asked the following question by a reporter today: “Do you think people should be concerned that the president posted somewhat of an incoherent tweet last night, and that it then stayed up for hours?” Spicer’s initial answer was “Uh, no.” When pressed for why the errant tweet remained online for so long and why no one was minding the story, Spicer deadpanned “I think the president and a small group of people know exactly what he meant.”

The press corps erupted in a mix of laughter and confusion, seemingly unsure of whether Spicer had intended his ridiculous answer to taken seriously or facetiously. But then Spicer quickly began repeatedly calling on another reporter by name, almost begging for another question that would change the subject. Here’s the audio clip of Sean Spicer’s answer, and you can judge for yourself whether you think he was making a nervous deadpan joke or he was trying to sell his absurd answer in serious fashion (link):

Various reporters began asking what the tweet was supposed to mean, while one flat out asked “What is covfefe?” Another reporter asked, “Does the president’s tweet speak for itself?” This was almost verbatim what people on Twitter had been joking that Sean Spicer would say. But at that point Spicer was done talking about it. Follow Palmer Report on Facebook and Twitter.

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