The White House press secretary is supposed to be the No. 1 liaison between the president and the press corps. Sarah Sanders diminished the job. When she leaves the W.H. later this month, few reporters will be sorry to see her go. So... will Trump even fill the job now?
I asked one of the most plugged-in W.H. correspondents I know... And they said: "Truly it's anyone's guess. So says the White House. There's certainly speculation they could promote from within — Hogan Gidley was once seen as a dark horse, but in recent months, officials have contemplated seeing him in that role. But it's Trump... and of course he could always pick someone from the outside. That's my bet."
But who on the outside would want the job at this moment in time? Wait -- I take that back -- on Fox News Thursday night, Laura Ingraham joked with Sean Hannity about tag-teaming the briefings for a week. "That'd be fun," said Ingraham, who was mentioned as a press secretary candidate in the past. Hannity cracked up laughing.
The correspondent added: "A good point many have been making today is: Why pick anyone? What difference does it make?"
Sanders' legacy
Sander's main legacy as press secretary will be the death of the daily press briefing. On her watch, we saw the end of a custom that had provided a level of government transparency and accountability for decades.
In her nearly two years in the job, Sanders first shortened the on-camera briefings and then did away with them altogether. Her most recent appearance in the briefing room was back on March 11 — and that session was only 14 minutes long. Friday will be day 95 without a briefing. On Thursday, she said she doesn't regret the lack of briefings. This is the first time I actually hope she is lying.
Fox's Neil Cavuto, among others, questioned the "odd" timing of the announcement and asked if Trump was "pointing the finger" at her for the ABC interview mess. But a WH official told Jim Acosta "she'd chosen this date well in advance." And Trump gave her a hero's farewell on Thursday...
No credibility
Sanders had no credibility left. None. I mean, according to the Mueller report, she admitted under oath that she lied to the press corps about James Comey. Still, I'm not sensing a lot of confidence that the man or woman who takes her place will be candid and truthful. The "enemy" tone comes from the top...
Trump's 8 a.m. appointment
Two days after the ABC interview, Trump will be back on Fox on Friday: He has an 8 a.m. phone call scheduled with the "Fox & Friends" cast...
FRIDAY PLANNER
-- It's President Trump's birthday...
-- The IRE conference continues in Houston...
-- US prosecutors are expected to detail all charges against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange while seeking his extradition in a London courtroom...
-- NBC will announce how the qualifying Dem candidates will be split up between the two-night debate on June 26 and 27...
-- Sony's "Men in Black International" and WB's "Shaft" open in theaters...
-- Kate Bennett's CNN prime time special, "Woman of Mystery: Melania Trump," premieres at 9 p.m. ET...
Poppy's interview with Sundar Pichai
CNN's Poppy Harlow sat down exclusively with Google CEO Sundar Pichai in Oklahoma on Thursday. Her Friday morning newscast will have Pichai's first response to the DOJ's expected probe into Google.
Harlow emails from her flight home: "He tells me he is not surprised by news of a possible US antitrust probe — but cautioned against regulating for the sake of regulating."
Harlow also asked about Elizabeth Warren's call to break up Google and its big tech competitors — Pichai said "there are many countries around the world which aspire to be the next Silicon Valley, and they are supporting their companies too. So we have to balance both."
Harlow and Pichai toured Google's data center in Pryor, Oklahoma. More from the interview — including his comments about YouTube and China and censorship — will be out on Monday morning... That's when it will be posted in full on her "Boss Files" podcast...
Big CBS board meeting on Friday
"CBS and Viacom are expected to begin seriously discussing a merger next week, culminating months of speculation about an eventual combination," CNBC's Alex Sherman wrote Thursday.
Friday's board meeting is another step in the merger direction. "Though no formal announcements are planned, the board of directors is expected to decide to increase the level of seriousness around discussions with Viacom." More...
FOR THE RECORD
-- Read more of Thursday's "Reliable Sources" newsletter... And subscribe here to receive future editions in your inbox...
-- A Turkish court has "accepted an indictment from a prosecutor requesting a jail term of between two and five years for two Bloomberg reporters" along with dozens of other people. John Micklethwait has condemned the indictment: "We fully stand by them and will support them throughout this ordeal..." (Bloomberg)
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