HEATHER MCMAHAN: I mean, at some point, it’s like the joke is really on us. And I think that’s how a lot of people feel. So as a picture, I really, really commend you for keeping your cool. Really, thank God I didn’t take up journalism. And again, I don’t know.
CNN ANCHOR KAITLAN COLLINS: I don’t know, it would be really, it would be kind of fun to have you in the picture.
HEATHER MCMAHAN: Like hot takes me wherever I am, sorry, let’s really break this shit. I would like you to make such a guest appearance in the information room. Let me know, let me know. I will be in a full cheetah print dress and the questions will be popping up.
How do you deal with Karoline? I mean, because you have to of course, there is a good balance because you are trying to do your job, you are having to deal with this administration. Like, what is it really?
CNN ANCHOR KAITLAN COLLINS: Well, I think, you know, I’ve dealt with probably four Trump press secretaries now at this point, two during Biden.
And so there is always a natural tension relationship between the press and the press secretary, because they are covering things that they are trying to spend in the best light for their boss.
You are asking questions they may not want to fully answer. And so that is something that always exists. I don’t think you should have an amazing relationship with whoever the press secretary is, because it’s just at odds with the nature of your job.
Reporters, you have to be a little antagonistic in terms of, you know, making people uncomfortable with your questions. You don’t just ask things like, why are you so big? Or list all your favorite achievements, you, especially when they are legislators.
And I think it’s really, I mean, it’s just, the level changes, I think, when somebody who’s funded by the taxpayers.
So with Karoline Leavitt, I think it’s pretty similar to, you know, Kayleigh McEnany, Sean Spicer, other press secretaries that came before her for Trump.
Which is a difficult job in itself, because Trump thinks he is his own best spokesman. Many times he is the person you really want to ask the question to because he will answer it in the way he believes, you know how he really feels about a subject.
And so, you, I never went into the briefing room thinking like, oh, they’re going to like my questions.
I try to be fair. I want to be, I’m never trying to, you know, be super antagonistic or try to question something. It’s genuinely a question I have when entering. It is a good faith question.
And so of course this leads to fights sometimes when they don’t like my question. Sometimes I actually think my question is not how, you know confrontation like sometimes the answers.