It seems President Donald Trump's press secretary would like to take more of backstage role.
And who can blame him?
Since Trump took office, Sean Spicer has been the guy who took the message to the press. And took a lot in return.
Now it looks like he's seeking someone else to face the media day in and day out, someone else to try and explain that the president didn't mean what everyone heard him say.
I've always had a touch of sympathy for Spicer. It can't be easy to get up every morning and stare for what must seem like hours at the newspaper in your driveway or your smartphone, scared to death that whatever inane thought your boss tweeted at 3 a.m. made headlines around the world.
It reminds me of Clayton Williams, the aw-shucks oilman who ran for governor of Texas against Ann Richards back in 1990. He was doing pretty well-leading Richards by 20 points in the polls at one point-as long as he kept his mouth shut. But he didn't. He couldn't. And then he made a joke about rape and lost the race. I bet his press guy was secretly relieved he wouldn't have to continue deflecting the heat for the next four years.
Spicer, though, had no such luck. He had some experience handling the volatile candidate while communications director for the Republican National Committee. It was Spicer who had to distance the GOP from Trump's remarks painting Mexican immigrants as criminals and his disparagement of U.S. Sen. John McCain's confinement in a Vietnamese POW camp.
But despite saying things that made Claytie look almost saintly, The Donald won.
President Trump named Spicer his press secretary just a couple of weeks before the inauguration He picked up the title of communications director after Trump's campaign spokesman Jason Miller was tapped-and beat feet two days later amidst allegations of an affair with a colleague.
Spicer could just be letting someone else take the heat in public or, if the rumors are true, he may soon be out the door altogether. If so, his tenure behind the White House podium wouldn't be the shortest on record-that distinction goes to Jerry terHorst who lasted just 31 days in the job for President Jerry Ford before resigning in protest after Ford pardoned President Richard Nixon.
Four others haven't lasted as long as Spicer has so far. But it would be an uncommonly brief stay in a post where the average tenure is a couple of years.
It's a tough job. And President Trump hasn't made it any easier. Trying to explain away some of the president's actions, "alternative facts" and tweets has inevitably backfired on his press secretary.
Spicer's been a pretty good sport about the ribbing, much better at letting the stuff roll off him than his thin-skinned and prickly boss. He did seem a bit pained about Melissa McCarthy's over-he-top portrayal of him on Saturday Night Live. He suggested she tone it down a bit. Which, of course, meant she doubled down instead.
Spicer compensates with a ferocious chewing gum addiction. He has admitted going through-and swallowing-30 or more pieces of gum a day. If that's his worst habit, he's to be congratulated. I figure most guys in his position would be hitting the gin pretty hard by now.
I'll be sorry to see Spicer go. He did the best he could with what he had to work with and was certainly entertaining. We'll see what happens in the days to come. Maybe Spicer's top deputy Sarah Huckabee Sanders-daughter of former Texarkana pastor, Arkansas governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee-will be elevated to chief spokesperson. Maybe the administration will bring in someone entirely new.
I wonder if Melissa McCarthy's available?