As noted by Joe Scarbourgh yesterday on Twitter, it is very hard to make declarative statements about the Trump administration because of their propensity to constantly one-up themselves.
I had said Friday was the worst day of Donald Trump's presidency. I was wrong. It is today.
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) March 20, 2017
So it’s impossible for anyone to say that what Sean Spicer said in his press briefing yesterday will be the most astonishing thing ever uttered at the podium, but it sure is head-scratching. Speaking about investigations by the FBI into contacts with Russia by members of the Trump camp, Spicer said that Donald Trump’s former campaign chair Paul Manafort had a “limited role” in the Trump’s actual campaign.
Wow – Spicer now describing Manafort as playing a "very limited role" for a "very limited" time. He was chairman of the campaign!!!
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) March 20, 2017
For those scoring at home with “facts,” Manafort joined the campaign in March 2016, and by April it was assumed he was running the show, wresting control away from Corey Lewandowski. Manafort then departed the campaign in late August, due to his ties to pro-Russian politicians in the Ukraine. That would mean that six out of the 17 months of the campaign, Manafort was running the campaign.
Limited, indeed.
Naturally, Twitter ran with it.
Garlic has a #VeryLimitedRole in Italian food.
— Scott Simon (@nprscottsimon) March 20, 2017
https://twitter.com/MollyORod/status/843888333923078148
https://twitter.com/owillis/status/843894498514124801
Spicey's brain had a #verylimitedrole in his statements today #PressBriefing pic.twitter.com/jKeBQQoqg8
— Katie Rapson (@katierapson) March 20, 2017
https://twitter.com/DannyGeary/status/843925679955755008
https://twitter.com/racerunnerEm/status/843925149783068672
Steve Perry had #VeryLimitedRole in success of Journey!
— Gail Toney (@gtsrambling) March 20, 2017
Horace Mann played a #VeryLimitedRole in the expansion of American public schools. pic.twitter.com/pOsA7mwDol
— Jennifer Binis (@JennBinis) March 20, 2017
https://twitter.com/matt_genne/status/843923795249430530
Gollum played a #VeryLimitedRole in The Lord of the Rings. pic.twitter.com/DUuq4hOTPD
— Nope. (@JoyAnnReid) March 20, 2017
https://twitter.com/owillis/status/843894768363077633
Facts play a #VeryLimitedRole in @realDonaldTrump tweets. pic.twitter.com/4fPo7HLSZK
— Keͥllͣyͫ⇜ 🧷🏳️🌈🗽🆘🥀 (@NotThatKellyAnn) March 20, 2017
While we can’t say this will be the best meme Spicer ever gives us, we can say with certainty it was pretty good.