Over the last four months, Sean Spicer has become the inexplicably human face of the Trump administration, presenting the image of a blustering, devotedly loyal buffoon who’s always doing silly stuff like fighting with ice cream companies, or taking a breather in/near some bushes, or inadvertently wandering into the realm of Holocaust denial. That mistake-prone devotion to his boss doesn’t seem to have done Spicer many favors in the White House pecking order, though, since CNN reports that the press secretary—a devoted Catholic—didn’t make the cut to get into today’s meeting between President Donald Trump and Pope Francis.
The CNN piece is a larger look at how Trump’s recent international tour has shed light on the politics of his inner circle, with his daughter, Ivanka Trump, and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, taking pride of place, and long-time staffers and supporters being treated to the cushiest seats and privileges. That’s presumably why Spicer—who wasn’t part of the Trump presidential campaign, and who’s been a constant (and, if we’re being honest, deserved) target for press and public mockery ever since he took the job back in January—was excluded from the meeting, even though past press secretaries have been included in papal meet-and-greets.
Still, we can’t help but feel a little bad for ol’ Spicey, who every day seems a little bit more like the “Jerry from Parks And Recreation” of the Trump administration. CNN quoted an anonymous source who was asked about the snub, and who responded, “Wow. That’s all he wanted.” Poor lil’ guy.