Is Donald Trump Recording People Like A Common Nixon?

Donald Trump sure does like borrowing ideas from Richard Nixon, like being the "Law & Order" president, talking to the "Silent Majority," hanging out with Henry Kissinger, and even adopting Nixon's "Madman strategy" approach to foreign policy -- with the caveat, of course, that it's no strategy and Trump is simply fucking nuts. So should we be even the least bit surprised Trump hinted in a Tweet that maybe -- just for speculation's sake -- there might be a recording out there of hisdinner conversation with James Comey? Don't be silly! The answer to every question about Trump that starts with "Should we be surprised...?" is always "No, and it'll turn out to be worse." So now it's time to ask whether Trump, like ol' Dick, has a recording system in the White House. The answer is: He'd be a goddamned fool to repeat Nixon's mistakes, so the odds are pretty good he has a recording system in the White House.

Sean Spicer's refusal to answer questions about whether Trump recorded his conversation with Comey -- or whether there are recording devices in the Oval Office or elsewhere in the White House -- was the big takeaway from today's press briefing; Spicer went out of his way to refuse any comment on the matter; like Peter, he denied it three times before the cock crew (his nickname for the press corps).

When asked about the tweet itself, Spicer said, “I’ve talked to the president. The president has nothing further to add on that.”

Spicer was pressed further: “As I mentioned, the president has nothing further to add on that.”

Are there recording devices in the Oval Office? “As I’ve said for the third time, I have nothing further to add on that.”

Lookie, here he is explaining extensively that he has nothing to say on the matter:

Did Trump record his interactions with Comey? Are there recording devices in the White House?

Spicer dodges.

Full exchange—> pic.twitter.com/r0tWQKbDQf 

— Tom Namako (@TomNamako) May 12, 2017