SUBJECT – WHITE HOUSE POOL REPORT 1 – 2-1-17
10:00 AM – POTUS MET WITH AFRICAN-AMERICAN SUPPORTERS AND SPOKE FROM PREPARED REMARKS ABOUT MARKING BLACK HISTORY MONTH. HE SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED FREDERICK DOUGLASS, SAYING HE’S “AN EXAMPLE OF SOMEBODY WHO’S DONE AN AMAZING JOB AND IS BEING RECOGNIZED MORE AND MORE, I NOTICE.”
FOLLOWING THE REMARKS, POOL REPORTER ASKED POTUS WHY HE APPEARED TO REFER TO DOUGLASS AS IF HE WERE STILL LIVING. POTUS TURNED TO OMAROSA, SEATED IMMEDIATELY TO HIS RIGHT, AND ASKED, “HE’S ALIVE, RIGHT?”
“WHO, MR. PRESIDENT?” SHE ASKED.
“FREDERICK DOUGLASS. THE GUY FROM ‘BARBERSHOP?’”
OMAROSA DID NOT RESPOND.
POTUS CONTINUED. “THE COMEDIAN? YOU KNOW HIM! HE’S IN A TON OF MOVIES.”
OMAROSA HESITATED FOR A MOMENT AND THEN SAID, “MR. PRESIDENT, I BELIEVE YOU’RE REFERRING TO CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER. NOT FREDERICK DOUGLASS.”
“THEY’RE NOT THE SAME GUY?” POTUS ASKED.
“NO, SIR,” OMAROSA SAID.
“THEY’RE TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE?” POTUS ASKED.
“YES, SIR,” OMAROSA SAID. “THEY ARE.”
POTUS SAID, “OKAY. WELL… BUT CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER’S ALIVE, THOUGH, RIGHT?”
“YES, SIR, HE IS,” OMAROSA SAID.
“SEE, I KNEW THAT. I KNEW THAT,” TRUMP SAID.
SOME SILENCE FOLLOWED.
