April Ryan: ‘I was in shock’

American Urban Radio Networks correspondent April Ryan, who was told by White House press secretary Sean Spicer to “stop shaking your head” during a Tuesday briefing, said she was shocked by the public response to incident.

But she told CNN that Wednesday’s press briefing marked a “reset” with Spicer.

“I took it in. It was what it was, and I went home — I didn’t get home until very late last night,” she said Wednesday on CNN. “And then someone had to tell me that Hillary Clinton, former Secretary Hillary Clinton, had spoken about me, and I was in shock.”

Ryan became the target of Spicer’s ire on Tuesday after she pushed the press secretary on ongoing questions about federal investigations into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia.

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“April, hold on, it seems like you’re hell-bent on trying to make sure that whatever image you want to tell about this White House stays,” Spicer told Ryan during his daily briefing.

“I’m sorry, please stop shaking your head again,” he added.

Spicer’s remarks drew backlash, with some critics accusing the press secretary of racist and sexist behavior. As Ryan mentioned on CNN, Clinton brought up Spicer’s comments to Ryan at a major speech Tuesday night, using the episode as an example of ongoing sexism.

Spicer dismissed the accusations against him, telling conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt on Wednesday morning that attributing his comments to racism or sexism were “demeaning” to Ryan.

“To suggest that, somehow, because of her gender or race, she’d be treated differently, I think, is, frankly, demeaning to her,” Spicer said. “She’s a tough woman that fights every day to get out there for her publication and her audience to get the questions that she wants answered, and I respect that.”

At Spicer’s Wednesday press briefing, Ryan was given the first question after an apparently friendly exchange with the press secretary. She called the exchange and Spicer’s gesture to give her the first question of the briefing a “reset.”

“I didn’t know what was going to happen today, but I was prepared either way,” she said. “I’m glad there’s been a reset. There needs to be a reset, because we both have a job to do.”

Ryan did not directly accuse Spicer of sexism but called Washington a “male-dominated town.”

“I think there was a reset moment to sift it out. And we’re all in there together in this mosh pit, trying to ask questions,” Ryan said. “But you have to remember, this is a male-dominated town.”