White House Reportedly Passes Comey Response Off to RNC Because Trump Could ‘Blow Up’ Talking Points

Former FBI director James Comey is going to release his memoir next week and begin a month-long book tour that will keep him in the public eye and in the media for a while.

The White House response? Absolutely nothing.

According to White House officials speaking to Politico‘s Matthew Nussbaum, an attempt by the White House to lay “out an advance media strategy is largely a futile exercise since President Donald Trump could blow up any prepared talking points with a single tweet.”

Instead, the White House is leaving the response to the Republican National Committee, which also fielded the bulk of the aftermath of Comey’s Congressional testimony.

Meanwhile, former George W. Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer thinks the White House ought to respond.

“The White House should recognize this will be a No. 1 nationwide bestseller,” he told Nussbaum. “Nothing they do will increase sales for it, they’ll already be sky high. That ship’s sailed. This book is selling, so there’s merit in responding and no downside in responding… This is just so red hot, the White House must respond itself, along with surrogates, but they can’t just rely on surrogates.”

“It’s just going to be another cross this comms and press shop has to bear when it comes to really, really shitty stories,” a former Trump White House official said.

“[But] it’s going to be something more damaging,” he added. “Jim Comey is someone who is extremely dramatic, and he’s an extremely good storyteller. He’s someone who can drive a narrative and keep the camera’s interest.”

[image via screengrab]