CNN sends sketch artist to White House press briefings

Sean Spicer in cartoon form
Sean Spicer as a cartoon. Photo credit: CNN

The White House might have banned cameras from its latest press briefings, but no one said anything about sketch artists.

So CNN sent Bill Hennessy, who usually illustrates Supreme Court proceedings for the network, to sketch Sean Spicer's latest updates from the Trump administration.

"CNN equated the briefing to a Supreme Court argument - an on-the-record event at which cameras are banned," CNN said on its website.

"Sketches are also common in courtroom trials. The idea is to paint a picture for viewers who couldn't be in the room."

The camera ban, at least according to one of President Donald Trump's closest advisors Steve Bannon, is because Mr Spicer "got fatter".

"The White House using fat shaming to justify increased opacity," Chelsea Clinton, daughter of ex-candidate Hillary Clinton, wrote on Twitter.

One suggestion made on Twitter was that CNN's sketch artist progressively draw Mr Spicer "fatter and fatter until he demands cameras".

CNN reports televised press Mr Spicer said. "I think it's great for us to come out here and have a substantive discussion about policies. I don't think that the be all and end all is whether it's on television or not."

CNN said other news outlets could use the sketches, in the absence of other vision.

Newshub.