It’s Day Two of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) and your friendly neighborhood Mediaite contributing editor would like to reassure our readers that the vast majority of attendees, speakers, elected officials, and other random people walking about here at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Florida have been extraordinarily friendly and nice. We’ve recorded some good, substantive interviews we’ll publish later.
This is not one of them.
Seb Gorka is a former adviser to former President Donald Trump, an Imagine Dragons superfan, a fish oil supplement hawker, and owner of a darling four-cylinder Ford Mustang convertible that has gone viral several times for being poorly parked.
He’s also not a fan of Mediaite. I’ll leave it to our readers to decide for yourselves if he is less of a fan than the pillow salesman, but it seems that Gorka has had several rather spirited interactions with previous Mediaite reporters who predate my time here.
That was all several years ago, but to be fair, we do have a habit here of publishing articles that put Gorka in a harsh light by reporting on actual words he has actually said, often on camera.
Gorka was spotted in one of the main corridors of the convention area of the hotel property, giving an interview to another reporter. As you can see in the first several minutes of the video, his demeanor is calm and friendly and he gives detailed answers to the reporter’s questions.
One of the topics he discussed was the situation in Ukraine. Gorka had harsh words for President Joe Biden, referring to him as “weak” and a “senile old man,” and called the administration’s response to the Ukrainian crisis so far “an abomination.”
The other reporter wrapped up his questions, asked Gorka for a photo, and he agreed. The reporter mentioned that he listened to Gorka’s radio program. A few other fans asked Gorka for a photo, and then this reporter tried to ask a question, as a follow up to the comments he had just made moments earlier regarding the White House’s actions regarding Ukraine.
A transcript (starting roughly around 3:15 in the video):
Mediaite: Hi–
Gorka (looked at the credential around my neck that identified me as with Mediaite): I don’t talk to fake news. Sorry.
Mediaite: OK — you expressed frustrations over the Biden administration’s response to Ukraine. What would you hope that they would do instead?
Gorka: Did you hear what I said?
Mediate: OK, I’m just asking a question, I’m giving you a chance–
Gorka: Did you hear what I said?
Mediaite: Yes, I did. And I’m not fake news.
Gorka: Then why are you asking another question?
Mediaite: I was giving you a chance to respond, that’s all.
Gorka: I’m not interested in helping those who hate America. So you can quote me on that.
Mediaite: I don’t hate America. You have a great day. Bye-bye!
Ah, well. At least he didn’t challenge me to a fight.
Watch above. Video by Sarah Rumpf for Mediaite.
