Although I have plenty of reservations about the White House Correspondents Association and their exclusive claim on the 49-seat press room, they really came through for honesty and forthrightness when Josh Earnest held his final briefing.  Cameron Cawthorne of the Free Beacon captured the moment, but please, dear readers, watch the video embedded below before reading the account of the most fitting farewell for a propagandist in my memory:

Cawthorne’s description:

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest received awkward applause from one person on Tuesday after the president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, Reuters reporter Jeff Mason, lauded him for his service.

During Earnest’s final White House press briefing, he called on Mason to ask a question. Mason then commended Earnest for committing his time towards meeting with the press.

“Josh, first of all, on behalf of the White House Correspondents’ Association, we want to thank you for your commitment to regular briefings with us,” Mason said. “We haven’t always agreed on everything, and there has always been some tension, which is normal between a White House and a press corps that covers it.”

“We are grateful to you and your team for working with the Correspondents’ Association and for your commitment to dealing with us on a daily basis, so thank you,” Mason added.

Earnest thanked Mason for his words, which prompted one person offscreen to start clapping emphatically. There was a mixed reaction in response to the clapping, as several reporters turned their heads towards the clapper with cheerful and annoyed expressions on their faces.

They may be mostly progressives, but they know when they’ve been played for suckers.