DISCLAIMER: This is one of those things that reads like an article from The Onion and for all we know it just very well could be. Be that as it may, this is what is being reported*:
According to a few current and former staffers within the White House (i.e., those proverbial 'unknown sources' certain people love to slam, kick around and threaten with the rack and other forms of unpleasantry), since the first day of THE APPRENTICE: WHITE HOUSE EDITION (season one), twice each day a special portfolio (known as the 'propaganda document' and typically consisting of 20 - 25 pages) is prepared for delivery to the Oval Office. Now this on the surface is not unusual since notes on upcoming meetings and details of what's going on in other departments of the government outside the direct line of sight have routinely been sent in order to make sure the reader, a man with a lot on his plate, is kept current on everything and reminded when need be of any one of the many little things that might slip his mind. Past Presidents have also requested such reports include items from print and television sources in order to help gauge public reaction to agenda items coming up or are currently in discussion before Congress, especially when they're crucial parts of his agenda. They've also included summaries of intelligence and security issues that may eventually be covered in the daily briefing scheduled to discuss those specific matters.
The creation of said folders is an affair set in The War Room of the Republican National Committee and is a staple of both political parties, active no matter who is in office at the time. The current RNC office involves a staff of about 10 (increased from the 4 that had been on hand before the election), everybody having their own duty and purpose. Some are tasked with monitoring local, national and cable news while others spend their time going over social and digital media. Others scan print media across the board whether domestic or international. All of this is done religiously to keep track of how the party, it's members, candidates and their agenda are being perceived by the public. And, no surprise, they also keep tabs on their opponents.
The work day traditionally starts at 6 a.m. with the crew (highly caffeinated, I assume) coming in to begin monitoring the morning network news shows and scour the morning editions of newspapers from across the globe. I'm guessing Trump watches Fox himself in order to get that little extra morning bump you just can't get from coffee. Possibly adhering to the belief expressed by one former RNC staffer (like a mantra) who said "Maybe it's good for the country that the president is in a good mood in the morning". After going through all the collected information they send a list to the White House Communications Office and other officials about every 30 minutes or so containing transcripts of interviews, news stories and tweets, and screenshots of chyrons (those little mini-summaries that are displayed beneath the reporters as they speak)) but they pick out the most positive items to send to the president in one of those special portfolios. One is delivered at 9:30 while the second goes out about 4:30 in the afternoon. If there are not enough positive stories to include in those two reports, RNC researchers are asked by White House staffers to include flattering photos of the president especially ones that make him look 'forceful' or 'powerful'. Since it's been reported many times from many sources that the president doesn't like to read, preferring charts and power point presentations, one must wonder if there are enough such photos or do they have a file from which they can draw favorites should they feel the need to repeat.
It is alleged that there was an on-going 'battle' between former Chief-of-Staff, Reince Priebus, and former Press Secretary, Sean Spicer, to see who would deliver these volumes of flattery to the president since the one handing over all this ego-stroking material would be the one looked on with greater favor. The battle supposedly intensified as each found themselves in increasingly precarious positions as time went on and negative coverage and falling poll numbers increased. As one official said "It was a matter of preservation", but one that eventually proved unsuccessful. These are things Sean denied when contacted saying "...I won't comment on materials we share with the president, this is wrong on so many levels." But when pressed on whether the story was accurate he refused to respond.
Since the departures (resignations/firings. you decide) of Priebus and Spicer, these twice-daily deliveries, have been produced less often and typically on;y after public appearances that have been well covered and are felt to have put the president in the best light, even if it's only in his own mind, such as his appearance before the Boy Scouts in West Virginia. The video of him speaking before a crowd of thousands and being cheered the way he was is just the type of thing with which he'd surely like to start his day, despite all the negative responses which he could proclaim as work of 'the haters' and 'just more fake news'.
None of this should really come as much of a surprise since he has shown time and again that he seems to live and breathe on flattery, appearing mainly on Fox shows where they show such deference (bordering on the adulation displayed at his massive rallies but on an obvious smaller scale) and going out of his way to tweet his gratitude for the favorable coverage. The need for ego-stroking even stretched into his inner circle when he gathered almost his entire cabinet for a recorded session back in June that showed an embarrassingly fawning gathering of supposed grownups heaping praises upon a him (Reince went so far as to thank him on behalf of 'the staff', saying working for him was 'a blessing that you've given us to serve [a curious word choice or is it just me?] your agenda and the American people.') while he just sat there soaking it up like a sponge. Now to discover that the man who is supposedly the 'leader of the Free World' loves to start his day looking at photos of himself** should the actual news not be flattering enough, I'm sorry, and maybe it's just me, but that puts things and him on a whole new level of creepiness and ick.
*This has been composed from an article published by VICE News (Alex Thompson) 8/8/17
** I'm going to assume the photos I used would not be included in the file presented to him but for my purpose they were too appropriate to pass up.
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