Dana Perino shares how she secretly deals with reporters during White House briefings

Dana Perino revealed on Sean Hannity's podcast how she sneaked past reporters behind a glass of water during George W. Bush's press conferences.

Dana Perino reveals her secret habit on the podium

Dana Perino explained her shocking habit at the White House press podium in a podcast interview on Tuesday, admitting she secretly stomped on combative reporters and smiled politely during former President George W. Bush's briefings.

"I was just sitting there with my hand on my cup and I was knocking him off his feet the whole time he was talking," Perino told Sean Hannity on the "Hang Out with Sean Hannity" podcast.

"They were asking questions. I was smiling through it... [and] nodding," she recalls.

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Newsroom host Dana Perino spoke with Sean Hannity and reflected on his days as White House press secretary to former President George W. Bush. (Hang out with Sean Hannity/Screengrab)

Perino, who served as Bush's press secretary from 2007 to 2009, explained that he held a cup of water behind the podium and used it to shield his hand from view as he discreetly delivered the middle finger during the testy exchange.

The gesture, which Perino jokingly likened to a kind of "liquid courage," gave him a small sense of "defiance and confidence" while maintaining his composure.

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He recalled that the story was kept secret for years until he revealed it to Hannity in the past. Perino later published the story in a 2015 memoir, "And the good news is..." and it caught the attention of the late conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh.

"When I did [Limbaugh's] radio show, he said, 'This is the best story ever,'" he recalled.

Hannity agreed, calling it "the greatest story ever told by a White House spokesman," and was surprised by Perino's unexpected display of dissent behind the podium.

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Perino explained that her role as White House press secretary required her to remain dignified and cool even in the face of combative reporters who she believed were more interested in securing airtime than getting answers.

"They would do anything to get on TV that night," he recalls. They would say and try to hit you to make sure they could get on the air for one of the networks."

Perino said the pressure on reporters to create memorable moments has shaped exchanges during his tenure, but he believes the rise of social media has only exacerbated that dynamic.

"It's gotten worse now with social media," he told Hannity.

The former press secretary and current "Newsroom" host also recalled a conversation with Mike McCurry, who served under former President Bill Clinton, about whether allowing cameras into the White House briefing room ended up doing more harm than good.

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