Zacharia Says Hannity Interview Caught Her Off Guard

Former White House press secretary Katie Zacharia said she was caught off guard by Sean Hannity’s questions about her legal credentials during a televised interview, describing the exchange as hostile despite what she said had been a friendly relationship with the Fox News host. Zacharia made the comments in an interview with Rob Finnerty after leaving the press secretary role following five days in the job. She said she was perplexed by Hannity’s questioning and that the two had never discussed her educational background before the interview. Hannity asked whether she had passed the bar exam, after she had described herself as a lawyer. Zacharia said she had appeared in contentious interviews before and was willing to return to Hannity’s program. But she told Finnerty that prior supportive comments from Hannity and their rapport had left her unprepared for the tone of their conversation. The remarks reflect her account of the exchange; the reason Hannity chose to question her credentials was not established in the reports. Before the interview, Hannity had defended Zacharia against criticism of her appearance, speaking style and credentials. Two days later, he challenged her...