Corn: Let the Stonewalling Begin
David Corn does a nice job summarizing the non-response that Scott McClellan gave at the press briefing yesterday, when reporter after reporter pressed him to respond to the news on Matt Cooper’s email identifying Rove as one source of the Valerie Plame leak: White House stonewalls on Rove scandal.
If you prefer your disgusting displays of hypocrisy straight, with no Bush-hater analysis, you can go to the original, including video: Press briefing.
Q Does the President stand by his pledge to fire anyone involved in the leak of a name of a CIA operative?
MR. McCLELLAN: Terry, I appreciate your question. I think your question is being asked relating to some reports that are in reference to an ongoing criminal investigation. The criminal investigation that you reference is something that continues at this point. And as I’ve previously stated, while that investigation is ongoing, the White House is not going to comment on it. The President directed the White House to cooperate fully with the investigation, and as part of cooperating fully with the investigation, we made a decision that we weren’t going to comment on it while it is ongoing.
Now of course, McClellan (and Bush) have discussed this issue at length with reporters before, affirming again and again that the White House doesn’t condone the leaking of classified information, and pledging to “take care of it” as soon as that gosh-darned leaker can be found. Well, we’ve found him (at least one of them), and suddenly the White House has nothing to say.
July 12th, 2005 at 7:02 am
“You stood at that podium and said that Karl Rove was not involved, and now we find out that he spoke about Joseph Wilson’s wife,” one reporter said. “So don’t you owe the American public a fuller explanation?”
“There will be a time to talk about this, but now is not the time to talk about it,” McClellan replied.
Lies, lies and more lies. Will they ever end?
July 12th, 2005 at 7:05 am
I must say it was satisfying to watch the normally somnolent press corps wake up for a moment and at least attempt to demand some answers.
July 12th, 2005 at 8:13 am
I liked how McClellan jumped at the mere mention of the Supreme Court so he could get out his message-of-the-day on that issue and take a break from playing helpless upholder of investigatory process.