Wednesday, March 10, 2004
Manufacturing News,
Or, A Day with the White House Press Corps
Josh Marshall dealt with this and completely missed the point, again.
How a Nothing Becomes “News”, a.k.a. a “Process Story”, in the DNC White House Press Corps.
Let’s follow the bouncing ball: This is from the morning of March 9.
As has been said numerous times by the White House Press Secretary, Scott McClellan, President Bush agreed to sit with the chairman and vice chairman of the Congressional 9/11 comission and answer their questions. The President expressed a desire the keep the meeting to an hour. Here’s what the DNC operative Helen Thomas (long ago eschewing even a pretense of journalistic intergrity) started off:
Q: Does the President want to really get to the bottom of the cause of 9/11? If he does, why would he limit his interview with the commission to one hour and for other officials, and, stonewall on documents?
McCLELLAN: I'm glad you brought this up. This administration has provided unprecedented cooperation to a legislative body in the 9/11 Commission. We have worked closely with the commission in a spirit of cooperation. And you only have to go back -- and I would appreciate it if you would report some of the facts of the type of access we have provided to the commission. We have provided the commission access to every bit of information that they have requested, including our most sensitive national security documents. And the commission chairman has stated such --
Q: Well, the commission certainly is not satisfied.
Oz: McClellan was about to give a quote from the chairman Thomas Kean about the unprecedented amount of intelligence that the commission has been given – Thomas cut him off to prevent that from becoming the topic of discussion.
McC continues:
McCLELLAN: -- and as far as the President, the President looks forward to meeting with the chairman and vice chairman and answering all the questions that they want to raise.
HT: “Why don't you just open the books and get to the truth? The American people deserve it.”
Oz: There are no “books” here to be referred to, by the way. Helen Thomas, the last person to care what the American people may or may not deserve, is simply inventing a nefarious image of concealing documents. All evidence is to the contrary, but then – that would require her to be an actual journalist, as McC rightly states:
McCLELLAN: “Did you not hear what I just said, Helen? Have you not looked at the facts? I think you need to quit reading some of the coverage and look at the facts.”
Oz: What is funny here is that Scott accepts and all present accept that “reading the coverage,” means reading biased news reports of the same events they are now discussing and no one questions that, and he states that “the facts” are therefore different from their own reporting and no one questions that either. It’s just a day with the White House Press Corps.
HT: You just said, “all the questions they want to raise.” That means he’s no longer going to limit it to an hour?
Oz: Again, she ignores his point because she wants to keep the focus on the “one hour” – a non-story – and away from her obvious lack of desire to actually report on the commission.
McCLELLAN: Well, that’s what it’s scheduled for now. But, look, he’s going to answer all the questions they want to raise. Keep in mind that the commission --
Oz: Again, McC is trying to put the spolight back on the actual facts of the Administration’s actual cooperation with the commission and HT wants to keep that story – an actual news story – dead. She here dictates the agenda to the rest of the WHPC sheep. They all fall in line like lemmings.
HT: If they’re still asking at one hour, he’ll still answer them?
McCLELLAN: Keep in mind that the commission has already had access to all the information they requested, as I just pointed out, including our most sensitive national security documents. That’s what I’m talking about when I’m talking about unprecedented cooperation. And the commission has also -- yes, let me finish --
Q: The issue is whether he’s limiting it to an hour –
Oz: Why is that the issue? Why is that important in anyway at all? It isn’t – it’s just a way to manufacture a story instead of reporting on one.
McCLELLAN: Let me finish, Mark.
(crosstalk)
Q: -- and I’m asking a very simple question. If they’re still asking questions at one hour --
(cross talk)
McCLELLAN: I think it’s important to point out the fact. Mark, let me finish. Mark, can I answer? Let me finish. It’s important that we point out these facts when we talk about this issue, because the facts have not been pointed out. The facts have not been pointed out. But the President -- I mean, the commission will be meeting with the President, after having talked for hours on hour with White House and senior administration officials. We’ve provided more than 2 million pages of documents; we’ve provided more than 60 compact disks of radar, flight and other information; more than 800 audio cassette tapes of interviews and other materials; more than 100 briefings, including at the head-of-agency level; more than 560 interviews. Dr. Rice met with the commission recently, and even though only five members of the commission showed up, she sat down and visited with them for some four hours.
Q: I appreciate that. You reported all that when you first told it to us. I’m asking…
McCLELLAN: No, I don’t think it was widely reported.
Q: Forgive me, I take responsibility for what I report, and I reported it.
Oz: It wasn’t. Not by any major paper. When it was covered it was buried in the bottom of stories with disclaimers like “ The adminstration claims…” etc. instead of the simple fact that it was true.
It continues in this way – all the lemmings jumping in
Q: Okay. All the questions that they have, he’s going to answer. If they’re still asking at one hour, is he still going to answer?
McCLELLAN: I just said that the President will answer all the questions that they want to raise. I think that’s important to point out. I mean, it’s important to point out the unprecedented cooperation we have provided to this legislative body. We have worked very closely with the commission.
Q: -- when?
McCLELLAN: Still working on the exact time for that, working with the commission.
Q: Should we expect it soon?
McCLELLAN: Well, I mean, soon. They have to -- they’re going to complete their report by the end of July now, so --
Q: Let me just ask this again. You’re going to -- you’re committing the President to answer every question raised by the panel in that interview with him?
McCLELLAN: The President looks forward to answering all the questions that they want to bring up.
Q: Which might mean that it would last longer than an hour.
McCLELLAN: Look, he looks forward to the meeting. Let’s let the meeting take place. Obviously, keep in mind everything that the commission has already had access to, everybody the commission has always talked to, and now they’re coming to the President to ask some questions of the President -- or the chairman and vice chairman will.
Q: I just want to clarify that you said that the --
McCLELLAN: No, no, I understand.
Q: -- President will respond to all of the questions the panel wants to raise.
McCLELLAN: Absolutely, of course. Of course.
Q: Personally?
Oz: As opposed to impersonally? What the hell does that even mean?
McCLELLAN: Of course. And keep in mind that what we’re talking about here is a seven-eight month period. Not eight years. Now, these threats didn’t happen overnight. These threats have been building for some time. But this President has taken action to do everything we can to make sure something like September 11th never happens again. He is strongly committed to making sure that this administration works closely -- continues to work closely and cooperatively with the commission to make sure that if there’s anything else that they can bring to our attention to help us prevent attacks like that from happening every again, then we have that information.
Q: Scott, purely from a PR point of view, how do you respond to a criticism launched by Senator Kerry yesterday who said, “The President finds time to go to a rodeo, but he doesn’t have more than an hour for the 9/11 Commission?” -- wouldn’t you acknowledge that, however well you think the administration, the President, and however unprecedented you think the cooperation is, isn’t he vulnerable to some criticism --
McCLELLAN: Suggest -- look at the facts. I mean, I’ll just point out the facts. Not suggesting; I’m pointing out the facts.
Q: We would never suggest you do anything else, Scott. But my point is, don’t you think that there might be some kind of PR problem for the President when his chief challenger can say, you’ve got time to got to a rodeo, and you don’t have time for the 9/11 Commission?
McCLELLAN: That’s why it’s important for everybody to report all the facts and the type of cooperation we have provided to the commission, and the type of access we have provided to the commission. It is unprecedented. But in terms of those remarks, it appears that he does not want to let the facts get in the way of his campaign. The facts are very clear. This administration has provided unprecedented cooperation to the 9/11 Commission, and provided access to every single bit of information that they have requested.
Q: Not unprecedented, I’m sorry. From Watergate on --
McCLELLAN: Go look at the chairman’s recent comments, Helen. I mean, I’ll be glad to go back through those.
Q: The only reason I won’t accept the word “unprecedented” is because, as I pointed out to you once before, President Ford actually testified in open session before the House Judiciary Committee…”
Oz: President Ford testified regarding Watergate – the scandal that brought about Nixon’s resignation and his own elevation to the highest office. Hello Helen? It was vital to that Ford be an open partner in investigating something he could have been construed to have been part of. Bush is not being investigated for causing 9/11 – To say, or here suggest as she does that the two situations are analogous is shameful, disgusting partisanship taking the place of journalism – or in her case, her standard advocacy.
McCLELLAN: Provided access to our nation’s most sensitive national security documents?
Q: Well, it depends on what aspect of --
McCLELLAN: Provide more than 2 million pages of documents? Provided access to hundreds of administration officials?
Q: So, but answer my question. When the President of the United States goes up to Capitol Hill, sits down in public session before an entire, full committee, and says, give me your best shot, how does the President sitting down for one hour --
McCLELLAN: Look at the facts of what we’ve done. Well, no, but keep in mind, you’re looking --
Q: We’re talking about the President’s time.
Oz: Again, trying to restore logic:
McCLELLAN: No, no, no, you’re missing the point, that the commission has already had access to everything that they’ve requested, including our most sensitive documents. They’ve already sat down and visited with White House officials and senor administration officials. And now they’ll have an opportunity to come to the President, and ask any question that they want to. The President is glad to answer their questions.
Q: So your view is that all the cooperation you’ve given -- the White House has given up to now makes it so that really an hour of the President’s time should be sufficient for them to get what they need out of him?
McCLELLAN: The President is going to make sure, as we have, that they have all the information that they need to do their job.
Q: Scott, just to make sure we’re on the same page --
Q: Scott, I think what’s puzzling everybody is why don’t you just say, instead of saying he’s staying for an hour, why not just say he’s going to sit there until the questions are answered?
Oz: Maybe because he’s the President and gets to do things the way he wants to sometimes. But now, Helen has won – there’s no way to get it back on track.
McCLELLAN: I said he's going to answer all their questions.
Q: In one hour.
Q: Where is this one hour --
McCLELLAN: I'm not negotiating here from this podium with the commission.
Q: Nobody has asked -- Scott --
Q: -- one hour, is that what you’re saying?
Q: We're asking you to explain why there is this limit of an hour. Why not simply say -- forget the hour; the President is going to stay as long as he’s needed?
McCLELLAN: I think there are a lot of things that I pointed out. Go back to what the commission has already done, and then they will be sitting down with the President to visit with the President. And obviously, we're talking about -- we're talking about a seven-to-eight-month period here that they're going over. They're already going to have much of the information they need. Now they'll be coming to the President to ask some questions of him.
Q: Scott, since it now seems like the time --
McCLELLAN: Putting you next, Mike.
Q: Scott, since now seems like the time is negotiable, the President will now answer for as long –
McCLELLAN: I didn't say that. (Laughter.) Obviously, you work with the commission and you come to an agreement on the format and the setting for it. But I'm just stating a fact -- the President will answer all the questions they want to raise.
Q: I’m sorry, we all think you said it, so you said it. Okay? Is that a deal?
Oz: Is is okay for you to fabricate facts? the hell?
McCLELLAN: Putting words in my mouth? Just report what I said, is what I would appreciate.
Oz: Word.
Q: What you said doesn't make any sense, Scott. I mean, you're saying he'll answer all the questions –
Oz: It does if you L_I_S_T_E_N, you moron.
McCLELLAN: Hold on. Norah has the floor.
Q: All right. Go ahead, Norah.
McCLELLAN: It's not free-for-all Tuesday.
Oz: Sorry Scott – but it is.
Q: Now that the time limit has changed with the President, is also under negotiation the number of members who will be able to meet with the President? Because you've said -- you just said the commission has already had access to everything they have requested. But, in fact, the full commission is requesting to meet with the President, all the members, not just the chairman and the vice chairman.
Oz: See that? “Now that the time limit has changed” – Never at any time was that stated – it was just invented by the WHPC – right before your eyes.
Then they all pat themselves on the back for it by, what else? Laughing at the White House Press Secretary for letting them invent news.
McCLELLAN: Look, he will sit down -- he looks forward to sitting down with the chairman and the vice chairman. I pointed out to you that Dr. Rice made herself available to meet with all the commission; only five members showed up. There was another National Security Council official where only, I think, four showed up. There has not been one single commission member who has participated in every interview. I mean, they depend on others to provide them information. And so you have to look back at past practice and keep that in context, as well.
I encourage you all to go out and report all these facts and the American people have a clear understanding of the type of cooperation that this administration has provided to the commission, because it is unprecedented, it is very much in a spirit of cooperation, it is very much in a spirit of making sure that the commission has all the information they need to do their job and do so in a timely manner.
Obviously, when you're talking about legislative, executive branch, there are principles involved on certain matters. But we have bent over backwards to make sure they have all the information they need to do their job.
Q: Just to cross a “t” on Norah’s question, you referred to answering all the questions the panel has, answering all the questions the commission has. I thought that that meant more than the chairman and the vice chairman --
McCLELLAN: The meeting will be with the chairman and vice chairman. That's what ---
Q: Will it be for one hour or will it last --- (laughter).
McCLELLAN: We've been through this. I mean, I'm not looking at -- keep in mind -- I think it's important to report the facts of all the access that they've already had to information, which has been full access; all the access they've had to White House officials and administration officials; all the material that has been provided to them. And now they're coming to the President of the United States. Obviously, the President's most solemn obligation is the protection of the American people, and this President is acting to do everything we can to make sure something like September 11th doesn't ever happen again, by taking the fight to the enemy. And we're talking about -- we're also talking about a seven-eight month period, not an eight-year period. But these threats did not happen overnight, but this President is confronting them to make --
Q: “Why does he complain all the time, then --
McCLELLAN: -- because he never forgets September 11th.”
Oz: No matter how much the WHPC would wish it so. And if you are scoring at home - the phrase "The President will answer all the questions that they want to raise." was stated SEVEN times by the White House Press Secretary.
Now get this report March 9th:
By Steve Holland
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House said on Tuesday it was possible President Bush could be questioned longer than an hour he agreed to by a commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, an apparent concession that came after criticism from Democrat John Kerry.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan, asked several times if Bush would stick to his insistence the session before the commission be restricted to one hour, said it was scheduled for an hour but that “the president of course is going to answer all the questions they want to raise.”
The shift in position came a day after the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Sen. Kerry of Massachusetts, attacked Bush on the issue at a time when the president was visiting a rodeo in Houston.
“If the president of the United States can find the time to go to a rodeo, he can find the time to do more than one hour in front of a commission that is investigating what happened to America's intelligence and why we are not stronger today,” Kerry said.
And Ta-da! Manufactured News – Bush reacting to Kerry statement then makes a policy shift – except:
#1: Bush said nothing at all to this effect.
#2: His press secretary said only the EXACT same statement he had said many times before.
#3: No comment was made in reaction Kerry in any way, other than to point out that Kerry had his assertion wrong.
No shift, No Bush, No Kerry, no story. So this is news why? Because DNC operative Helen Thomas decided it was better to stir up a nothing than report the actual facts about the administrations actual cooperation with the commission, because that would less than nefarious, closer to actual truth, and so had to be nixed…
…. and the lemmings rejoiced!
Comments: ozymandias_1@hotmail.com
Or, A Day with the White House Press Corps
Josh Marshall dealt with this and completely missed the point, again.
How a Nothing Becomes “News”, a.k.a. a “Process Story”, in the DNC White House Press Corps.
Let’s follow the bouncing ball: This is from the morning of March 9.
As has been said numerous times by the White House Press Secretary, Scott McClellan, President Bush agreed to sit with the chairman and vice chairman of the Congressional 9/11 comission and answer their questions. The President expressed a desire the keep the meeting to an hour. Here’s what the DNC operative Helen Thomas (long ago eschewing even a pretense of journalistic intergrity) started off:
Q: Does the President want to really get to the bottom of the cause of 9/11? If he does, why would he limit his interview with the commission to one hour and for other officials, and, stonewall on documents?
McCLELLAN: I'm glad you brought this up. This administration has provided unprecedented cooperation to a legislative body in the 9/11 Commission. We have worked closely with the commission in a spirit of cooperation. And you only have to go back -- and I would appreciate it if you would report some of the facts of the type of access we have provided to the commission. We have provided the commission access to every bit of information that they have requested, including our most sensitive national security documents. And the commission chairman has stated such --
Q: Well, the commission certainly is not satisfied.
Oz: McClellan was about to give a quote from the chairman Thomas Kean about the unprecedented amount of intelligence that the commission has been given – Thomas cut him off to prevent that from becoming the topic of discussion.
McC continues:
McCLELLAN: -- and as far as the President, the President looks forward to meeting with the chairman and vice chairman and answering all the questions that they want to raise.
HT: “Why don't you just open the books and get to the truth? The American people deserve it.”
Oz: There are no “books” here to be referred to, by the way. Helen Thomas, the last person to care what the American people may or may not deserve, is simply inventing a nefarious image of concealing documents. All evidence is to the contrary, but then – that would require her to be an actual journalist, as McC rightly states:
McCLELLAN: “Did you not hear what I just said, Helen? Have you not looked at the facts? I think you need to quit reading some of the coverage and look at the facts.”
Oz: What is funny here is that Scott accepts and all present accept that “reading the coverage,” means reading biased news reports of the same events they are now discussing and no one questions that, and he states that “the facts” are therefore different from their own reporting and no one questions that either. It’s just a day with the White House Press Corps.
HT: You just said, “all the questions they want to raise.” That means he’s no longer going to limit it to an hour?
Oz: Again, she ignores his point because she wants to keep the focus on the “one hour” – a non-story – and away from her obvious lack of desire to actually report on the commission.
McCLELLAN: Well, that’s what it’s scheduled for now. But, look, he’s going to answer all the questions they want to raise. Keep in mind that the commission --
Oz: Again, McC is trying to put the spolight back on the actual facts of the Administration’s actual cooperation with the commission and HT wants to keep that story – an actual news story – dead. She here dictates the agenda to the rest of the WHPC sheep. They all fall in line like lemmings.
HT: If they’re still asking at one hour, he’ll still answer them?
McCLELLAN: Keep in mind that the commission has already had access to all the information they requested, as I just pointed out, including our most sensitive national security documents. That’s what I’m talking about when I’m talking about unprecedented cooperation. And the commission has also -- yes, let me finish --
Q: The issue is whether he’s limiting it to an hour –
Oz: Why is that the issue? Why is that important in anyway at all? It isn’t – it’s just a way to manufacture a story instead of reporting on one.
McCLELLAN: Let me finish, Mark.
(crosstalk)
Q: -- and I’m asking a very simple question. If they’re still asking questions at one hour --
(cross talk)
McCLELLAN: I think it’s important to point out the fact. Mark, let me finish. Mark, can I answer? Let me finish. It’s important that we point out these facts when we talk about this issue, because the facts have not been pointed out. The facts have not been pointed out. But the President -- I mean, the commission will be meeting with the President, after having talked for hours on hour with White House and senior administration officials. We’ve provided more than 2 million pages of documents; we’ve provided more than 60 compact disks of radar, flight and other information; more than 800 audio cassette tapes of interviews and other materials; more than 100 briefings, including at the head-of-agency level; more than 560 interviews. Dr. Rice met with the commission recently, and even though only five members of the commission showed up, she sat down and visited with them for some four hours.
Q: I appreciate that. You reported all that when you first told it to us. I’m asking…
McCLELLAN: No, I don’t think it was widely reported.
Q: Forgive me, I take responsibility for what I report, and I reported it.
Oz: It wasn’t. Not by any major paper. When it was covered it was buried in the bottom of stories with disclaimers like “ The adminstration claims…” etc. instead of the simple fact that it was true.
It continues in this way – all the lemmings jumping in
Q: Okay. All the questions that they have, he’s going to answer. If they’re still asking at one hour, is he still going to answer?
McCLELLAN: I just said that the President will answer all the questions that they want to raise. I think that’s important to point out. I mean, it’s important to point out the unprecedented cooperation we have provided to this legislative body. We have worked very closely with the commission.
Q: -- when?
McCLELLAN: Still working on the exact time for that, working with the commission.
Q: Should we expect it soon?
McCLELLAN: Well, I mean, soon. They have to -- they’re going to complete their report by the end of July now, so --
Q: Let me just ask this again. You’re going to -- you’re committing the President to answer every question raised by the panel in that interview with him?
McCLELLAN: The President looks forward to answering all the questions that they want to bring up.
Q: Which might mean that it would last longer than an hour.
McCLELLAN: Look, he looks forward to the meeting. Let’s let the meeting take place. Obviously, keep in mind everything that the commission has already had access to, everybody the commission has always talked to, and now they’re coming to the President to ask some questions of the President -- or the chairman and vice chairman will.
Q: I just want to clarify that you said that the --
McCLELLAN: No, no, I understand.
Q: -- President will respond to all of the questions the panel wants to raise.
McCLELLAN: Absolutely, of course. Of course.
Q: Personally?
Oz: As opposed to impersonally? What the hell does that even mean?
McCLELLAN: Of course. And keep in mind that what we’re talking about here is a seven-eight month period. Not eight years. Now, these threats didn’t happen overnight. These threats have been building for some time. But this President has taken action to do everything we can to make sure something like September 11th never happens again. He is strongly committed to making sure that this administration works closely -- continues to work closely and cooperatively with the commission to make sure that if there’s anything else that they can bring to our attention to help us prevent attacks like that from happening every again, then we have that information.
Q: Scott, purely from a PR point of view, how do you respond to a criticism launched by Senator Kerry yesterday who said, “The President finds time to go to a rodeo, but he doesn’t have more than an hour for the 9/11 Commission?” -- wouldn’t you acknowledge that, however well you think the administration, the President, and however unprecedented you think the cooperation is, isn’t he vulnerable to some criticism --
McCLELLAN: Suggest -- look at the facts. I mean, I’ll just point out the facts. Not suggesting; I’m pointing out the facts.
Q: We would never suggest you do anything else, Scott. But my point is, don’t you think that there might be some kind of PR problem for the President when his chief challenger can say, you’ve got time to got to a rodeo, and you don’t have time for the 9/11 Commission?
McCLELLAN: That’s why it’s important for everybody to report all the facts and the type of cooperation we have provided to the commission, and the type of access we have provided to the commission. It is unprecedented. But in terms of those remarks, it appears that he does not want to let the facts get in the way of his campaign. The facts are very clear. This administration has provided unprecedented cooperation to the 9/11 Commission, and provided access to every single bit of information that they have requested.
Q: Not unprecedented, I’m sorry. From Watergate on --
McCLELLAN: Go look at the chairman’s recent comments, Helen. I mean, I’ll be glad to go back through those.
Q: The only reason I won’t accept the word “unprecedented” is because, as I pointed out to you once before, President Ford actually testified in open session before the House Judiciary Committee…”
Oz: President Ford testified regarding Watergate – the scandal that brought about Nixon’s resignation and his own elevation to the highest office. Hello Helen? It was vital to that Ford be an open partner in investigating something he could have been construed to have been part of. Bush is not being investigated for causing 9/11 – To say, or here suggest as she does that the two situations are analogous is shameful, disgusting partisanship taking the place of journalism – or in her case, her standard advocacy.
McCLELLAN: Provided access to our nation’s most sensitive national security documents?
Q: Well, it depends on what aspect of --
McCLELLAN: Provide more than 2 million pages of documents? Provided access to hundreds of administration officials?
Q: So, but answer my question. When the President of the United States goes up to Capitol Hill, sits down in public session before an entire, full committee, and says, give me your best shot, how does the President sitting down for one hour --
McCLELLAN: Look at the facts of what we’ve done. Well, no, but keep in mind, you’re looking --
Q: We’re talking about the President’s time.
Oz: Again, trying to restore logic:
McCLELLAN: No, no, no, you’re missing the point, that the commission has already had access to everything that they’ve requested, including our most sensitive documents. They’ve already sat down and visited with White House officials and senor administration officials. And now they’ll have an opportunity to come to the President, and ask any question that they want to. The President is glad to answer their questions.
Q: So your view is that all the cooperation you’ve given -- the White House has given up to now makes it so that really an hour of the President’s time should be sufficient for them to get what they need out of him?
McCLELLAN: The President is going to make sure, as we have, that they have all the information that they need to do their job.
Q: Scott, just to make sure we’re on the same page --
Q: Scott, I think what’s puzzling everybody is why don’t you just say, instead of saying he’s staying for an hour, why not just say he’s going to sit there until the questions are answered?
Oz: Maybe because he’s the President and gets to do things the way he wants to sometimes. But now, Helen has won – there’s no way to get it back on track.
McCLELLAN: I said he's going to answer all their questions.
Q: In one hour.
Q: Where is this one hour --
McCLELLAN: I'm not negotiating here from this podium with the commission.
Q: Nobody has asked -- Scott --
Q: -- one hour, is that what you’re saying?
Q: We're asking you to explain why there is this limit of an hour. Why not simply say -- forget the hour; the President is going to stay as long as he’s needed?
McCLELLAN: I think there are a lot of things that I pointed out. Go back to what the commission has already done, and then they will be sitting down with the President to visit with the President. And obviously, we're talking about -- we're talking about a seven-to-eight-month period here that they're going over. They're already going to have much of the information they need. Now they'll be coming to the President to ask some questions of him.
Q: Scott, since it now seems like the time --
McCLELLAN: Putting you next, Mike.
Q: Scott, since now seems like the time is negotiable, the President will now answer for as long –
McCLELLAN: I didn't say that. (Laughter.) Obviously, you work with the commission and you come to an agreement on the format and the setting for it. But I'm just stating a fact -- the President will answer all the questions they want to raise.
Q: I’m sorry, we all think you said it, so you said it. Okay? Is that a deal?
Oz: Is is okay for you to fabricate facts? the hell?
McCLELLAN: Putting words in my mouth? Just report what I said, is what I would appreciate.
Oz: Word.
Q: What you said doesn't make any sense, Scott. I mean, you're saying he'll answer all the questions –
Oz: It does if you L_I_S_T_E_N, you moron.
McCLELLAN: Hold on. Norah has the floor.
Q: All right. Go ahead, Norah.
McCLELLAN: It's not free-for-all Tuesday.
Oz: Sorry Scott – but it is.
Q: Now that the time limit has changed with the President, is also under negotiation the number of members who will be able to meet with the President? Because you've said -- you just said the commission has already had access to everything they have requested. But, in fact, the full commission is requesting to meet with the President, all the members, not just the chairman and the vice chairman.
Oz: See that? “Now that the time limit has changed” – Never at any time was that stated – it was just invented by the WHPC – right before your eyes.
Then they all pat themselves on the back for it by, what else? Laughing at the White House Press Secretary for letting them invent news.
McCLELLAN: Look, he will sit down -- he looks forward to sitting down with the chairman and the vice chairman. I pointed out to you that Dr. Rice made herself available to meet with all the commission; only five members showed up. There was another National Security Council official where only, I think, four showed up. There has not been one single commission member who has participated in every interview. I mean, they depend on others to provide them information. And so you have to look back at past practice and keep that in context, as well.
I encourage you all to go out and report all these facts and the American people have a clear understanding of the type of cooperation that this administration has provided to the commission, because it is unprecedented, it is very much in a spirit of cooperation, it is very much in a spirit of making sure that the commission has all the information they need to do their job and do so in a timely manner.
Obviously, when you're talking about legislative, executive branch, there are principles involved on certain matters. But we have bent over backwards to make sure they have all the information they need to do their job.
Q: Just to cross a “t” on Norah’s question, you referred to answering all the questions the panel has, answering all the questions the commission has. I thought that that meant more than the chairman and the vice chairman --
McCLELLAN: The meeting will be with the chairman and vice chairman. That's what ---
Q: Will it be for one hour or will it last --- (laughter).
McCLELLAN: We've been through this. I mean, I'm not looking at -- keep in mind -- I think it's important to report the facts of all the access that they've already had to information, which has been full access; all the access they've had to White House officials and administration officials; all the material that has been provided to them. And now they're coming to the President of the United States. Obviously, the President's most solemn obligation is the protection of the American people, and this President is acting to do everything we can to make sure something like September 11th doesn't ever happen again, by taking the fight to the enemy. And we're talking about -- we're also talking about a seven-eight month period, not an eight-year period. But these threats did not happen overnight, but this President is confronting them to make --
Q: “Why does he complain all the time, then --
McCLELLAN: -- because he never forgets September 11th.”
Oz: No matter how much the WHPC would wish it so. And if you are scoring at home - the phrase "The President will answer all the questions that they want to raise." was stated SEVEN times by the White House Press Secretary.
Now get this report March 9th:
By Steve Holland
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House said on Tuesday it was possible President Bush could be questioned longer than an hour he agreed to by a commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, an apparent concession that came after criticism from Democrat John Kerry.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan, asked several times if Bush would stick to his insistence the session before the commission be restricted to one hour, said it was scheduled for an hour but that “the president of course is going to answer all the questions they want to raise.”
The shift in position came a day after the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Sen. Kerry of Massachusetts, attacked Bush on the issue at a time when the president was visiting a rodeo in Houston.
“If the president of the United States can find the time to go to a rodeo, he can find the time to do more than one hour in front of a commission that is investigating what happened to America's intelligence and why we are not stronger today,” Kerry said.
And Ta-da! Manufactured News – Bush reacting to Kerry statement then makes a policy shift – except:
#1: Bush said nothing at all to this effect.
#2: His press secretary said only the EXACT same statement he had said many times before.
#3: No comment was made in reaction Kerry in any way, other than to point out that Kerry had his assertion wrong.
No shift, No Bush, No Kerry, no story. So this is news why? Because DNC operative Helen Thomas decided it was better to stir up a nothing than report the actual facts about the administrations actual cooperation with the commission, because that would less than nefarious, closer to actual truth, and so had to be nixed…
…. and the lemmings rejoiced!
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