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jchrisobrienfrom Salon:
Meanwhile, back at the White House, Scott McClellan is doing his part to shut down any questions about the government's response to Katrina. For the second day in a row, he trotted out his "blame game" and "finger-pointing" talking points Wednesday. It was reminiscent, at times, of McClellan's performance on the days after it became clear that Karl Rove was involved in the outing of Valerie Plame. Here's one bit of Wednesday's back-and-forth:
Reporter: Scott, does the president retain confidence in his FEMA director and secretary of Homeland Security?
McClellan: And again, David, see, this is where some people want to look at the blame game issue, and finger-point. We're focused on solving problems, and we're doing everything we can --
Reporter: What about the question?
McClellan: We're doing everything we can in support --
Reporter: We know all that.
McClellan: -- of the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA.
Reporter: Does he retain complete confidence --
McClellan: We're going to continue. We appreciate the great effort that all of those at FEMA, including the head of FEMA, are doing to help the people in the region. And I'm just not going to engage in the blame game or finger-pointing that you're trying to get me to engage.
Reporter: OK, but that's not at all what I was asking.
McClellan: Sure it is. It's exactly what you're trying to play.
Reporter: You have your same point you want to make about the blame game, which you've said enough now. I'm asking you a direct question, which you're dodging.
McClellan: No --
Reporter: Does the president retain complete confidence in his director of FEMA and secretary of Homeland Security, yes or no?
McClellan: I just answered the question.
Reporter: Is the answer "yes" on both?
McClellan: And what you're doing is trying to engage in a game of finger-pointing --
Reporter: There's a lot of criticism. I'm just wondering if he still has confidence.
McClellan: -- and blame-gaming. What we're trying to do is solve problems, David. And that's where we're going to keep our focus.
Reporter: So you're not -- you won't answer that question directly?
McClellan: I did. I just did.
Reporter: No, you didn't. Yes or no? Does he have complete confidence or doesn't he?
McClellan: No, if you want to continue to engage in finger-pointing and blame-gaming, that's fine --
Reporter: Scott, that's ridiculous. I'm not engaging in any of that.
McClellan: It's not ridiculous.
Reporter: Don't try to accuse me of that. I'm asking you a direct question and you should answer it. Does he retain complete confidence in his FEMA director and secretary of Homeland Security, yes or no?
McClellan: Like I said, that's exactly what you're engaging in.
Reporter: I'm not engaging in anything. I'm asking you a question about what the president's views are --
McClellan: Absolutely -- absolutely --
Reporter: -- under pretty substantial criticism of members of his administration. OK? And you know that, and everybody watching knows that as well.
McClellan: No, everybody watching this knows, David, that you're trying to engage in a blame game.
Reporter: I'm trying to engage?
McClellan: Yes.
Reporter: I am trying to engage?
McClellan: That's correct.
Meanwhile, back at the White House, Scott McClellan is doing his part to shut down any questions about the government's response to Katrina. For the second day in a row, he trotted out his "blame game" and "finger-pointing" talking points Wednesday. It was reminiscent, at times, of McClellan's performance on the days after it became clear that Karl Rove was involved in the outing of Valerie Plame. Here's one bit of Wednesday's back-and-forth:
Reporter: Scott, does the president retain confidence in his FEMA director and secretary of Homeland Security?
McClellan: And again, David, see, this is where some people want to look at the blame game issue, and finger-point. We're focused on solving problems, and we're doing everything we can --
Reporter: What about the question?
McClellan: We're doing everything we can in support --
Reporter: We know all that.
McClellan: -- of the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA.
Reporter: Does he retain complete confidence --
McClellan: We're going to continue. We appreciate the great effort that all of those at FEMA, including the head of FEMA, are doing to help the people in the region. And I'm just not going to engage in the blame game or finger-pointing that you're trying to get me to engage.
Reporter: OK, but that's not at all what I was asking.
McClellan: Sure it is. It's exactly what you're trying to play.
Reporter: You have your same point you want to make about the blame game, which you've said enough now. I'm asking you a direct question, which you're dodging.
McClellan: No --
Reporter: Does the president retain complete confidence in his director of FEMA and secretary of Homeland Security, yes or no?
McClellan: I just answered the question.
Reporter: Is the answer "yes" on both?
McClellan: And what you're doing is trying to engage in a game of finger-pointing --
Reporter: There's a lot of criticism. I'm just wondering if he still has confidence.
McClellan: -- and blame-gaming. What we're trying to do is solve problems, David. And that's where we're going to keep our focus.
Reporter: So you're not -- you won't answer that question directly?
McClellan: I did. I just did.
Reporter: No, you didn't. Yes or no? Does he have complete confidence or doesn't he?
McClellan: No, if you want to continue to engage in finger-pointing and blame-gaming, that's fine --
Reporter: Scott, that's ridiculous. I'm not engaging in any of that.
McClellan: It's not ridiculous.
Reporter: Don't try to accuse me of that. I'm asking you a direct question and you should answer it. Does he retain complete confidence in his FEMA director and secretary of Homeland Security, yes or no?
McClellan: Like I said, that's exactly what you're engaging in.
Reporter: I'm not engaging in anything. I'm asking you a question about what the president's views are --
McClellan: Absolutely -- absolutely --
Reporter: -- under pretty substantial criticism of members of his administration. OK? And you know that, and everybody watching knows that as well.
McClellan: No, everybody watching this knows, David, that you're trying to engage in a blame game.
Reporter: I'm trying to engage?
McClellan: Yes.
Reporter: I am trying to engage?
McClellan: That's correct.
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no subject
Date: 2005-09-09 05:34 pm (UTC)btw they just fired the head of FEMA you know.
on FEMA?
Date: 2005-09-09 05:53 pm (UTC)and yes, that is a real, actual, press conference.
Re: on FEMA?
Date: 2005-09-09 08:32 pm (UTC)Merely "sent back to Washington" at this point.
or monty python
Date: 2005-09-09 05:46 pm (UTC)"no, it isn't."
"yes, it is."
"look, if I argue with you, I need to take up a contrary position."
"but it isn't just saying, "it isn't."
"yes, it is."
"no, it isn't! an argument is an intellectual process. It's not just the automatic naysaying of whatever the other person says."
"no, it isn't."
"yes, it is."
(man rings bell) "thank you, your time is up. good morning."
no subject
Date: 2005-09-09 05:47 pm (UTC)that's completely pathetic.
at least it looks like the press is getting it's teeth back.
no subject
Date: 2005-09-09 05:55 pm (UTC)We didn't lose a building, we lost a city.
The administration could have saved a lot of face. Instead we got inane comments about Trent Lott's front porch, the blame game from Scott McLellan, and Barbara and Laura Bush putting their feet firmly in their mouths.
Heads are starting to roll. Is this what Justice tastes like?
no subject
Date: 2005-09-09 05:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-12 01:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-09 07:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-09 07:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-12 01:02 pm (UTC)1. Extreme conditioning.
2. He has no soul.
3. He's a robot!
4. Lots and lots of drugs.
no subject
Date: 2005-09-12 01:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-10 05:15 am (UTC)Now *who's* on first?