July 11, 2005

New Favorite Blog Title and Pithing on rove

Don't ask me what my old favorite was.

The new favorite is pith in the wind. Today they bring this fine bit of pithing in the wind to our attention:

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.

Q: Excuse me, but I wasn't actually talking about any investigation. But in June of 2004, the President said that he would fire anybody who was involved in this leak, to press of information. And I just want to know, is that still his position?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, but this question is coming up in the context of this ongoing investigation, and that's why I said that our policy continues to be that we're not going to get into commenting on an ongoing criminal investigation from this podium. The prosecutors overseeing the investigation had expressed a preference to us that one way to help the investigation is not to be commenting on it from this podium. And so that's why we are not going to get into commenting on it while it is an ongoing investigation, or questions related to it.

This goes on and on. Be sure to bring a towel before reading the rest. It is hard to imagine how much mcclellan had to have imbibed to be able to leave it hanging out for so long and this is only a part of today's press conference.

Josh Marshall and Arthur Silber were also thrilled by this display. And via Atrios here are some of mccellan's past statements on the subject.

Posted by Steve on July 11, 2005
Comments

One of the more interesting aspects of this whole case is that it has caused the Administration to loose control of the media coverage of political matters. Rather that focusing on the preferred agenda of national security, social security, tort reform, etc., all anyone talks about is Rove. This can only go on for so long before Rove will have to go, if only so the Administration can get control of the media's agenda again.

Posted by Joseph j7uy5 at July 15, 2005 7:28 PM
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