Spokesman McClellan Being Testy LIVE on C-SPAN

[DemBones DemBones]

when asked about Bush's TANG records.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

1. I just read yesterday that Bush's flight aptitude test score was

abysmal and yet he was placed into training ahead of others more deserving.
Part of the whole pattern of Bush benefitting from the golden spoon.

[jackstraw45]

2. Have a link or source?

would love to send that around... :)

[fishnfla]

4. He scored in the bottom 25%

yet made Lt. in record time

[madmom]

5. Yes

Bush scored a 25 on the test the lowest possible passing(?) grade.

[Karenina]

53. *"Elite" Affirmative Action.

eom

[ma4t]

89. ?????

I take it from your msg that you define affirmative action as placing lesser qualified individuals ahead or others who are more qualified. Isn't that supposed to be the definition used by right-wing wacko's?

[Brian Sweat]

91. George Bush is a poster child for why we need affirmative action.

[jmowreader]

6. Abysmal isn't the word for it

He scored 25 percent on the Air Force's equivalent of the Flight Aptitude Screening Test. The exact cutoff--if he would have scored one point lower he wouldn't have made it at all.

Scoring exactly the low cutoff is harder than scoring the high cutoff; it is very difficult to be exactly that stupid.

[FredrickDouglass]

18. Wonder If He Actually Scored 25. Doesn't That Strike You As Odd?

I mean, you said it. Exactly at the cutoff. What are the chances? Just asking.

[notadmblnd]

29. I was wondering who changed the answers for him

to make it a passing grade?

[jmowreader]

94. 18181 also strikes me as odd

But yeah, now that you mention it, it does look like a fix was in.

[The Magistrate]

19. Thank You For The Laugh, Sir

It is indeed hard to be precisely that stupid....

"LET'S GO GET THOSE BUSH BASTARDS!"

[ignatius]

20. yep, affirmative action for rich white boys who think they are

self made men.

[wryter2000]

28. As Jim Hightower put it of *'s old man

"He was born on third but thinks he hit a triple."

[DemBones DemBones]

37. I believe Hightower was quoting Ann Richards there.

I think it's been attributed to Molly Ivins, too, but I think it (along with "Poor George! He was born with a silver foot in his mouth") is an Ann Richards original.

[jmg]

47. Rich little white boys....

I suppose Kerry doesn't fall into that category also???

[Catherine Vincent]

49. Kerry isn't little, but Bush* sure is.

Enjoy your short stay.

[Name removed]

52. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Bridget Burke]

58. "Rich little white boy" Kerry went to Vietnam

Besides, he's not as little as your guy.

If Bushie is forced into a debate, he'll look even more pathetic than usual. That's even before he opens his mouth.

[jmg]

59. we all know....

Kerry went to Vietnam. He's practically broken his arm patting himself on the back for his "service". Unfortunately he has been back and forth on so many issues since then it's hard to know what he stands for from day to day. Personally I can't wait to see the two of them in a debate.

[DemBones DemBones]

61. If you support Bush, why are you here? n/t

[Name removed]

62. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Bridget Burke]

75. You didn't "say" you supported Bush!

Don't worry, it's not necessary.

[DemBones DemBones]

77. OK, who do you support? And did you

know that discussions about the Democratic primary race and candidates are supposed to be only in General Discussion 2004? That rule -- and, in fact, that forum -- was set up because without it nothing else can be discussed here in General Discussion without Democratic candidates being brought up, as you are doing. You'll find plenty of people over there who don't like Kerry, and plenty who do. Kerry can also be discussed in the Politics and Campaigns forum but GD (General Discussion) is ONLY for political discussion that doesn't involve Democratic candidates. Posts about Kerry (or Dean, whoever) in GD may be deleted for being in the wrong forum. Check the rules for more info.

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[koopie57]

84. I'm curious

what types of things you have accomplished in your life that gives you the balls to talk smack about someone who risked his life for your necrotic brain?

[koopie57]

85. and what gives with the

"we all know" crap? That just sounds so stupid. I contend that we all know you are full of it.

[ThoughtCriminal]

90. he won the Silver Star while there

nuff said

[Bandit]

87. And your point????

Kerry is rich so that makes everything Bush* has done all right. I get it you are sooo smart.

[tabasco]

95. But Kerry didn't spend his whole life stepping on the poor

to get ahead. Coward Bush never worked a day in his life. Kerry proved himself a man in combat and has fought for the poor his entire life.

[Barkley]

68. This is NOT affirmative action!

Affirmative Action deals with promoting and hiring QUALIFIED minorities and women.

George Bush scored in the bottom 25% and leap-frogged over 500 applicants to get a pilot's slot.

No affirmative action program I know of does that! (And if one such does exist it should be discontinued.)

Furthermore, Affirmative Action is for disadvantaged minorities and women -- George Bush is a very privileged white male who had access to the best preporatory academic and professional training resources.

Yet he still managed to score well below his Yale class average on the SAT, went AWOL in the Texas Air National Guard, (God only knows how he got accepted into Harvard's business school) and ran several private firms into the ground.

His record as president (9-11, transforming record surpluses into record deficits in three years, Iraq war, etc) only confirm's that he is not qualified to be president either.

Affirmative Action gets denigrated when it's associated with the brazen unfair privilege and entitlements that people like George Bush enjoy all their lives.

[ProfessorGAC]

80. You Don't Know How He Got Into Harvard B-School?????

Oh, i think you know how he got in! The same way he got into TANG, how he got to be a pilot with a 25 on his FAST, how he got an Honorable Discharge despite not completing his term of service.

You know the answer to that question; i'm sure of it. God's knowing has nothing to do with it.
The Professor

[Timefortruth]

86. Thank you.nt

[dArKeR]

34. Junior never flew a jet solo. I stick to my feeling and I've been attacked

since 2000 for saying it! Yet no one has ever come up with a pic of Junior flying solo. Which I just don't believe the family never took a pic of Junior flying when it was always the plan to run the Bush Butcher Boys for political office since the ages 10. No family would miss recording this event when they know what help it would be for future votes.

I'm telling you, I've got a sixth sense for these kind of things:

1. JUNIOR NEVER FLY A JET SOLO!

2. Junior has some kind of psychological disorder either natural or induced from alcohol/drug use since the age of 14 till (we guess age late 40s).


(And when I'm proven correct I request my yellow DU star is changed to the color green.)

OR

(I'm appointed Attorney General)

[DemBones DemBones]

41. Interesting point. Have you ever

discussed it with DemoTex? Did you see his op ed re: Bush and the TANG flap, from a pilot's perspective?

Edit: Even if the family didn't have political plans for Dim Son, it would be a significant event to them since Poppy was a fighter pilot. That's obviously why Junior went to flight school -- always trying to please/ compete with the old man.

[reprobate]

78. No, Poppy WASN'T a fighter pilot.

He flew a TBF, which was the navy's torpedo and level bomber, with a crew of three. There are those who were on the same flight with him when he bailed out, who say that he paniced and escaped before his two crewmen had a chance to get out. Those two crewmen died because of that. Don't ever think that poppy was any kind of hero.

As for Jr. not flying solo, the F102 that he flew was, if I'm not mistaken, a single seat fighter. If he flew it, it was solo.

However, I have the feeling that one of the reasons he never took his flight physical (in addition to his drug use) was that he was afraid of flying. This is not the kind of people the hero class comes from. The hero is someone who is afraid but does it anyway, conquering the fear and succeeding. Jr never succeeded at anything.

[DemBones DemBones]

82. If he flew bombing missions, doesn't that mean he

was a fighter pilot? I'm not getting the semantic distinction here. I grew up in a military family but it was Navy, though my dad was sometimes assigned to Naval Air bases, so I know more about what ships do in war than what planes do.

I knew about Poppy abandoning ship, as it were, and don't think he was a hero. Is he officially considered a hero -- medals and all?

[dArKeR]

88. I'm sure they had this plan since they were children! Even Jeb being FL

Gov. so he could deliver FL. and TX would be taken for granted.

[GrndLkNatv]

72. Kerry or Edwards needs to ask Bush

who is wingman was during his flights in the national guard. Also needs to ask him some obvious questions about the aircraft he flew. The blank look on the presidents face should do the trick. This needs to be done during the upcoming debates.

[JI7]

fake smile

the anger is hard to hide under the fake smile.

[Bozita]

3. Look at that SOB squirm!

almost as squirmy as Dumbya

[OffWithTheirHeads]

9. uhm, uh, uh, that, been, uh, uhm, uh

articulate son of a bitch isn't he?

[FredrickDouglass]

13. It's not inarticulateness, it's dizziness from spinning

Everyone should be watching this.

[DemBones DemBones]

7. McClellan wants to keep spinning that

Bush is focused on working for the American people. "Direct campaign questions to the campaign."

Blew off all questions related to Bush's Guard record.

About WMD, he's reminding them that the resident said there were several theories about what happened to them and "We will find out what happened to them."

Would that be like "We will track him (Osama) down and bring him to justice?"
I'd like to ask Scott that, not that he'd answer.

Re: Iraq,

"We have always said that the United Nations has a vital role to play."

[skypilot]

33. "...always said that the UN has a vital role..."

BULLSHIT!!!

I seem to remember the word "irrelevant" and "United Nations" being used a lot in the same sentence in the lead up to the Iraq invasion.

[DemBones DemBones]

43. Wasn't that a hoot ?! n/t

[belle]

48. !!! ...Well, in the sense that "whipping boy" is vital, I guess.

Make that "whipping boy," then "houseboy."

"It's ALL THEIR FAULT, the U.N. EVERYTHING ."

"U.N., Please clean up this country; we're ready to check out now."

[DemBones DemBones]

60. Well said. "Oh, U.N., Please clean up

this country; we're ready to check out now."

Spot on, belle.

[bushisanidiot]

8. The Press is FINALLY asking questions! After 3 years!!

and the repukes are being held on the defensive... they just played the only offensive move they had.. the pic of jane fonda with kerry in the distance and the "alledged" attraction kerry had to a pretty reporter. HAHAHAHAHAHA!!

[havocmom]

36. didn't Jane Fonda and Kerry both go to Nam?

Where was the shrub at that time?

[fob]

44. Great point! bush*, truly a cowards coward!

nt

[Poiuyt]

66. I wouldn't make a big deal about Fonda in Viet Nam

That might backfire.

[DemBones DemBones]

79. But she WAS there and Bush was NOT. n/t

[Terwilliger]

10. This guy really sucks...He won't talk about the campaign, yet he talks...

about how Bush is so electable!!

[sampsonblk]

64. Shrub's whole term has been a campaign...

and McClellan has been one of the top propagandists! What a sham.

[FredrickDouglass]

11. Oh My, Scott's Having Serious Problems From These Guys

He is saying that he simply won't answer ANY campaign related issues and they are putting him on the rack for it.

He says the only thing he wants to talk about is making American more compassionate.

[sampsonblk]

65. Looked kinda stupid...

didn't he? He didn't help Shrub's case at all. Especially when he was parsing words about the Russert interview.

[DemBones DemBones]

12. Scotty doesn't like talking about polls, either.

Tries to spin them as meaningless in relation to the election.

"I think the numbers reflect. . . trends."

No shit, Scott! That IS the point -- Bush is trending down.

"What he's focused on each day is the people's business." Refuses to tell when Bush meets with people about the campaign. Tells reporter he's said enough on the issue.

Resporter says that he hasn't told her anything. Then she asks, "Why are you reluctant to talk about this?"

"We knew the p(resident) was a baseball fan, didn't realize he was such a NASCAR fan."

Scotty likes this question, it's about sports, not about the campaign. NASCAR voters? Never heard of them, right, Scotty?

[FredrickDouglass]

14. He Simply Refuses To Answer Any Question

Now he's telling the reporters that they're parsing?

They're asking the questions!!!!!!

[AZCat]

45. This is so warped...

Bush* won't hold press conferences (what- 10 so far?), and now his PRESS SECRETARY won't answer questions?

I guess we should all shut up and be grateful the great pResident hasn't locked us all in GitMo.

:grr: :grr: :grr:

[ignatius]

93. LOL, to the dungeon with thee wench.

[Bozita]

15. John Roberts is crucifying him

Pounding relentlessly

[Terwilliger]

16. context! context!! He already answered!

John Rogers from CBS better follow-up...he was just dissed

[chelsea0011]

17. "The American people think this issue has run it's course"

:crazy: :crazy:

The White House might like to bury it, but the more that comes out, the more we find out that his "Vietnam service" was a fraud.

[FredrickDouglass]

23. Uhhh....Of Course It Was, That's Why The Rich Joined The Guard

It's really just a political battle to make him look bad. The Dems don't really want serious scrutiny with real ramifications because they do the same old cronyism type things.
They just want to squeeze hard enough to generate terrible sounding headlines. But the issue definitely stinks. Of course he wasn't there.

[DemBones DemBones]

24. An eternal favorite of spokespersons!

It always makes me laugh when they say that.

Welcome to DU, Feeney2! :hi:

[hang a left]

83. I am an a American. I am a people.

I absolutely hate when they use that freakin' battered around, oldest sales tactic in the world 'third party' story or statement.

[bahrbearian]

21. Ari's laughing his ass off

[belle]

50. And Karl Rove is gnashing his teeth and sticking pins in an Ari doll.

tsk. tsk.

[DemBones DemBones]

22. Scotty refuses to deal with the question "Why did

Bush tell Russert he'd release his ENTIRE military record and not do so?"

A lot of back and forth, with Scotty insisting that wasn't the discussion.

Clearly, we need to be saying, "YES it is, we want Bush's ENTIRE military record."

I heard last night that if the Texas copies of the TANG records were scrubbed, the national records kept in Colorado (?) should be complete. Bring 'em on, Georgie. Let's see what the complete, entire record shows. We want to see what's on your PERMANENT RECORD!

[The Magistrate]

25. Just Now, Ms. Bones, It Seems The Press

Has a better sense of what is important to follow closely than some of our resident ultra-radicals, who seem to be placing the highest priority on some allegation of sex by a Democratic candidate....

"LET'S GO GET THOSE BUSH BASTARDS!"

[Noon_Blue_Apples]

35. Then do me a favour and save the infighting for those threads

as well as the stereotype generalizations

"our resident ultra-radicals"

B

[The Magistrate]

74. The Poor Aim, Sir, Of Our Resident Ultra-Radicals

Deserves chastisement, and contrast with the more responsible behavior of the press just now. This is a quite appropriate place to do that: one of the stocks in trade of these lefter than thou folks is that the press is a tool of the right, and only they focus on what is important. They are failing their own test and their own claims just now, by falling over themselves to exalt a triviality while the working press is tacking this can to the reptile's tail so firmly it will not be dislodged. They prefer to spread slime about a Democratic candidate for President.

"LET'S GO GET THOSE BUSH BASTARDS!"

[DemBones DemBones]

51. Quite right, Sir. Quite right.

I have noted that such discussion is going on through reading thread headers but have avoided all such threads. If the media take it up, we'll all have to hear about it, but until such time, I shall ignore it. In considering candidates for public office, not having properly fulfilled one's military obligations is more troubling to me than one's sexual conduct, the former is public, the latter should be a private matter.

[The Magistrate]

76. Indeed, Ma'am

Such matters are of no real moment. If he has done something wrong, which there is as yet no real reason to suspect to be the case, the question may be safely left to his formidable wife for settlement.

"LET'S GO GET THOSE BUSH BAASTARDS!"

[K8-EEE]

26. Scotty Will Soon Be Feeling That Need To:

"Spend more time with the family" like Ari, Karen and what's her name Matelin....

Ari obvuiously saw the shit was about to hit the fan!

Scott's not looking well...a little pasty and, has he gained weight? Yep I think he needs to spend more time with the family, send him back to TX -- along with GWB!

[librechik]

27. I predict Karen will come back for the campaign

Tanned and rested and toxic.

[leesa]

46. Even Condi and she doesn't even have a family

[DU GrovelBot]

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[tom_paine]

40. You're so cool, Grovelbot!

Where do you live? What's your favorite song? What's your favorite food (metal shavings doused in 10W/30?)

[DemBones DemBones]

31. Question for you DUers: Was that John Roberts

who said, "I realize I'm beating a horse that you would like to see depart this world" as preface to bringing up Bush's "Yes" answer to Russert's "Will you release your ENTIRE record?"

Helen Thomas was the only reporter I recognized by name.

[Bozita]

38. yes, from CBS News

He was great.

[Terwilliger]

42. yes, and that was the follow-up to the one he asked earlier

earlier he asked about the Calhoun guy saying he saw Bush at all the times Bush claimed he was there, yet the records don't match the sightings

very good stuff :D

[DemBones DemBones]

70. Thanks, Bozita and Terwilliger. Good to know

who the players are. Especially the ones who really go after the story.

[sampsonblk]

67. Fair and Balanced...and Unafraid

Where was FOXNews????

[OffWithTheirHeads]

32. I think Humpty Dumpty is about to fall off the wall

Frankly, I think someone in this admin is going to crack soon, maybe even Commander Codpiece. Someone is going to lose it and just come unglued. You can't stack the lies this high and keep your story straight.

By the way, when asked if he went AWOL, Bush said "no, we have earthlink".

[NeonLX]

39. My money is on Colin Powell...

...he seems to be really close to the edge right now. I'd love to see him come completely unhinged...

[xchrom]

56. please, please, please

that would be a special moment for me -- he's an old nemeses from my anti-viet nam days.

[DemBones DemBones]

57. Damn! We need a rim-shot smiley around here,

don't we?! That's great: "No, I have Earthlink." :7

[Catherine Vincent]

54. These reporters better be very careful.....

OR BARBARA BUSH WILL COME AFTER THEIR ASSES FOR ASKING TOO MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT HER BOY! HAHAHAHA!!

[AZCat]

55. LOL

Did you read Franken's latest book? I cracked up at the chapter on Barbara- "I'm done with you!"

What a b**ch!

[sampsonblk]

69. Or they may find themselves...

in the can with no lawyer and no charges.

[kskiska]

63. I wish the press corps would walk out en masse

and boycott these briefings until their questions are answered.

[sampsonblk]

71. They shoulda done that..

the first time he had a scripted press conference. And the first time he refused to call on Helen Thomas.

[amazona]

73. Chimpy should resign

He is a national disgrace on every level.

[kskiska]

81. I missed the briefing, but Josh Marshall has an account

of Helen (Thomas? I believe) kicking ass:

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/

Q: Did the President ever have to take time off from Guard duty to do community service?

Scott McClellan: To do community service? I haven't looked into everything he did 30 years ago, Helen. Obviously, there is different community service he has performed in the past, including going back to that time period --

Q: Can you find out if he actually had --

Scott McClellan: Helen, I don't think we remember every single activity he was involved in 30 years ago.

Q: No, this isn't an activity. Was he forced to do community service at any time while he was on --

Scott McClellan: What's your interest in that question? I'm sorry, I just --

more…

[DemBones DemBones]

92. AHA! The community service issue rears its head!

If you've read "Fortunate Son," various other sources, you know what I mean.

But Josh posted this at 11:28 today and said it was this morning, while the one I watched live was this afternoon -- see my initial post of 1:35 or 1:37 --
and Helen Thomas was NOT called on.

Now I see why. Everyone should read TPM right now:

http://talkingpointsmemo.com