The healing powers of Scott McClellan's 5/20/04 Press Briefing

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

:grouphug:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/05/20040520-11.html

Q How much was the President's trip to the Hill this morning based upon a broadening and deepening concern among many members of his own party that the situation in Iraq is not going well, and in fact is keeping many of the key issues that they'd like to get to this year off the radar screen?

MR. McCLELLAN: Oh, I don't look at it that way at all, John. There was great enthusiasm and energy in that room. The President tends to go to the Hill from time to time and meet with Republican members of Congress. He did this last year at this time. Remember, they're getting ready to go on recess. Some -- I think the House will be going on recess later today, and the Senate will follow suit shortly. And so this was an opportunity for the President to go to the Capitol and thank them for all their hard work before they head off to recess. And they talked about a number of important priorities that we're pursuing. They talked about our shared agenda, and the President thanked them for all that we have worked together to accomplish on behalf of the American people.



:grouphug:


Q Scott, on Chalabi -- you can't wiggle out of this that easily. I mean, you make it seem like the Iraqis have no coordination with the Americans. We still run the place, and they're conducting raids. So, the question is, is this figure, -- who is extremely close to this administration, is a driving force behind the ultimate goal of toppling Saddam Hussein -- in the President's mind, is he still a credible figure of Iraq's government? And does he have a role, in the President's estimation, in Iraq's future?

MR. McCLELLAN: He's a member of the Iraqi Governing Council. He has been working with the coalition in the past. In terms of -- in terms of -- in terms of going forward, it's going to be up to the Iraqi people to determine who it is that represents their country.

Q I want to know what the President thinks about this man's credibility. This man --

MR. McCLELLAN: It's what the Iraqi people think going forward, in terms of who is going to be overseeing their efforts.

Q Nobody buys that. Nobody buys that it's just up to the Iraqi people. Does the President of United States --

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, that's the fact.



:grouphug:

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. Coincidence? I think not

Baghdad Bob - lost job as Saddam's Press Spokesman, April 2003
June 2003 - Scott McClellan's promotion to Dubya's Press Secretary announced.

[xchrom]

2. mcclellan is starting to sound like bush

and that can't be good. he's supposed to sound smarter than that.