White House Derides Investigation That Exposed Drug Testing On Vets As ‘Irresponsible Reporting,’

[ProfessorPlum]

Run time: 01:37 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_Qi9UfjD6M   Posted on YouTube: June 17, 2008 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: June 18, 2008 By DU Member: ProfessorPlum Views on DU: 542

 
So, again, they criticize the news outlets that report evil behavior, instead of criticizing the behavior itself.

Via ThinkProgress:

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/06/17/wh-responds-vets-drugs/

Today, the Washington Times reported on the results of a joint investigation with ABC, which concluded that “mentally distressed veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan are being recruited for government tests on pharmaceutical drugs linked to suicide and other violent side effects.”

In studies with the anti-smoking drug Chantix, for example, the VA “took three months to alert its patients about severe mental side effects.” In today’s press briefing, however, White House spokesperson Tony Fratto called the investigation “irresponsible” journalism, complaining that he “had to watch” the “awful” reporting:

I saw the reporting in your paper and on I think it was ABC this morning. I thought actually some of it was some of the most — certainly at least what I saw on television this morning was some of the more irresponsible reporting that I’ve ever seen, in terms of taking what this one — the experience of this one veteran and trying to leave the impression that this was a situation for all veterans. <…>

And to try to imply that — and, in fact, not even imply. I see the words scrolled on a television screen this morning that the V.A. is using our veterans as guinea pigs, I thought was one of the most awful things I’ve ever had to watch on television.

If Fratto read the story instead of simply catching the scroll on a television screen, he’d know that thousands are potentially affected. Roughly nearly 1,000 veterans were enrolled in anti-smoking studies, with 143 using Chantix; 21 veterans reported “adverse effects,” including one who suffered suicidal thoughts.

Furthermore, the VA and other agencies are currently conducting 25 tests on 4,796 veterans, “more than half of whom are just returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Fratto also praised the “wonderful leadership” of VA Secretary James Peake, who recently said that concerns about post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans are “overblown“.

[JDPriestly]

1. He is not very articulate.

"what I seen," "this one veteran"

He is not speaking in a casual situation. He should be on his toes, trying to make the White House look good. I realize that he may be a bit nervous. But I suspect he just does not speak well. Surely the Bush administration could find someone who is better qualified for his job.

[Ilsa]

2. Any reporting that reveals how immoral and "troop-hating"

they really are is "irresponsible" in their eyes. Geez, is that the best excuse they could come up with?

[LiberalFighter]

3. The dirt rage Washington Times is reporting unfavorably against the White House? Wow!!

That should break the Republican Party right there when they don't even have their own newspaper in their back pocket.