White House Press Secretary Lashes Out at Reporter:

[seemslikeadream]

WASHINGTONIAN

"There's a Difference Between Trashy Rumors and Journalism"

Scott McClellan finally lost it Friday, according to White House reporters.He doesn't see it that way.

The White House press secretary had kept his cool all week as reporters pounced on him about President's George Bush's 1970s service in the National Guard. Facing perhaps his toughest week as press secretary, McClellan got testy Tuesday under questioning by CBS correspondent John Roberts during the televised briefing. He then blew up at old pro Helen Thomas during the private "gaggle" for reporters on Friday.

Thomas had gotten a tip that Bush might have been absent from duty in Alabama because he was preforming court-ordered community service in Texas in 1972. She asked McClellan if that was accurate.

According to reporters in the press room, McClellan got red-faced and became so angry, it looked to some as if he were ready to pounce. He characterized the question as coming from "gutter politics."

"Scott is trashing reporters for asking questions," says one veteran correspondent. "He's dissipating the goodwill he had for not being Ari Fleisher. He's proving to be as testy and disdainful as Ari."

http://washingtonian.com/inwashington/buzz/mcclellan0204.html

[peekaloo]

1. Gotta love Helen.

Still feisty after all these years! Pissed off the White House Dough Boy.....bwahahahahaha

[NashVegas]

2. Marshall Has the Transcript

At TPM. A thing of beauty.

[seemslikeadream]

3. Yes he does

www.talkingpointsmemo.com

[Papa]

4. Here's a link to the exchange between Helen and Scott

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com

Scroll down to (February 13, 2004 -- 11:28 AM EDT // link // print)


great reading for anyone that missed this.

[Wapsie B]

5. Great!

They're getting to him! Keep it up. Let's cause a total meltdown. Working around the WH nowadays has got to be a real pressure cooker anyway. Something's gonna blow.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

6. damn i love Helen...who will carry her torch?

i would like to see Katrina vanden Heuvel perhaps in helen's seat when helen retires (which will be a very sad day in my life)

[Algorem]

7. Picked the old woman to "blow up" at.