WH press briefing on 9/11 commission

[Viking12]

Looks the the press corp are grilling the McClellan. I hope his evasiveness is reported. Sigh, I doubt it will be.

Picked up in the middle after McC brags about *'s "unprecedented" (barf) cooperation with the commission.

QUESTION: First, where the idea of a precedent is concerned, President -- sitting President Gerald Ford went up to Capitol Hill and actually testified before the House Judiciary Committee, so there is a greater precedent than what you're referring to.

My question is, in every speech he gives, President Bush invokes --

McCLELLAN: Keep in mind there are separation of powers issues involved when you're talking about a legislatively created body.

QUESTION: I'm sure President Ford was aware of those. In every speech he gives, President Bush invokes the atrocities of 9/11 and he talks about how that event has impressed on him a determination to always honor the victims of those atrocities in his daily conduct of his office. And I wonder if you could explain with some serious Texan straight talk here, Scott, how it is honoring the victims of 9/11 to restrict the questioning of the President on this subject to one hour?

McCLELLAN: I hope you'll talk about the unprecedented cooperation that we're providing to the commission when you report this, James. Because if you look back at what we've done, it is unprecedented. We have provided more than 2 million pages of documents. We provided more than 60 compact discs of radar, flight and other information; more than 800 audio cassette tapes of interviews and other materials; more than 100 briefings, including at the head-of-agency level; more than 560 interviews. So this administration is cooperating closely and in an unprecedented way with the 9/11 Commission, because their work is very important.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com

[ithacan]

1. let's hope mainstream media picks up on this

and starts interviewing in serious ways the 9/11 families, their 25 questions, and Bush's refusal to be honest about what happened that day.

[sadiesworld]

3. Good point. When was the last time you saw 9/11 families on tv?

[ThomWV]

2. Denial of Extension is a Disgrace

D. Hastert's denial of a 60 day extension for the panel to do its work is a disgrace.

Please write your Representative, senators, and the White House demanding that this extensioin be granted. Do not let them stop our right to know what happend.

I think this is the most important matter before our Government at this time and the truth is being blocked by the most vile people who have ever held office. Do what you can.

[LSparkle]

4. Aaron Brown develops a spine

He was livid last night at the beginning of "Newsnight" on CNN, encouraging viewers to call/write/email their representatives and express outrage over denial of an extension. I couldn't believe it ... hope other mainstream outlets pick up on this.

[RBHam]

5. Aaron Brown is a fool

Last night, he opened his show with a bold statement expressing his "outrage" at Hastert's actions of planning to refuse the Commission's extension. He called for everyone to bombard Washington with letters, and I thought there was hope for a while.

Ha!

Later, he interviewed Lee Hamilton (D-Bushio), a KNOWN Bush Crime Family protector (he helped the Reagan -Bush Administration shield Reagan and Bush I from the Iran/Contra investigation. it's on record). I almost choked when Brown started the interview by praising Hamilton's integrity and fairness! And his questions to Hamilton were softballs. It was obvious from the interview that Hamilton is not "outraged" and gave the same line as Scotty did during the above mentioned press conference (2 million pages of documents, 800 audio cassette tapes of interviews and other materials; more than 100 briefings, including at the head-of-agency level; more than 560 interviews...blah, ad nauseam...). He tried his best to impress upon viewers that the denial of an extension would only make the investigation "less perfect"...

Is Brown that naive? Am I supposed to swallow this?

Surely, Mr. Hamilton has seen the Booker Elementary Video, I know that Brown helped cut that scene short during CNN's special on 9-11...

Do you REALLY want the truth, Aaron?

[LSparkle]

7. His tirade may have helped, though

Because Hastert has been on CNN today saying he now supports an extension of the commission ..

[Stephanie]

6. Someone should inform them that along with separation of powers

There are also checks and balances.

This WH thinks it can get away with murder.