Ari takes a swipe at Krugman

[Emboldened Chimp]

From today's Letters to the Editor in the NY Times....

To the Editor:

In "Lifting the Shroud" (column, March 23), Paul Krugman alleges that at my White House press briefing on Sept. 26, 2001, I "ominously warned" Americans to "watch what they say, watch what they do." He accuses me of telling citizens "to accept the administration's version of events, not ask awkward questions."

At that briefing two weeks after Sept. 11, I was asked about a racist comment made by a Republican congressman from Louisiana who said that if he saw a Sikh-American with a towel wrapped around his head, he would tell the Sikh to get out of his state.

I said, "It's important for all Americans to remember the traditions of our country that make us so strong and so free, our tolerance and openness and acceptance." The president, I said, was disturbed by Representative John Cooksey's remarks.

(snip)

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/24/opinion/L24KRUG.html

This is a sad, sad letter to the editor. Ari says nothing to refute anything Krugman said about the * administration. He lamely tries to defend his chilling comments of 9/26/01 by claiming "openess" and "acceptance". This poor, pathetic attempt to swipe back at Mr Krugman is typical of a Bushie, but not of Ari. The poor boy seems to be getting rusty.

[CBHagman]

1. Ah, Fleischer is still full of it.

Even when he gives the context for his remarks, it's just to provide enough rope to hang himself with. I must say I don't miss his little sessions with the press.

[northzax]

2. remember, Ari is a good soldier

or a whore, one of the two, he's th eonly high-level person to leave the administration and not blast them.

[shoopnyc123]

3. It clear that Mr. Krugman...

...is using this as a rhetorical device that happens to be an appropriate description of the current tone in Washington. AND, the statement still remains very telling, and, chilling...

[Fleshdancer]

4. I thought Ari made a remark like that in response to Bill Maher

Maybe my memory is wrong on this, I'll look it up, but didn't Ari have some sort of snide, evil comment after Bill Maher made the statement on PI that bombing people from the sky wasn't brave?

[Emboldened Chimp]

5. I think he did say it in response to Maher...

I'll check it out...

[Emboldened Chimp]

6. dupe

[Jacobin]

8. Bwaaahahahahaha

Ari still lying his ASS off trying to pretend that threat against people speaking out referred to the Louisiana bigot!!!!

Nice find!!!

:bounce:

[Tempest]

7. Yes, it was in response to Maher's comment

http://eserver.org/bs/63/KasraviMohamed.html

The day after Maher's comment White House spokesman Ari Fleisher lamented, "There are reminders to all Americans that they need to watch what they do, and this is not a time for remarks like that; there never is." Fleisher later implied that Maher and his program were just as reprehensible as the terrorists who attacked the World Trade Center.

[alarcojon]

9. Great!

I've written to Krugman and I hope he follows up.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

12. it was in response to bill maher's remarks

[tishaLA]

13. Correct. He even affirms that

but says his comment was about the TWO comments--the racist one and the Maher one--in one fell swoop. He wants to pretend the "watch what they say" is about both, instead of about Maher specifically.

[Fleshdancer]

15. I ROCK!

happy dance happy dance happy dance!!!

Never underestimate a liberal with a good long term memory. It's time to send off an email to Krugman.

[samsingh]

10. i heard Ari's quote in response to what was happening

to Bill Maher. Ari did say that Americans should watch what they say.

[Emboldened Chimp]

11. exactly

it wasn't in response to people threatening muslems, as he would like us to think.

[tom_paine]

14. MY GOD! ARI CAN'T STOP LYING! SEND THIS TO THE TIMES!

LOOK!

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010926-5.html

SOMEONE NEEDS TO SEND THIS TO THE TIMES AND KRUGMAN FAST I AM AT WORK AND CANNOT!

WHO WILL HELP!

[Fleshdancer]

16. I'm on it! n/t

[tom_paine]

17. Proofread it and make sure I'm right please, Gloria

I couldn;t examine the Imperial Palace transcript closley enough.

Please make sure we're right before sending.

Thank you so much!

:toast:

[MSgt213]

18. Here's what it says from the link

Q As Commander-In-Chief, what was the President's reaction to television's Bill Maher, in his announcement that members of our Armed Forces who deal with missiles are cowards, while the armed terrorists who killed 6,000 unarmed are not cowards, for which Maher was briefly moved off a Washington television station?

MR. FLEISCHER: I have not discussed it with the President, one. I have --

Q Surely, as a --

MR. FLEISCHER: I'm getting there.

Q Surely as Commander, he was enraged at that, wasn't he?

MR. FLEISCHER: I'm getting there, Les.

Q Okay.

MR. FLEISCHER: I'm aware of the press reports about what he said. I have not seen the actual transcript of the show itself. But assuming the press reports are right, it's a terrible thing to say, and it unfortunate. And that's why -- there was an earlier question about has the President said anything to people in his own party -- they're reminders to all Americans that they need to watch what they say, watch what they do. This is not a time for remarks like that; there never is.

[Fleshdancer]

20. Oh, you got it right sweetheart!

Q As Commander-In-Chief, what was the President's reaction to television's Bill Maher, in his announcement that members of our Armed Forces who deal with missiles are cowards, while the armed terrorists who killed 6,000 unarmed are not cowards, for which Maher was briefly moved off a Washington television station?

MR. FLEISCHER: I have not discussed it with the President, one. I have --

Q Surely, as a --

MR. FLEISCHER: I'm getting there.

Q Surely as Commander, he was enraged at that, wasn't he?

MR. FLEISCHER: I'm getting there, Les.

Q Okay.

MR. FLEISCHER: I'm aware of the press reports about what he said. I have not seen the actual transcript of the show itself. But assuming the press reports are right, it's a terrible thing to say, and it unfortunate. And that's why -- there was an earlier question about has the President said anything to people in his own party -- they're reminders to all Americans that they need to watch what they say, watch what they do. This is not a time for remarks like that; there never is.

[skeptic9]

19. Ari's letter is itself ANOTHER example of GOP religious insensitivity,

..., xenophobia, and bigotry.

That's not "a towel wrapped around his head", that's a TURBAN worn for religious reasons. In addition, Ari got his facts wrong again. Congressman Cooksey (R-LA) did not say "towel":

"John Cooksey, a Republican congressman from Louisiana, ... offered this suggestion for weeding out terrorists: "If I see someone come in and he's got a diaper on his head and a fan belt wrapped around the diaper on his head, that guy needs to be pulled over and checked." Cooksey later apologized, saying he was referring only to Osama bin Laden, but clearly the way he described the offending headgear shows a lack of turban savvy." See http://www.csupomona.edu/~plin/turbans/turbans.html

Too bad Larry David's recent script featuring his brother-in-law sitting behind a turban-wearer in a Broadway show has already aired. This situation would be fodder for a script revision!

[tom_paine]

21. kick