McClellan continues to tip-toe around Downing Street Memo (press briefing)

[sabra]

<<SNIP>>
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/05/20050523-9.html

Q Scott, last week you said that claims in the leaked Downing Street memo that intelligence was being fixed to support the Iraq War as early as July 2002 are flat-out wrong. According to the memo which was dated July 23, 2002, and whose authenticity has not been disputed by the British Government, both Foreign Minister Jack Straw and British Intelligence Chief Sir Richard Dearlove said that the President had already made up his mind to invade Iraq. Dearlove added that intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. Do you think these two very senior officials of our closest ally were flat-out wrong? And if so, how could they have been so misinformed after their conversations with George Tenet and Condoleezza Rice?

MR. McCLELLAN: Let me correct you on the -- let me correct you on the characterization of the quote you attributed to me. I'm referring to some of the allegations that were made referring to a report. In terms of the intelligence, the -- if anyone wants to know how the intelligence was used by the administration, all they have to do is go back and look at all the public comments over the course of the lead-up to the war in Iraq, and that's all very public information. Everybody who was there could see how we used that intelligence.

And in terms of the intelligence, it was wrong, and we are taking steps to correct that and make sure that in the future we have the best possible intelligence, because it's critical in this post-September 11th age, that the executive branch has the best intelligence possible.

<</SNIP>>

[demgrrrll]

1. Damn. Scotty is going to spin himself out of orbit. Or screw himself

into the ground.

[jaxx]

2. Good riddance

Scotty imploded on the Gannon/Guckert thing.....he's just another mouth.

[sabra]

5. Oh how he misses JimmyJeff....

[BurtWorm]

3. Wow! Someone actually asked THE question!

I hope they're unsatisfied with that bullshit answer and ask him again. And again. And again.

[Coexist]

4. Here's hopin'

I for one would like to see it asked every day until it is truthfully answered.

[BurtWorm]

9. I wonder who asked it.

Who had the nerve?

[sabra]

6. Video here...

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/05/20050523-9.v.html

[wtbymark]

7. he avoided answering the question all together

typical - who actually expects an answer anyways? you think they're going to give one?

[Frederik]

8. Ha ha, Scotty made an idiot of himself AGAIN

"if anyone wants to know how the intelligence was used by the administration, all they have to do is go back and look at all the public comments over the course of the lead-up to the war in Iraq, and that's all very public information."

:rofl:

"Everybody who was there could see how we used that intelligence."

Well, you're right about that. Everybody with half a brain could see that it was being "fixed around the policy".

[frylock]

10. because it's critical in this post-september 11th age..

:eyes: