McClellan Flip Flops on Claims that 'Newsweek' Story Cost Afghan Lives

[wicket]

This is in LBN but I figured y'all would enjoy this :)

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000930917

At a White House press briefing Tuesday, Press Secretary Scott McClellan, pressed by reporters and with Afghan President Karzai in disagreement, retreated on claims that Newsweek's retracted story on Koran abuse cost lives in Afghanistan.

He also claimed that he had never said it did, even though a check of transcripts disputes that. On May 16, for example, he said, "people have lost their lives." On May 17, he said, "People did lose their lives," and, "People lost their lives."

Here is the transcript from the latest White House press briefing:

Q: One other question. Karzai was quite definite in saying that he didn't believe that the violence in Afghanistan was directly tied to the Newsweek article about Koran desecration. Yet, from this podium, you have made that link. So --

McCLELLAN: Actually, I don't think you're actually characterizing what was said accurately.

Scotty is a freaking liar!!!! But we knew that already.

[Pacifist Patriot]

1. Oh for Pete's Sake!

How in the world can a grown man deny his words when they are freaking recorded every time he utters them? Oh yeah, his ilk are allergic to apologies and admissions of mistakes.

[LightningFlash]

2. The emporer has no clothes, so Scott's talk is full of it. nt

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

3. ass! ass! ass! ass!

but, too little, too late. All 98% of the people will hear is that Newsweek caused the deaths. Like 2% will hear the retraction. Of course, if we had a real media, who knows what could be done.

[glarius]

4. They have no qualms about the 100,000 dead Iraqis they are responsible for

That's the incredible thing, as far as I am concerned....Neither the administration or the "liberal" media ever mention the fact that Bush's war has caused the death of all these innocent people. All that is ever mentioned (and not that often) is the dead American soldiers.....It's disgusting.

[ComerPerro]

5. How do they always get away with that?

They say this shit, transcripts directly contradict their lies, and they are still given credibility?

:wtf:

[wicket]

7. They've created their own version of reality

n/t

[SalmonChantedEvening]

6. Oh for the love of....

Puffy, ya just have no soul do you?


:grr:

[yodermon]

8. I KNEW he would do this

:mad:
Here's one quote:
http://www.allamericanpatriots.com/m-news+article+storyid-10503-PHPSESSID-c302707bd1a5c4b915d6b5380c403671.html
"MR. McCLELLAN: Well, it's what I talked about yesterday. This report, which Newsweek has now retracted and said was wrong, has had serious consequences. {FULL STOP} People did lose their lives. The image of the United States abroad has been damaged; there is lasting damage to our image because of this report. And we would encourage Newsweek to do all that they can to help repair the damage that has been done, particularly in the region."

When I first read this, I thought to myself, "You know, self, since the phrase "People did lose their lives" is in passive voice, he can, and will, later claim that he never stated that the Newsweek article actually was the agent that CAUSED the people to lose their lives. Even though he clearly MEANS, in the original context, that this Newsweek article killed people, qed."

Even language itself is not safe with these people.