White House cites 'hazy memories' on attorney firings

[babylonsister]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-03-16-prosecutors-rove_N.htm

White House cites 'hazy memories' on attorney firings

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Friday backed off its earlier contention that then-White House Counsel Harriet Miers first raised the idea of firing U.S. attorneys — an act that led to a firestorm of criticism of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

"It has been described as her idea but ... I don't want to try to vouch for origination," said White House press secretary Tony Snow, who previously had asserted Miers was the person who came up with the idea. "At this juncture, people have hazy memories."

Snow's comments came as e-mails surfaced Thursday night pulling the White House further into the intensifying probe over federal prosecutor firings. The e-mails raised new questions about top political adviser Karl Rove's role in the dismissals, and came amid eroding GOP support for Gonzales.

Snow said it was not immediately clear who first floated the idea of firing prosecutors shortly after President Bush was re-elected to a second term.

"This is as far as we can go: we know that Karl recollects Harriet having raised it and his recollection is that he dismissed it as not a good idea," Snow told reporters. "That's what we know. We don't know motivations. ... I don't think it's safe to go any further than that."

Asked if Bush himself might have suggested the firings, Snow said, "Anything's possible ... but I don't think so." He said Bush "certainly has no recollection of any such thing. I can't speak for the attorney general.

more...


http://thinkprogress.org/2007/03/16/snow-on-bush-involvement-anythings-possible/

Snow on Bush involvement: ‘Anything’s possible.’

Just out from the AP:

The White House on Friday backed off its earlier contention that then-White House Counsel Harriet Miers first raised the idea of firing U.S. attorneys — an act that led to a firestorm of criticism of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

“It has been described as her idea but … I don’t want to try to vouch for origination,” said White House press secretary Tony Snow, who previously had asserted Miers was the person who came up with the idea. “At this juncture, people have hazy memories.” <…>

Asked if Bush himself might have suggested the firings, Snow said, “Anything’s possible … but I don’t think so.” He said Bush “certainly has no recollection of any such thing. I can’t speak for the attorney general. I want you to be clear here: don’t be dropping it at the president’s door,” Snow said.

[Cooley Hurd]

1. More so than any other political crisis they've faced...

...this one REALLY seems to be kicking their asses!:woohoo:

[nebenaube]

2. so many lies have been told they don't know the truth anymore n/t

[babylonsister]

5. You have a very good point there. They are afraid of contradicting

their previous lies.

[tulsakatz]

9. that's the trouble with lying........

...you tend to forget about the lie you told before!!

[Kikosexy2]

11. The old...

memory failure...it didn't work Libby..why should it work for Gonzo, Rove, Meiers, et al....

[BOSSHOG]

3. well tony send them to gtmo and torture them

to clear up those hazy memories. The depths of depravity of conservatives gets deeper by the hour.

[NashVegas]

4. NEWSFLASH: By Executive Order, Marijuana Legalized!!!

..

[kestrel91316]

6. If their memories are that bad, they need to be sent away to spend

a little more time with their families. Permanently.

[yellowcanine]

7. "I don't want to try to vouch for origination," ranks right up there with "inoperative statement"

of Ron Ziegler Nixon White House fame. History does repeat itself. Sort of.

[LiberalEsto]

8. Consult the Magic 8 Ball

"Reply hazy; ask again later"

[MLFerrell]

10. Hazy like the moors of Scotland?

A+ if you get the joke.