Did anybody link Dan Froomkin's questions for Tony Snow?

[Gabi Hayes]

If so, sorry for the repeat, but the ones he posted, out of over 700 responses, are pretty insightful, and his prefatory remarks are instructive, once again revealing the level of disgust felt for this regime:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/04/11/LI2005041100879.html

I asked you readers on Tuesday to help come up with some tough, important questions for Snow which would give him a fair chance to show that he's serious about explaining White House actions more forthrightly than his predecessor.

I got more than 700 e-mails, and while most of the questions were more vitriolic than I was looking for, you came up with plenty of insightful and substantial questions on such issues as Iraq, Iran, torture, the Valerie Plame case, tax cuts, warrantless searches, and much more.

........

sample questions follow:

Does the United States intend to have military bases in Iraq permanently, i.e., for the foreseeable future? (Francis Accardo, New Orleans)

To what extent do you think The Washington Post and similar news organizations help polarize our country thereby aiding the enemy? (J.R.Meyer-Cuno, Lake Wylie, S.C)

Why should Americans trust the Bush administration's ability to deal with the consequences of its decisions about Iran, when Iraq is such a disaster? (Jim Proctor, Minneapolis)

Why did the CIA choose to establish prisons for the detention and interrogation of al-Qaeda operatives in foreign countries instead of establishing such sites in the United States, and why should these sites be exempt from congressional oversight, especially since they are funded with tax dollars and serious allegations of detainee abuse have been leveled against them? (Glenn Simmons, Lonoke, Ark.)

Five years ago, President Bush said he had looked into President Putin's soul and seen a man "deeply committed to his country's best interests." Yet now Vice President Cheney says Russia's "government has unfairly and improperly restricted the rights of her people." Does the president agree with this assessment? If so, has President Putin changed, or did Mr. Bush misjudge him five years ago? (Caroline Jarry, Montreal

Why is it wrong for the judiciary to redefine the law but right for the president? Or: why is "activist judge" bad but "signing statement" good? Or: how is it a problem if the judicial branch takes power from the legislative, but not a problem if the executive branch takes power from the legislative? (Jonathan Krueger, Pleasanton, Calif.)

Why does the American public knowledge of these programs jeopardize U.S. security? Don't terrorists already assume that their communications are monitored? (David Rosenberg, Davis, Calif.)

Do any other domestic wiretapping programs exist that have not yet been publicly revealed? (Chuck Slothower, Durango, Colo.)

Is the Bush government spying, without warrant, on its domestic political opponents? (Alan Cossitt, Beaverton, Ore.)



................

lots more, but I'd sure love to see the vitriol.

you have to scroll down about half way for the questions

[Gabi Hayes]

1. they won't comment re: ''ongoing investigations.'' what about this?

The president has declared Tom DeLay innocent, despite the fact that there is an ongoing investigation. First, what would it take for the president to reconsider that view? Secondly, is there a new -- and consistent -- policy about when you will comment about matters related to legal investigations and when you won't? (Sarah Gracombe, Jamaica Plain, Mass.)

[Gabi Hayes]

2. ironic questions for Snow, taken from his own Bushbashing

http://mediamatters.org/items/200604250008

QUESTION: Could you elaborate on the "leaden phrases" and the "unbearably abstract and dull" portions of Bush's "Social Security sales pitch" that made it "stink[]"?



From Snow's May 4, 2005, column:

Polls indicate President Bush is taking a pounding on the issue of Social Security. I will explain tomorrow why many of these reports are exaggerated. Today, I'll focus on the simpler issue of why his Social Security sales pitch stinks.

<...>

Check out the leaden phrases: "the math has changed ... 40 million retirees receiving benefits ... more than 72 million retirees drawing Social Security benefits ... 16 workers for every beneficiary ... 3.3 workers for every beneficiary; soon there will be two workers for every beneficiary ... In 2017 ... by 2041 ..."

Not one syllable of this stuff resonates with people sitting at home watching on TV. It sounds as if some rogue accountant has invaded the president's body, and filled his head statistical dross.

[Gabi Hayes]

3. TPM: Snow's first press gaggle.....transcript

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/000638.php

[Gabi Hayes]

4. yeah......right

QUESTION: How are you going to make this administration more credible?

TONY SNOW: I'm not going to answer questions about credibility, other than to say that I'm eager to be here and I'm happy to be working with you.

QUESTION: Are you ever going to -- always going to tell the truth?

TONY SNOW: Yes.

[Gabi Hayes]

5. ABC and Martha Raddatz like Tony

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theworldnewser/2006/05/tonys_gaggle.html

But boy is he a smoothie... Managing not to tell us anything: "Can't comment on national security issues." But he did it in such a skillful way.

some people didn't see it that way:

1) ABCNews.com is really in the backpocket of this Adminstration

from “The Note” blog being a complete joke (basically a clearinghouse for Repub talking points) to this mornings ridiculous phone records poll (2/3 in favor????) to this nonsensical “he’s a smoothie comment”…

I generally ignore them….

Comment by lib4 — May 12, 2006 @ 12:56 pm


2) ''but boy is he a smoothie… Managing not to tell us anything: 'Can’t comment on national security issues.' But he did it in such a skillful way.''

So the White House correspondent for ABCNews is in awe of this guy because he can give the press no answers with flair? What drugs is she on? She should not only be fired but lose her press license. Pathetic reporting.

Comment by dlet — May 12, 2006 @ 1:05 pm

3) nice job tony, anyone else screwing up this bad on THE FIRST DAY. would be fired. Can you get your ’safe’ job back at fox? You can be replaced with a looped tape that repeats the same thing over and over…”I can’t comment on ANYTHING because EVERYTHING is under investigation.”

ABC, smoothie is a paint additive to eliminate ‘fish eyes’ in paint. It is pure silicone,slick as snot and hard to get off your hands. Now I get what your saying.

Comment by wisedup