CNN's Roberts again buoyed McClellan: "I think that he is a truth-teller"
SUMMARY: CNN's John Roberts -- after acknowledging that he would likely get "in trouble in the liberal blogs" for saying it -- said of outgoing White House press secretary Scott McClellan: "I think that he is a truth-teller." This is the second time Roberts has praised McClellan as a "truth-teller."
Commenting on White House press secretary Scott McClellan's April 19 announcement that he will resign, CNN senior national correspondent John Roberts -- after acknowledging that he would likely get "in trouble in the liberal blogs" for saying it -- said of McClellan: "I think that he is a truth-teller." This is the second time Roberts has praised McClellan as a "truth-teller." As Media Matters for America documented, Roberts -- then with CBS -- described him using that exact term in November 2005.
From the April 19 edition of CNN International's Your World Today:
ROBERTS: Scott McClellan is always everybody's favorite punching bag. And here's something that's gotten me in trouble in the liberal blogs before, but I'll say it again: He is a decent person, I think that he is a truth-teller -- you know, that whole thing with, you know, did [White House senior adviser] Karl Rove tell him the truth and did [former vice presidential chief of staff I. Lewis"] "Scooter" Libby tell him the truth a few years ago? You know, I think that, basically, Scott was the victim of that.
Roberts was again referring to McClellan's October 7, 2003, claim that Rove and Libby were "not involved" in the leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity. Both Rove and Libby were later found to have been intimately involved in the leak -- Rove was the source for Plame's identity for Time reporter Matt Cooper and nationally syndicated columnist Robert D. Novak, and Libby was indicted for allegedly lying to federal investigators about his role in the leak. A variety of media outlets, such as The Washington Post, simply asserted that Rove and Libby gave McClellan false information -- implicitly rejecting the other possibility, that McClellan knew at the time that what he was saying wasn't true -- but providing no evidence to support this claim. And McClellan, when confronted to explain why his 2003 statement was wrong, would refuse to answer, claiming that he was not able to comment on an ongoing investigation.
When court papers, released on April 6, pertaining to the investigation into Libby indicated that President Bush authorized Libby to disclose to the media selected portions of the classified 2002 National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iraq's alleged weapons programs, reporters questioned McClellan as to when the NIE was actually declassified. According to the court papers, Bush authorized its partial disclosure on July 8, 2003. McClellan, however, claimed on July 18, 2003, that the NIE was "officially declassified today." When challenged by a reporter at an April 7, 2006, press briefing, McClellan claimed that it was officially declassified on July 18, 2003, then claimed he could not discuss the "timing of when the information may have been declassified," and then claimed again that it was officially declassified on July 18 -- seemingly drawing a distinction between "officially declassified" and "declassified," which he did not explain:
QUESTION: Then why are you saying you won't back off anything you said before if, in fact, we have transcripts here where you say that's when it was officially declassified? Are you still saying that's when it was officially declassified [July 18, 2003]?
McCLELLAN: That's when it was made available to the public. So it's officially --
QUESTION: When was it officially declassified?
McCLELLAN: -- so it's officially declassified at that point. I think we're talking past each other a little bit. I'll have to go back and look at the specific transcript -- and I'll be glad to do that -- and we can talk about it further later.
QUESTION: OK. When was it officially declassified?
McCLELLAN: Again, in terms of the timing of when information may have been declassified, that gets into a question relating to the legal proceeding in a filing that was made by Mr. Fitzgerald earlier this week.
QUESTION: What were you referring to on July 18th, then? Was that the official release, or official declassification?
McCLELLAN: Well, that's what I'll have to check. I'll have to go back and look. But my sense is, and my recollection is -- while we're sitting here talking about it is -- I was referring to the fact that was when it was officially declassified for the public.
As recently as April 12, McClellan, rather then telling "the truth," told the White House press corps nothing regarding reports that Bush may have been aware that trailers discovered in Iraq were not mobile biological weapons labs prior to describing them as such in 2003. When asked when the president was aware that U.S. intelligence officials determined the trailers were not for weapons production, McClellan replied: "I'm looking into that matter." When pressed by ABC News White House correspondent Jessica Yellin on whether Bush was aware of the intelligence report, McClellan went to great lengths not to answer her questions -- including attacking her for ABC's coverage of the controversy and demanding an apology from her:
YELLIN: So was the president made aware of the fact --
McCLELLAN: And are you all going to apologize?
YELLIN: Was the president made aware of the faxed field report?
McCLELLAN: Are you all going to apologize for that?
YELLIN: Was the president aware of the faxed field report?
McCLELLAN: Is that a correct statement?
YELLIN: Scott, was the president made aware of the field report that was faxed?
McCLELLAN: Jessica, I just told you, I've asked the intelligence community what they based this paper on. I can't tell you what they based their paper on. You have to. We're not an intelligence-gathering agency.
YELLIN: No, but was the field report faxed --
McCLELLAN: The president made his comments based on this white paper that was publicly released by the Central Intelligence Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency, which is the arm of the -- which is an arm of the Pentagon --
YELLIN: -- the question is, was he aware of this report on May 27?
McCLELLAN: I just told you -- you shouldn't make any assumptions, but you should go and ask the intelligence community what was this based on. I can't tell you what they based that on. They're the intelligence-gathering agency.
YELLIN: You can tell us if the president had this information. Did he have this information?
McCLELLAN: Jessica, this -- I just saw this report. I'll come back with more information if there is. But this is reckless reporting. And for you all to go on the air this morning and make such a charge is irresponsible --
[...]
McCLELLAN: Hang on. Are you saying that the president went out there and said something that he knew was not true? That's what you said on ABC News --
YELLIN: I didn't say anything on ABC News --
McCLELLAN: ABC News said that this morning. And is ABC News going to apologize for making that assertion?
YELLIN: My question is, are you denying that there was --
McCLELLAN: You haven't answered my question. Are you going to apologize for that?
YELLIN: -- contrary information?
McCLELLAN: I just did, Jessica. I just answered that very question.
The notion of McClellan ever saying anything "true" is utterly ridiculous... The love fest b/w McClellan and Bush ("rockin' in a chair talkin' about the good ol' days...") was truly sick...
What is wrong with these people? See you Scott... thanks for the lies.
When do you get your check from the White House? Or are you just another reporter who has heard so many GOP talking points tossed around that you have a hard time knowing the difference between fact and fantasy?
There is an island whith two types of people on it; those who always tell the truth (truth-tellers) and those who always lie (current Republican administration). You are trying to find the village of happiness when you come across a fork in the road. One path leads to the village, the other to hell, and you don't know which one is which. There are two men at the fork, one is named Mr. McClennan and the other is a mute, and you don't know if either is a truth-teller or a current Republican administration person.
What question would you ask McClennan to decide what trail leads to the village of happiness?
The answer: It doesn't matter because McClennan would talk around in circles endlessly until you died of old age.
Just cuz you say it a lot, doesn't make it true.
... that there is a consequence for telling whoppers. The "BLOGS" will hold them responsible, quote them accurately, and the produce the factual record that contradicts their FALSE claim.
So, step one in becoming a good person, truthful, and an accurate reporter, is to realize IN ADVANCE that you are planning on telling a LIE. Roberts has the first part down ... what is puzzling is why he then decides to go ahead and lie anyway. Perhaps it's in his contract.
I was thinking the same thing. Why should he worry if he will be in trouble with the “liberal bloggers” if he is telling the Truth. Why mention the liberal bloggers? By mentioning the “liberal bloggers” he is somewhat admitting that the “liberal bloggers” are in fact the Truth police. One should not have to press on the brakes or check their speedometer if they are not speeding or prone to speed.
Whatever John Roberts is taking I want some of it.
It must be good stuff.
At best, McClellan was a tool of the liars and cheats of the Bush Royal Court. At worst, McClellan was a liar among liars.
We will probably never know whether McClellan knowingly lied to the American people about these and other sundry topics over the past 2+ years. What is clear is that he is a weasel, an apologist, and colluded with the Bush Crime Family to help deflect real questions from being answered and real concerns from being addressed.
Also culpable in this is the American do-nothing media. For too long have they let Bush & co. off the hook for their High Crimes and Misdemeanors. It's nice to see the media finally taking Bush and his handlers to task, but it's a few years too late.
Personally, I think Scott has been lied to repeatedly by Rove et.al. He's had the worst job in the world for the last couple of years.
Let's say you are correct.
Let's say as the OFFICIAL SPOKESMAN of the White House, who supposedly speaks with the authority and backing of the President, was LIED to by his bosses.
Look to your own conscience, your own ethics, your own sense of self worth. If in the same position, made the SPOKESMAN for any group or company, you go in front of the press and repeat what you are told is the authorized TRUTH.
Then you find out you were USED, made a PATSY, and fed INCORRECT information. You sacrifice your credibility, and are made a FOOL. What do you DO, the very FIRST time this happens?
If you have any self respect at all, if you have a shred of humanity or pride -- YOU QUIT!
McClellan's SHAME is not that he was lied to. His SHAME is that he allowed himself to be made the ASS, and kept going back for MORE and MORE.
The first incident of official lying can be blamed on his masters. From then on, it was all SCOTTY. He knew what was being asked of him, and decided his soul was for sale.
He was just "following orders" so that means he's not accountable? Dude, he LIED FOR A LIVING. He's an enabler and a professional liar, period- he's responsible for HIS choices here.
Namely, STAYING employed by the Liars In Charge.
But you would think that at some point McClellan on his own would have realized that he was being lied to!
Perhaps he finally did and couldn't take it anymore? Or, he is being told to retire so that they can put a new face on their old lies before Scotty explodes!
My guess here: is that regardless of what the Bush regime does from here on out will only be seen as the lies and garbage it is!
I can't imagine there being new people at this point falling for their lies that havn't already (meaning: those that already believe, do....and those that don't....won't!)
And that the only consequence to this point is the people that still think these clowns are doing what they do (with them in mind) are slowly waking up to the stench of 5 1/2 years of Bush/Cheney lies and BS!!
Come November 2006........I guess we'll see!! (Unless ES&S, Diebold, and Sequoia have other plans?)
Being a PR man is one of the worst jobs to have, whether it's for the military, a corporation, or the government. You always spout the "party line", you are vilified by the press for not telling them the "truth", and the public considers you a "mouthpiece" without a thought or opinion of your own. Most PR people end up like The Mouth of Sauron...(figuratively) beheaded.
And in this case, Scottie got it in spades.
Hey, if I was in a job that required me to knowingly deflect questions with lies and non- answers, PARTICULARLY when my paycheck comes from the very people I'm lying to, I think I would have resigned years ago. I will tell you something that a lot of folks out there don't realize. Scott McClellan is the son of??? Anyone??? Carol Keeton Strayhorn, Comptroller of the State of Texas. She is now running against Rick Perry for the Governor's Post as an independent, mostly because the GOP will not desert Perry even though he's been a largely ineffective governor. Perry was W's Lt. Governor prior to the presidency, and - if I remember correctly - they also "served" in the National Guard together. Scott McClellan is where he is - just like W - because of family political ties. He took advantage of it, and if he goes down in history as the biggest lying sack of s**t in history, I have no sympathy for him. As for Roberts?? Jeez, dude, get a clue - they've been lying to the press for 5 years - NOTHING has changed except the face of those lies
Is this guy for real? I really don't know how to respond to this.
And maybe I just have my homer goggles on, but doesn't Scott McClennan, like most of the Bush administration, just look evil, twisted and underhanded? I wouldn't trust these people to watch my dog (see: Bush) let alone a country!
I first saw Roberts in Canada, on an MTV ripoff channel called "MuchMusic." Very popular with the girls. Then, overnight, he shows up on CBS News. For his intense truth-seeking? Or his regular features and straight teeth?
Roberts is a pathetic shill. Speaking of shills, Ari Fleischer criticized McClellan yesterday on CNN during an interview with Wolf Blitzer on The Situation Room, saying, in effect, that McClellan's declaratives on the Valerie Plame outting were McClellan's own mistake. According to Fleischer, (paraphrased) McClellan should never have said that Libby and Rove were innocent of leaking, but should have just reported directly to the press WHAT ROVE and LIBBY SAID. Fleischer was publicly reprimanding Scotty; stabbing Scotty in the back on his way out the door. And, of course, Blitzer never once asked Fleischer about his own role in the Plame outting.
I think the distinction Scottie was drawing was between “"officially declassified for the public" and "privately declassified for leaks to the media".
a mushroom. I doubt they (the Bush administration) let him in on anything -- as they need as untainted lie filter as they could get. And just like any air filter, he is now spent and discarded.
Scotty is a plump, sweaty sacrificial lamb… this is smokescreen to give the impression that Bush wants “reform,” but reform needs to start at the TOP! toss the bosses!
[link to blogdebogs.blogspot.com]
If you think about, McClellan truthfully articulated the President's stand on issues, the President and his minions are the liars. McClellan was just a piece of blubber with a voicebox that spewed those lies to the press! I have not seen a more soulless yet effective propoganda minister since Joseph Goebbels. I bet old Joe has a seat in Hell next to his with McClellan's name on it.