The question every press secretary hates....
In a very bizarre Press Briefing, where Dana Perino tried to dispute the characterization but refused to comment on the underlying facts of this morning's NYTimes story on the destruction of the interrogation tapes,
Followup?
Q And also, I have just one question, if you could clarify on -- you repeatedly keep saying the President has no recollection of the issue at hand. So does that mean that he could have heard about it beforehand, but it simply slipped his mind?
MS. PERINO: It means what it means, that he had no recollection.
Followup?
posted by mikevotes at
5:51 PM
10 Comments:
So he either irrelevant and is kept out of the loop by his own people, or he's in the loop but board and disinterested, or he has some sort of mental disorder.
I don't think there's any other option. Is there? Oh yeah, he's a lying sack of dung...
By
-epm, at 8:55 PM
Don't leave out the Reagan Iran Contra defense. I was involved in the conversations, but "I don't recall."
By
mikevotes, at 9:16 PM
Not defending the man but I think he's probably convinced himself it's OK to lie in the national interest. More like Nixon than Reagan.
By
Anonymous, at 9:52 PM
Oh, but see they're actually smarter than either. He's not lying. He put Perino's credibility out there a la Scott McClellan.
PS. I would find it hard to believe that Reagan didn't know about Iran Contra. I know GW Bush ran it, but still.....
By
mikevotes, at 10:03 PM
"I don't recall" falls under a mental disorder. Hes not being asked if he recalls what he had for an afternoon snack on March 5, 2005. This is serious political CYA political shi... stuff.
By
-epm, at 6:39 AM
Yup.Yes, you would think this type of discussion would be memorable.
But as long as those around him remain relatively loyal (and we're talking Gonzales, Miers, Addington,) it's pretty bulletproof.
By
mikevotes, at 7:10 AM
It's "bulletproof" to the extent that it allows you to continue stonewalling. It still makes you look like a weasel that has something to hide.
It's hard to believe that this was the Administration that was going to return honor and integrity to the White House after Clinton.
How far would Clinton have got by saying that he "didn't recall having sex with that woman"? Would people just have shrugged and said "it must not have happened, then"?
It's a lame and feeble tactic that does nothing except allowing the people who still believe in you to continue believing in you. There are not too many people who still believe in Bush. Sure, he can probably stall this until he's out of office, but it makes him look like a joke and the GOP has tied themselves to him in a suicide pact.
By
Todd Dugdale , at 9:04 AM
"How far would Clinton have got by saying ..."
Two words: Linda Tripp.
Two more words: blue dress
Four words: Vast right wing conspiracy. (While a rather dramatic phrase, I think it's accurate)
Bush doesn't have a tidal wave of powerful forces trying to dig up his dirt. Quite the opposite, he has a bulwark of powerful forces shielding his dirt.
Question: What happens if investigations are still going on on 01/21/09? With the President Pardon and Attorney General Do-nothing no longer around, what happens with the Miers', Gonzales', and the cadre of trolls and minions now in contempt of congress and/or shielded from prosecution?
By
-epm, at 10:11 AM
True, Todd. Repeating back what you said, True on all points.
If you're looking between obstruction and the end of the presidency, stalling works.
Besides, how much lower can his approval go? As you point out, The people who are still with him aren't going to change their minds for anything.
.
EPM, it gets dropped. No new president will start by pressing the past president. They'll sacrifice that to try and reach across the aisle to try and start their agenda.
Anything in real legal motion will continue, but if it's not already to the prosecutors or near completion under departmental IG's, it'll be left to die.
By
mikevotes, at 10:57 AM
I suppose you're right. Sadly, it seems that today's politicians make the Nixon era guy look like Boy Scouts of Constitutional fidelity.
By
-epm, at 7:55 PM
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