White House Briefing: McClellan Battles Reporters Over Bush Backing DeLay

NEW YORK You could see these questions coming a mile away. After months of refusing to comment on the Plame/CIA probe, and the indictment of Lewis "Scooter" Libby -- saying he did not want to "prejudge" an "ongoing investigation" -- President Bush on Wednesday night unabashedly told Fox News' Brit Hume that he believed Rep. Tom DeLay was not guilty of charges against him.

This sparked a storm of questioning at the daily briefing on Thursday by White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan, with NBCs David Gregory leading the way, accusing the administration of being "hypocritical” and "inconsistent" on this matter, "ad nauseum."

McClellan fired back, denying the charge and suggesting that the newsman was getting "all dramatic about it."

The relevant part of the transcript at the link:
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001699441

Funny as hell, I bet Scotty lost about 20 lbs tap dancing with this one. Just in time for the holidays!

They are always throwing him under the bus, arent they?

If he doesn't like it he can resign. But the fact that he hasn't just proves he will take whatever crap the WH tells him to report. The daily briefing has become one of the best comedy series on TV.

I am sad, though about E&P's "ad nauseum" mistake.

Ad nauseam. Accusative case.

Now, back to the important stuff.

They more than met expectations.

I'm grateful that they took that ball and ran with it. It really is a crack in the armor. Now: tear the WH wide open.

As an American who still relies on the press (for better or worse) I say, "thanks to all."

is forced to defend on a daily basis makes the Lockhart/blowjob stuff seem almost easy by comparison.

Quack! Quack!

The press are silly geese making pointless noise? The press got the WH squawking?

What? Thanks in advance for your reply. :-)

but then Scott is good at bending over for this WH.

"...Go ahead, Paula.

Q I do have a question about White House ethics guidelines --

MR. McCLELLAN: I think the American people understand.

Q No, they don't. And the only thing that's dramatic is the inconsistency of the policy and you trying to defend it. ..."

something was when he said W was nothing but "oilfield trash"

Do you have any juicy details?

I see George more as East Coast trust-fund trash. But he's pretty Democratic when it comes to the styles and levels of trashiness he achieves.

and as a somewhat pro-choice repub, the horrors!