Out of My Mind

Of course, he's apparently being replaced by an even bigger lying sack of crap (or this wanker), but still, a couple of tributes in his... well, not honor, just a commemoration of the occasion.

From Salon:

The questions McClellan never answered

White House press secretary Scott McClellan is on his way out the door, but there are more than a few questions we'd still like to ask him. Among them:

1. On Sept. 29, 2003, you said that "the president knows" that Karl Rove wasn't involved in leaking the identity of Valerie Plame. When you were asked how Bush "knew," you said: "I'm not going to get into conversations that the president has with advisors or staff or anything of that nature; that's not my practice." We subsequently learned that Rove had leaked Plame's identity to both Robert Novak and Matthew Cooper. What was your basis for saying that the president knew that Rove wasn't involved? Did the president ever ask Rove about his involvement? Did Rove lie to the president about his involvement? Did the president lie to you? Or did you lie to the American public?

2. On Oct. 10, 2003, you said that you had spoken with Rove and Scooter Libby about the Plame leak, and you said that they had "assured" you that "they were not involved in this." As it turns out, both men were deeply involved. Had both men lied to you about their involvement, or did you lie to the American public? If they lied to you, when did you first learn the truth? And if you lied to the American people -- and, as a result, helped keep alive a false account of history up to and through the 2004 presidential election -- do you owe the public an apology now?

3. On Oct. 31, 2005, a reporter began a question by saying, "We know that Karl Rove, based on what he and his lawyer have said, did have a conversation about somebody who Patrick Fitzgerald said was a covert officer of the Central Intelligence Agency. We know that Scooter Libby also had conversations." A videotape of the press conference shows you interjecting and saying, "That's accurate." But in the White House transcript of the press briefing, you're quoted as saying, "I don't think that's accurate." Why were your words altered in the transcript? Who made the decision to ask the Federal News Service and Congressional Quarterly to change their transcripts? Did you support that decision? Did you really think it would work?

4. On July 18, 2003, you said that portions of the National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq had been "officially declassified today." But after Patrick Fitzgerald revealed that Scooter Libby has testified that the president, through the vice president, authorized him to leak portions of the NIE prior to Libby's July 8, 2003, meeting with Judy Miller, you refused to say when the NIE was actually declassified, claiming that doing so would involve commenting on an "ongoing legal proceeding." Did the president declassify the NIE before he authorized Libby to leak it, or did the president authorize the leak of information that was still classified at the time? And while we're on this subject, what ever happened to your Oct. 6, 2003, claim that anyone "responsible for the leaking of classified information" would "no longer work in this administration"?

5. On April 12, 2006, and April 13, 2006, you dodged questions about whether Bush knew, when he was asserting unequivocally that the United States had discovered mobile weapons labs in Iraq, that a team of experts dispatched by the Defense Intelligence Agency had already concluded that the trailers in question weren't labs at all. The vice president had made similar claims about the labs-that-weren't, and you dodged questions about those, too. What did the president know about the trailers, and when did he know it? What did the vice president know, and when did he know it?

-- Tim Grieve

The Wall Street Journal:

McClellan's Greatest Hits
April 19, 2006 11:23 p.m.

Since taking the job as White House spokesman in the summer of 2003, Scott McClellan has dealt with some major news events, including Hurricane Katrina and the leak of the identity of a CIA officer. Below are some more memorable exchanges with the press.

* * *

Comments to the press about the war in Iraq

Sept. 2, 2003

Q: [W]ere you able to chase down the motivation for the policy in the Washington Post report this morning on the refusal to issue numbers of troops wounded unless there are troops killed in Iraq?

McClellan: Well, I think that that's an issue that you need to talk to the Department of Defense about, about what their policy is, what it has been, what it is and what it will be moving forward.

Q: While that may be a Pentagon policy in your view, from an administration standpoint, doesn't this appear to downplay the sacrifice made by people who are wounded over there?

McClellan: Well, a couple of things. One, I think that you are seeing the outstanding job that our medical forces are doing to save lives in Iraq. That's important. Our troops continue to make sacrifices in this important effort that is under way in Iraq, and we appreciate the sacrifices that are being made. It's for an important cause; it's for making the world a safer place; it's for bringing about peace and security in the Middle East; and it's about bringing about a free and democratic Iraq.

Nov. 3, 2003 -- The Monday after the deaths of 17 U.S. soldiers on a single day

Q: Will we hear from the President today about the attack in Iraq?

McClellan: He often talks about -- again, he often talks about Iraq, and … he tends to talk in about every speech about how we mourn the loss the life and the sacrifices that our troops are making.

Q: But he's not going to hold a --

McClellan: In many speeches, he --

Q: But he's not going to say, the 15 -- the 16 lives that were lost --

McClellan: Again, I think it's important to remember that there are a number of our men and women in the military who are serving and sacrificing. And we mourn the loss of every one who has fallen in the cause of defending freedom and making the world a better and safer place.

Aug. 19, 2004 -- On a standoff in Najaf, Iraq, with militant Islamic cleric Moqtada al Sadr

Q: Does the administration think this is just the latest game of chicken, so to speak, or do you think that this is a very serious situation right there now, and that a blood bath is possible?

McClellan: This is a serious security problem that the Iraqi government is working to address. And they are taking a very firm and tough stand with Sadr and his militia. And they've made very clear what their demands are, and what he needs to do. And we've seen a lot of comments coming out of his spokespeople. We need to see action by him to follow through on those demands.

* * *

Comments at media briefings when asked by reporters about whether Rove was involved in the leak of a CIA officer's identity.

Sept. 29, 2003

Q: You said this morning, quote, "The president knows that Karl Rove wasn't involved." How does he know that?

McClellan: Well, I've made it very clear that it was a ridiculous suggestion in the first place. .. I've said that it's not true. .. And I have spoken with Karl Rove.

Q: When you talked to Mr. Rove, did you discuss, "Did you ever have this information?"

McClellan: I've made it very clear, he was not involved, that there's no truth to the suggestion that he was.

Oct. 7, 2003

Q: You have said that you personally went to Scooter Libby (Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff), Karl Rove and Elliott Abrams (National Security Council official) to ask them if they were the leakers. Is that what happened? Why did you do that? And can you describe the conversations you had with them? What was the question you asked?

McClellan: Unfortunately, in Washington, D.C., at a time like this there are a lot of rumors and innuendo. There are unsubstantiated accusations that are made. And that's exactly what happened in the case of these three individuals. They are good individuals. They are important members of our White House team. And that's why I spoke with them, so that I could come back to you and say that they were not involved. I had no doubt with that in the beginning, but I like to check my information to make sure it's accurate before I report back to you, and that's exactly what I did.

Oct. 10, 2003

Q: Earlier this week you told us that neither Karl Rove, Elliot Abrams nor Lewis Libby disclosed any classified information with regard to the leak. I wondered if you could tell us more specifically whether any of them told any reporter that Valerie Plame worked for the CIA?

McClellan: I spoke with those individuals, as I pointed out, and those individuals assured me they were not involved in this. And that's where it stands.

Q: So none of them told any reporter that Valerie Plame worked for the CIA?

McClellan: They assured me that they were not involved in this.

Q: They were not involved in what?

McClellan: The leaking of classified information.

July 11, 2005

Q: Do you want to retract your statement that Rove, Karl Rove, was not involved in the Valerie Plame expose?

McClellan: I appreciate the question. This is an ongoing investigation at this point. The president directed the White House to cooperate fully with the investigation, and as part of cooperating fully with the investigation, that means we're not going to be commenting on it while it is ongoing.

* * *

Comments at media briefings in the days after Hurricane Katrina

Sept. 1, 2005

Q: People on the ground, though, Scott, are questioning why it's taken three days or more for federal help to arrive, notwithstanding all of the preparations. There's considerable bitterness in some places. We had one woman ask on camera last night, where's the cavalry? And then there's been editorial criticism across the country of the President for not acting sooner, or not coming back sooner. What do you say to all that?

McClellan: I can understand how frustrated people are in the region who have been affected by this. There are some immediate priorities that we must remain focused on. First and foremost, that is saving lives. And second, right along with that, is sustaining lives. That's why the federal government is working in close partnership with state and local authorities. This is a massive undertaking by the federal government. It is unprecedented. We continue -- remember, we pre-positioned assets in the region prior to the storm hitting. You have more than 50 disaster medical assistance teams in the region. You have some 28-plus search and rescue teams deployed in the region. … [I]f you look at what the Department of Transportation, for instance, has done, they have moved I think approximately 1,000 truckloads containing more than -- nearly 7 million Meals Ready to Eat to the region. They have moved millions of gallons of water, 15,000-plus tarps, 10,000-plus rolls of plastic sheeting, 3.4 million pounds of ice that they have helped to transport to those who are in need of those supplies.

Sept. 6, 2005

Q: Scott, the reality at hand right now is that the president said that we still live in an unsettled world. This is an administration that has told us since 9/11 that it's not a matter of "if," but "when" that we could be struck by a terror attack and, obviously, other disasters that are the result of Mother Nature. So at this point, where is the accountability? Is the president prepared to say where this White House, where this administration, went wrong in its response to Katrina?

McClellan: You know, David, there are some that are interested in playing the blame game. The president is interested in solving problems and getting help to the people who need it. There will be a time --

Q: Wait a minute. Is it a blame game when the president, himself, says that we remain at risk for either another catastrophe of this dimension, that's not manmade, or a terrorist attack? Isn't it incumbent upon this administration to immediately have accountability to find out what went wrong, when at any time this could happen again?

McClellan: This is a massive federal response effort that we have under way. We've got to stay focused on helping those who are in need right now and help them rebuild their lives and get back up on their feet. It's a time of many challenges, enormous challenges. We've got to stay focused on the task at hand. That is what the president is doing.

Now, in terms of addressing threats, we've made a lot of progress since the attacks of Sept 11. And one of the most important things we're doing is staying on the offensive abroad. There are important priorities that we have to continue to address and we are working to address those priorities, too. But we have a major disaster that has occurred over a 90,000 square mile [sic] here in the United States. There are people --

Q: Right. And there are people who want to know why this government couldn't respond --

McClellan: Hang on. There are people who are suffering, and we've got to respond to their needs, and that's what we're going to keep our focus.

Q: So no one is prepared to say what went wrong?

McClellan: We will look back at the facts and we will get to the bottom of the facts and determine what went wrong and what went right. But right now --

Q: Will the president support an outside investigation, or does he want to do it himself?

McClellan: -- but, David, right now, we've got to continue helping the people in the region.

Sept. 7, 2005

Q: Scott, in the conversations that the president had with Gov. Blanco, was there any moment where Gov. Blanco had asked, prior to the storm hitting, that they begin to dispatch either National Guard troops or federal troops in New Orleans?

McClellan: If you go back to that time period, we were in close contact with governors and local officials. And if you recall, that the request for -- and the disaster declaration is issued by the president, but it comes at the request of the state. And that's why we were consulting closely, and I think we mentioned this at the time, with the governors. And Gov. Blanco got a request into us ahead of time so that we could issue that disaster declaration.

Now, in terms of the National Guard troops, I think that General Blum and the military have talked about how things were pre-positioned in the region, and I would leave it to them to describe the deployment of military troops and the requests that were made. I think they've been briefing on that the last couple of days and --

Q: My question, though, I think was, did Gov. Blanco ask the president for the dispatch --

McClellan: I'm not aware of that, David, and I don't want to try to get into going back through every single detail of this. I mean, we're going to look at all this. Right now we're trying to stay focused on what's ahead, not what's passed, because we need --

* * *

Comments at media briefings in the days after Vice President Cheney shot a friend, Harry Whittington, while hunting quail in Texas

Feb. 13, 2006

Q: [A]s the Press Secretary, are you satisfied with the way this was handled?

McClellan: Well, I know that the Vice President's Office was working to pull together information and make sure that information got out. And the Vice President felt that Mrs. Armstrong should be the first one to go out there and provide that information to the public, which she did -- and she reached out early Sunday morning to do so.

Q: And you're satisfied with the way --

McClellan: You can always look back at these issues and look at how to do a better job.

…

Q: [H]as he taken a hunting safety course in Texas?

McClellan: I'd check with his office. I don't have those facts, Mike. I haven't checked into that.

Q: Will the Vice President be available soon to answer all questions, himself, about the incident?

McClellan: think you ought to direct questions like that to his office. He has a press office you can direct questions to. ...

Q: You've repeatedly said that the Vice President's Office will share this information with us. Will you tell us -- will you now ask them to share this information with us, because they're not.

McClellan: Share what information?

Q: Details of what happened during the shooting and more information about --

McClellan: Well, Mrs. Armstrong provided that information. She was the eyewitness to what took place.

Q: Can we get someone from his office in here to answer --

Q: Why can't we get someone from his office to answer some questions?

Q: Or get him?

McClellan: Well, talk to his office. I think they have provided a response to the questions.

…

McClellan: They contacted the local -- Mrs. Armstrong contacted the local paper early Sunday morning.

Q: Scott, that's not the answer to the question. Come on. You're totally ducking and weaving here.

McClellan: No, I'm not.

Q: You are, Scott. We don't --

McClellan: I'm telling you what the Vice President's Office --

Q: We don't care if some ranch owner calls a local paper.

McClellan: Hold on. Cameras aren't on right now. You can do this later.

Q: You know what, Scott? You may think that's cute and funny, but you're not answering the question, and that's a dodge. And don't accuse me of trying to pose for the cameras. Don't be a jerk to me, personally. When I'm asking you a serious question, you should give us a serious answer --

McClellan: You don't have to yell.

Q: -- instead of jerking us around.

McClellan: You don't have to yell.

Q: I will yell. If you want to use that podium and try to take shots at me personally, which I don't appreciate, then I will raise my voice, because that's wrong.

McClellan: Calm down, David.

Q: So answer the question.

McClellan: Calm down.

Q: I'll calm down when I feel like calming down. You answer the question.

McClellan: I have answered the question, and I'm sorry you're getting all riled up about it.

Q: I am riled up because you're not answering the question....

* * *

Comments to the press about his tenure in the job

March 15, 2006

Q: Scott, at the risk of making you even more tired, I'm wondering --

McClellan: I'm not tired, Jim. You might be --

Q: Well, after this question you may be. The calls from the current senators, and even former senators, from what we understand, to change the staffing, expand it, if not swap out, is there anything to it? Are any staff changes at the White House imminent?

McClellan: Jim, let me speak very clearly to this. This is part of the inside Washington babble that goes on in this town. It's part of the parlor game. We are focused on the priorities that the American people care most about and getting things done. We are focused on helping the President advance his agenda, to make America safer and more prosperous. There are a lot of important priorities we're working to advance, and we're working to advance, and we're working to build upon a record of great accomplishment. And that's where our focus is.

April 17, 2006

Q: Scott, you're one of those visible members of the President's senior staff. Do you plan to stay on?

McClellan: Are you trying to tempt me here?

Q: Not at all.

McClellan: Look, I never speculate about personnel matters.

Q: "Personnel" or "personal" or both?

McClellan: Two years in this position is a long time, I'm very mindful of that. But, look, I never get into any of that speculation.

Source: the White House, Associated Press, the New Republic

God, they're all so disgusting in their ceaseless lying....