Sunday, May 29, 2005

Someone in the WH Press Corpse getting a mite uppity with Li'l Scottie.


Apparently, some of the press are not so willing to just bend over for Scottie any more:

Q Scott, on the security fence, does the President believe that it's being used for security reasons or for political reasons?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, the President said that it must be for security purposes, not for political --

Q What does he think --

MR. McCLELLAN: -- not as a political barrier, and that's what the President spelled out. And we've expressed those views to the Israeli government, as well, and we have discussions with them about that, as well, and I think you've seen them taking some steps to take into account the need for the Palestinian people to be able to move about more freely, as well. They've taken some steps to --

Q You're not answering the question. What does the President believe it's being used for?

MR. McCLELLAN: No, they've taken some steps to address that, and --

Q It was a very artful construction, to say if you're trying to impose a boundary, then that's wrong, that would be a political --

MR. McCLELLAN: No, I appreciate that, but we're consulting directly with the parties and working with them --

Q I said what does the President believe it's being used for?

MR. McCLELLAN: -- and we're making our views known directly with the parties. The President has said it publicly; he's said it in private, as well, and we'll continue to talk with the Israeli government about those issues as we move forward. And that's why --

Q You won't answer whether he thinks it's being used for political purposes, or --

MR. McCLELLAN: I think I would leave it where the President left it.

Q Which is nowhere. He just said -- Scott, I mean, he said it should be used for security reasons, not for political reasons, so I'm wondering what does he think it's being used for?

MR. McCLELLAN: David, we've got a real opportunity before us to move forward to the two-state vision --

Q He doesn't have an opinion on the fence?

MR. McCLELLAN: -- and as he made it clear, it needs to take into account the impact it has on Palestinians that are not engaged in terrorist activities. That's what he said in his remarks. And as we make progress, Israel needs to continue to take that into account.

Memo to Scottie: They can smell fear.

No comments: