Back in September, NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams said a long period of reticence by news organizations - which he dubbed "the 9/11 syndrome" - ended with Hurricane Katrina.
Maybe he was right. Because it seems like the White House press corps has gotten more feisty lately.
The most recent example of this came on Wednesday, when the press corps asked Press Secretary Scott McClellan why it was okay for President Bush to comment on Travis County (TX) District Attorney Ronnie Earle's ongoing investigation into alleged wrongdoing by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX), but not about Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's ongoing investigation into the leaking of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity.
Rather than simply accept empty Bush Administration spin, the press corps pressed McClellan and stated the obvious. They had caught the administration in a dreaded "flip-flop," and they weren't going to accept McClellan's lame defense.
From the press briefing:
Q Scott, the president told Brit Hume that he thought that Tom DeLay is not guilty, even though the prosecution is obviously ongoing. What does the president feel about Scooter Libby? Does he feel that Mr. Libby --
McCLELLAN: A couple of things. First of all, the president was asked a question and he responded to that question in the interview yesterday, and made very clear what his views were. We don't typically tend to get into discussing legal matters of that nature, but in this instance, the president chose to respond to it. Our policy regarding the Fitzgerald investigation and ongoing legal proceeding is well-known and it remains unchanged. And so I'm just not going to have anything further to say. But we've had a policy in place for a long time regarding the Fitzgerald investigation.
Q Why would that not apply to the same type of prosecution involving Congressman DeLay?
McCLELLAN: I just told you we had a policy in place regarding this investigation, and you've heard me say before that we're not going to talk about it further while it's ongoing.
Q Well, if it's prejudging the Fitzgerald investigation, isn't it prejudging the Texas investigation with regard to Congressman DeLay?
McCLELLAN: Again, I think I've answered your question.
Q Are you saying the policy doesn't apply?
Article comments
1 - Dave Nalle
Out of curiosity, who was asking this question?
And McClellan could certainly have answered this much more clearly and definitively. All he needed to say is that the Delay investigation does NOT involve the White House unlike the Plame investigation and therefore it is acceptable to comment on it where it would not be appropriate to comment on an investigation which the White House is involved in.
The guy is supposed to be a press secretary. Why can't he come up with a simple and effective answer like that?
Dave
2 - Matthew T. Sussman
Poor Scottie. Nobody has to do more with less except for Billy Beane.
Dave N., the reporter's first name, according to the White House website, is "David." Now isn't that convenient?
3 - david r. mark
I would assume that's David Gregory.