Is Scotty on vacation too? Yesterdays was Duffy-Cindy questions

[uppityperson]

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/08/20050808-8.html

MR. DUFFY: That's what I have for you. Anything else?

Q Is the President going to meet with the mother who lost a son in Iraq, that's been camped out in front of his ranch?

MR. DUFFY: The President has met with Ms. Sheehan last summer, and as we've said, the National Security Advisor, as well as the Deputy Chief of Staff met with her and other mothers for 45 minutes.

Q On North Korea, how disappointed is the President about the fact that they had to go into a three-week recess with no agreements made?

MR. DUFFY: We have made important progress in this round of talks. There is agreement among the five nations, a consensus that we need a denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The break in the talks was prompted by the Chinese government, which gives the nations an opportunity to return to their capitals and talk about next steps. We anticipate a reconvening of the talks on August 29th,* so we believe there has been important progress and we're still optimistic that some agreement can be reached.

Q Why won't the President meet with her? I mean, she's camped outside -- I mean, is he at all worried that he's got this mother, someone who lost a kid in Iraq, she's camped out in front of the ranch, both -- I mean, from a PR side of things, but also the substantive -- listening to her -- I mean, why won't he meet with her?

MR. DUFFY: The President did meet with her in June of 2004; he's met with hundreds of families of the fallen. They are private meetings. And he was glad to meet with her at that time. We always mourn the loss of every life. And as I said, he's met with hundreds of families of the fallen.

Can we go back to the NTSB thing? Did they request that or is that something that we offered? Do you know how that came about?

MR. DUFFY: Let me see what I have on that.

Q Because that would indicate maybe that there is some suspicion there about that.

MR. DUFFY: I have what I have.

Q Trent, on Ms. Sheehan, what was the White House's message to her in the meeting with her over the weekend?

MR. DUFFY: As I said and reported, that Mr. Hagin and Mr. Hadley listened to her concerns.

Q Did they -- what was their response to her? I mean, did they welcome her concerns, did they --

MR. DUFFY: It was a private meeting. As I said on the wire call, she suggested and expressed on more than three occasions that she was very appreciative for them coming out.

[Greeby]

1. Hopefully a permanent vacation

If we're going to be lied to, can't they get somebody to do it with style?