McClellan Refuses To Answer Questions About Levee Funding

[Manix]

<snip>

From today’s White House briefing:

REPORTER: There’s a lot of discussion going on about the funding of projects prior to this, whether projects in New Orleans in particular were underfunded because of the Iraq war or for other reasons. Do you find any of this criticism legitimate? Do you think there is any second guessing to be done now about priorities given that New Orleans was sort of obvious to a lot of the experts?

MCCLELLAN: As I have indicated, this is not a time for politics. This is a time for the nation to come together for those in the Gulf Coast region and that’s where our focus is. This is not a time for finger-pointing or politics. And I think the last thing that the people who have been displaced or the people who have been affected need is people seeking partisan gain in Washington. So if that’s what you’re talking about, that’s one thing. Now, if you’re talking about specific areas, I would be glad to talk about some of those, if that’s what you want.



Think Progress

[Arkana]

1. Did McClellan's human mask slip again?

[Melodybe]

22. Not a time for Politics! Fucker, 9/11 was not a time for politics

but you raped it!

This disaster is the result of their pork barrel, cronyism, incompetance!

Assholes!

[demo dutch]

2. What an asshole!

[Karmadillo]

3. He's worried the People's Tribunal will use any admissions

against him.

[Tim4319]

4. That wasn't a political question!

The reporter was asking for some accountability. Wait, didn't president say he was going to restore that?????? Maybe I'm wrong!!!!!!!

[Festivito]

36. Correct. At least not until Scotty said it was political.

And, he continued that not only was it politically decided, it was politically decided wrongly.

Very interesting.

[Lindacooks]

5. Every time, EVERY DAMN TIME the chimp administration fails

at something and gets caught, they say to question is playing politics. Of COURSE it's politics, you fricking McClellan, that's what everything in this country is about! Which party is more human, which party will help people more, which party is destroying the country.

[jackstraw45]

6. FU, Scotty! It's NOT politics...It's YOUR POLICIES

IT's FACT!

Your boss CUT the funding.

Just ADMIT it!

Repeat after me: It's NOT politics, it's Bush POLICY!

[cthrumatrix]

7. it's not a time for "responsibility".... it's a time for drama and death

[muwriter]

8. Good, media is bringing it up

[DBoon]

9. He represents a politician

what's the problem with asking a political question?

It's like a mathematician refusing to answer a mathematical question.

[Canuckistanian]

10. Not a time for politics?

Is he joking??? It's always time for politics in the * WH....

[lectrobyte]

26. That's probably their worst failing... Every damn thing is politics

with them, be it CIA intel or whatever...

[Judi Lynn]

11. That's getting to be a standard response with Puffy McMoonface.

It's not the first time, by golly, we've heard it, and apparently not going to be the last.

He used it so very recently. Maybe someone can remember the context.

They don't seem to care we know what they're doing, either.

[stopbush]

12. He just admitted that diverting the levee funds to Iraq was a political

act.

"This is not a time for politics." Translation: so we won't be discussing things that were done for political reasons.

[nolabels]

24. Bingo

Bushco and the twisted the lies into the stratosphere.

[GreenPartyVoter]

13. Rat bastard

[SteppingRazor]

14. Translation:

MCCLELLAN: As I have indicated, this is not a time for me to answer potentially damaging questions. This is a time for the nation to come together and not question what the administration does.

[SoCalDem]

15. Scotty Mc N.I.N.T.T.

Now is not the time.. that's his stock answer to anything "difficult. or.. now is not the time for partisanship..

anytime they pull a bonehead stunt THEY get to decide when and where it will be discussed..

[tabasco]

16. This is exactly the time for finger-pointing!

It's called TRYING TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN YOU FUCKING CRIMINALS!

They are trying to wriggle off the hook already because they know they fucked up big time !

[KamaAina]

17. Two words: criminal negligence.

Whoever cut the budget for maintaining those levees has the blood of perhaps thousands of New Orleanians on his hands. And no amount of makeup is going to be able to cover it at his next press conference... :grr: :banghead:

[Supersedeas]

18. There is never a time for 'accountability' for these criminals

Accountability--now is not the time to discuss accountability

[Mojambo]

19. It's an ongoing disaster and they don't comment on ongoing disasters

They'll be glad to comment on this after it's over and everyone is back watching American Idol again.

[frylock]

20. pretty much an admission of guilt..

shithead said just about the same thing re: not a time for politics. They're fucked and they know it. My question: where are the goddamned Dems? They need to jump all over this. This is not another time for the nation to come together. This is the time to kick these motherfuckers straight upside the head.

[girl gone mad]

21. He was stuttering during that press conference.

Using the same key phrases they always use.. "we appreciate," "we understand."

[Crankie Avalon]

23. It's "politics" ANYTIME any of the American people seek to hold..

...this administration accountable for its own actions, and/or its lack of action.

[AlCzervik]

25. I saw it live and he kept saying over and over again----

"Now isn't the time for finger pointing" I felt like screaming.

[Carolab]

27. It's called RESPONSIBILITY, Scotty. WHO DID THIS?

Who caused this problem? That's the question!

Because whoever DID cause this problem has the responsibility to fix it now!

GET IT?

[Triana]

28. Quick Rover! Distract! Divert! Lie! Deflect!

Got that routine down, doesn't he?

[ima_sinnic]

29. it's only "not a time for politics" when they f**k up

if they ever did anything right, they wouldn't hesitate to try to make the repulsivans out to be the good guys. but somehow they never quite can do that, so it's always "not a time for politics."

CAN ANYBODY NAME ONE THING THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS DONE THAT HAS BENEFITTED THE PEOPLE?

the only thing I can think of is the Do Not Call List. And that was probably just a scam to get our names and phone numbers on some other lists to be exploited.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

30. Hey, Scotty, why don't you discuss when Herr Busch is going to resign?

[Burried News]

31. Scotty - remember hurricane Ivan. Pensacola does.

Your watch your responsibility. Resign.

[Johonny]

32. just once

I'd like the reporters to remind these ppl that they are IN POLITICS! POLITICS IS YOUR JOB! It's a political press conference. If that's not time for politics what is? WTF did he think the press was going to ask him question on his bowling skill. The up coming USC game?

[Joe Chi Minh]

33. Wow! Do I smell a hint of integrity? Maybe even implicit shame?

He's not trying to argue black's white and white's black? That must be a first for a cornered neocon.

[Nightjock]

34. Where was the followup question?

He replied, "Now, if you’re talking about specific areas, I would be glad to talk about some of those, if that’s what you want."

I did not see the press conferance. Did any of those idiots give him the specifics of the funds cut?!

Does anyone know? If so, did he blow it off again?

[Nothing Without Hope]

35. Going into the Bush-letting-them-die file. Was li'l Scottie allowed to

get away with this?

[slay]

37. Typical Republican bullshit - avoid the question altogether

Wake up America - we don't have to take this crap. We have to demand answers from these evil bastards. :mad:

[texpatriot2004]

38. So, "politics" is when you look to your government, that's the

people currently in power, to answer questions, even hard questions about their own policies, own behavior, own decs ions (or the lack thereof)? Hmm. Politics? I thought "Politicians" were people who governed some other people. I thought that "Politic ans" (at least those in America) worked for the people of America...ALL THE PEOPLE (even the poor people). Gee, all this time, all those classes in school where they taught this concept to me. Hmm. Go figure? "Politics" that's what this administration says we are playing when we want answers from them about their (OBVIOUS) failures. I wonder why they won't answer our questions? Straight up!

[Tsiyu]

39. Nice try, Scotty

It IS political now.

You people can't wipe your own asses, let alone maintain a nation or two or three, or however many you have designs on destroying.

Let me get this straight. We spent a fucking crapload of money to "protect the Homeland" and now that the Homeland is threatened and thousands die, you can't give us an explanation?

Who was that money spent to protect? People from Mars?

WE ARE NOT SAFER, SCOTTY!!!!!!!!!!!WHY NOT??????????????????????

[oasis]

41. Scotty scum. (eom)

[dxstone]

40. Just doin' his job, right?...

[texpatriot2004]

42. kick n/t