Helen Thomas and Ari Fleischer, 3 yrs ago today

[Cocoa]

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030305-7.html

<snip>

Q Ari, since there is an atmosphere of the imminence of war in this White House, and since we have no direct access to the President, will you state for the record, for the historical record, why he wants to bomb Iraqi people?

MR. FLEISCHER: Helen, I dispute the premise of your question, first of all. There's regular -- there's regular access to the President. The President is asked questions all the time. And when the President --

Q He hasn't had a press conference for months.

MR. FLEISCHER: And when 14 of your colleagues spend 36 minutes asking scores of questions to the President just two days ago --

Q Well, that's not a news conference.

MR. FLEISCHER: -- they asked the President a similar question, although they phrased it a little differently than you did. They asked the President why does he feel so strongly about the need to use force, if it comes to that, to disarm Saddam Hussein. And the answer from the President was that, given the fact that the world changed on September 11th, the threat to the American people was brought immediately to our home and to our shores and to our families, the President thinks it is in the interest of peace to make certain that Saddam Hussein does not have weapons of mass destruction which he can use against us, either by transferring them to terrorists or using them himself.

Q There is no imminent threat.

MR. FLEISCHER: This is where -- Helen, if you were President you might view things differently. But you have your judgment and the President has others.

Q Why doesn't he prove it? Why don't you lay it out? When have they threatened in the last 12 years?

MR. FLEISCHER: They have attacked their neighbors. They have gassed their own people.

Q Twelve years ago.

MR. FLEISCHER: They have launched attacks.

Q With our support.

MR. FLEISCHER: And September 11th showed the United States is vulnerable to those who would attack us. And one of the best ways to protect the homeland is to go after the threats abroad.

Q You haven't linked terrorism to Saddam Hussein, in terms of 9/11.

[Sydnie]

1. Thank you for that Cocoa

Glad to see they haven't scrubbed all of this yet

[BattyDem]

2. When we get the WH back ...

I think they should officially name the WH press room "The Helen Thomas Room" because she is the ONLY WH Press Corps journalist to consistently stand up to BushCo during this dark time in our history. Of course, she should also return to the front row. When she leaves this world (and I hope she stays with us for a long, long time), they should bronze her front row chair and leave it empty as a show of respect and gratitude. :-)

I know ... it sounds a bit over the top, but I will always be grateful to her for never being intimidated by them and for never backing down from asking the questions that needed to be asked. :patriot:

[Kansas Wyatt]

4. If and when the Democrats get back in the White House

They need to uncover everything BushCo has buried and correct the record on everything they have manipulated. If a new Attorney General has to go back and prosecute guilty actions that have been kept covered up, so be it. No more friendly free passes to 'get away with it,' and looking over past business with a blind eye.

If that does not happen, 'We The People' do not matter to the Federal Government anymore and we will be doomed to repeat all of the corruption and illegal acts by a corrupt POTUS all over again or worse.

[Loge23]

3. This could be repeated tomorrow

With Helen banging heads with the idiot WH spokesperson about Bolton's sabre-rattling today.

[BattyDem]

5. But it will be much more entertaining because ...

Ari was a little better at the game than Scotty is. :evilgrin:

[Loge23]

6. Yes, you are right!

...and I love your idea for the briefing room!

[0007]

7. I remember that dialog perfectly clear......like it was yesterday.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

8. I guess she didn't get the "watch what you say/watch what you do" memo.