White House: 'We're not negotiating'

[sabra]

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/news_theswamp/2007/03/white_house_wer.html

White House: 'We're not negotiating'

The phone lines are open at the White House, they insist, on this question of advisers to the president appearing before Congress in the investigation of the firings of several federal prosecutors.

But it's not clear what they'll be able to talk about, with the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman threatening subpeonas for Bush adviser Karl Rove and others in the White House if the president does not allow them to testify in public, under oath, and the White House insisting that it has made it's last best offer in proposing that Rove and company be interviewed in private, sans oath, sans transcript.

"Our position has been, we have a position, that's it,'' Tony Snow, the White House spokesman, said today. "I think what we're looking for is a yes to the president's position… We're not negotiating.''

...

"We are confident that our way… does involve a significant compromise on our part,'' Snow said of the White House's apparently unalterable offer to let Rove and others speak confidentially about communications between the White House and people outside. "All of the facts they need are going to be available to them.''

This led CBS News' Bill Plante to conclude today that the White House offer of open phone lines on the matter amounts to this: ""If they want to cave, they can just call.''

Snow had no comment.

[liberal N proud]

1. These monsters think they are above all laws including ROVE!

I truly believe that bu$h would be thrown to the wolves before Rove would pay the price for his involvement in all his crimes.

Rove is the key to the regime and they will do what ever it takes to protect his skin.

[saltpoint]

2. It makes them look still worse. Bush's approval numbers are already low.

This reinforces the idea that he's a petulant little puke who can never admit mistakes.

It will buy them a little time. But it loses them serious ground.

[emulatorloo]

3. Not testify under oath? Sorry, average person will not have any patience with this.

Only their deranged base believes that Karl Rove and Harriet Miers should be above the law.