David Gregory Goes Bananas
NBC's David Gregory goes a little nuts on Scott McClellan over the "Cheney cover-up" thing:
Video of other members of the press freaking out here.
Sounds to me like McClellan wanted to answer the question once the cameras were on.
Here are the facts:
The Vice President was on a personal trip. There was no traveling press corps with him and this happened on a weekend. Over the night the Vice President's media people collected facts and then authorized the ranch-owner, being an eye-witness, to go ahead and talk to the media about the incident as the Vice President's office stood ready to answer questions.
The people who are trying to turn this into some colossal scandal, both in the media and on the left, are really making themselves look like a bunch of partisan, scandal-hungry idiots.
Why was the White House relying on a Texas rancher to get the word of Cheney's hunting accident out over the weekend, asked Gregory, accusing McClellan of "ducking and weaving.''
"David, hold on… the cameras aren't on right now,'' McClellan replied. "You can do this later.''
"Don't accuse me of trying to pose to the cameras,'' the newsman said, his voice rising somewhat. "Don’t be a jerk to me personally when I’m asking you a serious question.''
"You don't have to yell,'' McClellan said.
"
I will yell,'' said Gregory, pointing a finger at McClellan at his dais. "If you want to use that podium to try to take shots at me personally, which I don’t appreciate, then I will raise my voice, because that’s wrong."
"Calm down, Dave, calm down,'' said McClellan, remaining calm throughout the exchange.
"I'll calm down when I feel like calming down,'' Gregory said. "You answer the question.'
"I have answered the question,'' said McClellan, who had maintained that the vice president's office was in charge of getting the information out and worked with the ranch owner to do that. "I'm sorry you're getting all riled up about.''
"I am riled up,'' Gregory said, "because you’re not answering the question,''
McClellan insisted he understood that reporters deserve an answer.
"I think you have legitimate questions to ask,'' the press secretary said. "The vice president’s office was the one that took the lead to get this information out… I don’t know what else to tell you... That's my answer.''
Video of other members of the press freaking out here.
Sounds to me like McClellan wanted to answer the question once the cameras were on.
Here are the facts:
The Vice President was on a personal trip. There was no traveling press corps with him and this happened on a weekend. Over the night the Vice President's media people collected facts and then authorized the ranch-owner, being an eye-witness, to go ahead and talk to the media about the incident as the Vice President's office stood ready to answer questions.
The people who are trying to turn this into some colossal scandal, both in the media and on the left, are really making themselves look like a bunch of partisan, scandal-hungry idiots.
