ONGOING BS

ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS will not be commented on by the White House as policy.  So they say about the Valerie Plame investigation, but not in the case of Tom Delay. The time is past for simply “reporting” what the clown says. What a joke the White House Press Briefing offered today.

Q Scott, the President told Brit Hume that he thought that Tom DeLay is not guilty, even though the prosecution is obviously ongoing. What does the President feel about Scooter Libby? Does he feel that Mr. Libby --
MR. McCLELLAN: A couple of things. First of all, the President was asked a question and he responded to that question in the interview yesterday, and made very clear what his views were. We don't typically tend to get into discussing legal matters of that nature, but in this instance, the President chose to respond to it. Our policy regarding the Fitzgerald investigation and ongoing legal proceeding is well-known and it remains unchanged. And so I'm just not going to have anything further to say. But we've had a policy in place for a long time regarding the Fitzgerald investigation.
Q Why would that not apply to the same type of prosecution involving Congressman DeLay?
MR. McCLELLAN: I just told you we had a policy in place regarding this investigation, and you've heard me say before that we're not going to talk about it further while it's ongoing.
Q Well, if it's prejudging the Fitzgerald investigation, isn't it prejudging the Texas investigation with regard to Congressman DeLay?
MR. McCLELLAN: Again, I think I've answered your question.
Q Are you saying the policy doesn't apply?
Q Can I follow up on that? Is the President at all concerned that his opinion on this being expressed publicly could influence a potential jury pool, could influence public opinion on this in an improper way?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think that in this instance he was just responding to a question that was asked about Congressman DeLay, about Leader DeLay, and in terms of the issue that Peter brings up, I think that we've had a policy in place, going back to 2003, and that's a White House policy.
Q But that policy has been based in part, in the leak investigation and other things, on the idea that it is simply wrong for a President to prejudge a criminal matter, particularly when it's under indictment or trial stage. Why would he --
MR. McCLELLAN: And that's one -- this is an ongoing investigation regarding possible administration officials. So I think there are some differences here.

THE TIME HAS COME to point out the absurdity of what lies not just between the lines, but across the lines of what Scott McLellan serves up at the press room podium.  No one should take seriously anything further what Scott McLellan says.  This simply is not credible.  And you have to wonder if Bush has come off his leash.  How could he say what he said about Delay being innocent last night and expect it not to look like McKrap TM today? [Brit Hume Fox Bush interview transcript]

MORE ON Delay's "Innocence" here.
IN CASE YOU MISSED THIS Syndicated columnist Robert D. Novak, who has repeatedly declined to discuss his role in disclosing the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame, said in a speech this week that he is certain President Bush knows who his mystery administration source is.

THE GOOD STUFF "I'm confident the president knows who the source is. I'd be amazed if he doesn't," Novak said at a Tuesday lunch address to the John Locke Foundation in Raleigh, according to a Raleigh News & Observer report confirmed yesterday by a foundation official.
"So I say, 'Don't bug me. Don't bug Bob Woodward. Bug the president as to whether he should reveal who the source is,'" said Novak, whose July 2003 column led to the lengthy investigation by Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald.

DON’T BUG ME Sounds like days of Nixon who bugged everybody.  Bug Bush without delay on Delay.  Bug Bush on the leaker whenever he is the speaker.  Oy.

Comments

[Neil Shakespeare]

It apparently doesn't even matter to point out the absurdity to them. They just stick with the absurdity and the reporters finally throw their hands in the air and give up.

[The Heretik]

We know Bush Junior has some um Oedipal problems with his Daddy, or as the Gaelic might say, his Da. But the way these guys go full bore with the boring absurdity, perhaps we are seeing the rise of the Dada presidency. Nothing means anything or is it nada means dada?

[blogenfreude]

Wasn't Scotty supposed to be ongoing out the door by now?

[Rex Kramer, Danger Seeker]

"...a question that was asked about Congressman DeLay, about Leader DeLay..."

I'm sorry, "Leader DeLay?"

Er, um, Scotty? Just saying it doesn't make it so.

[Neil Shakespeare]

Yeah, "The Dada Presidency" is a good description, H. There was a poll recently in Britain on the most influential piece of modern art and Duchamp's "Urinal" was number one (pardon the pun). Appropriate. If the height of modern art is a toilet, then the height of modern politics could certainly be symbolized by a head in a toilet.

[Fred]

Now, now, we wouldn't want Dumb Dumb to incriminate himself, would we?