The press is really pushing the question of timing. Why did it take so long. Why weren’t we informed immediately? Wah-wah-wah…
Update: Expose the Left has video…
Update 2: Full White House transcript here.
One reporter said:You’ve repeatedly said that the Vice President’s office will share this information with us. Will you tell us, will you now ask them to share this information with us because they’re not.
McClellan: Share what information?
Reporter: Details of what happened.
McClellan: I don’t know with the way you characterize…
Reporter:More infomation
McClellan: Mrs. Armstrong provided that information. She was an eyewitness to what took place.
Another Reporter:Someone from his office
Reporter: Why can’t we get someone from his office to answer these questions?
McClellan: Well, talk to his office. I think they have provided response to questions.
New Reporter: Is it proper for the Vice President to offer his resignation or has he offered his resignation?
McClellan: That’s an absurd question.
What a question. I knew that would be coming. I posted on it yesterday…
Then there’s this:
Reporter: Scott, when you consider the chronology that you’ve tried to go through here, and all of the various wrinkles of how long it took for the primary information that the Vice President was the person who shot this fellow to get through to the President himself, is there any notion here for reviewing your own communications apparatus? I mean, this is sort of reminiscent of the levee story frankly. You know?
McClellan: I’m sorry. I reject that. I disagree with that fully, Peter. I don’t know what you’re referring to. there, but I’ll reject the insinuation there.
Reporter: Well, when you look at how long it took for the information in that case to get through, the information in this case to get through, are you looking at….
McClellan: There are certain facts that you don’t know necessarily immediately. The people are getting that information together. In terms of exactly what happened. I don’t think you immediately know all the facts in situations that you bring up. And particularly in terms of a hurricane that was unprecedented in terms of the scope of the damage that occurred. So I don’t know how you can leap from here to there comparably.
Reporter: Well surely, they immediately knew that the Vice President of the United States shot someone.
McClellan: And you know what their immediate response was? To make sure he was getting the medical care. Well, no, no. You may know that, but people that are listening need to hear that too. The Vice President went over to him and making sure that his team was getting to him and taking care of him. That’s what the first priority always ought to be. Now I know that it’s important to inform the media. And I’ve told you I believe it’s important to get that information out as quickly as possible. Well I think he [President Bush] was informed in a relatively reasonable amount of time.
And another:
Reporter: Would this be much more serious if the man had died? Would that change the equation?
McClellan: Of course it would Connie. It would have been terrible. Personally, I don’t know him very well, but I know Mr. Whittington and I have great respect for him knowing who he is and what he’s done. It would be horrible news.
What a group of people…
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