Nbadan
07-11-2005, 04:06 PM
1. MCCLELLAN: I appreciate your question. I think your question is being asked related to some reports that are in reference to an ongoing criminal investigation. The criminal investigation that you reference is something that continues at this point. And as I’ve previously stated, while that investigation is ongoing, the White House is not going to comment on it. The president directed the White House to cooperate fully with the investigation. And as part of cooperating fully with the investigation, we made a decision that we weren’t going to comment on it while it is ongoing.
2. MCCLELLAN: Yes, but this question is coming up in the context of this ongoing investigation, and that’s why I said that our policy continues to be that we’re not going to get into commenting on an ongoing criminal investigation from this podium. The prosecutors overseeing the investigation had expressed a preference to us that one way to help the investigation is not to be commenting on it from this podium. And so that’s why we are not going to get into commenting on it while it is an ongoing investigation — or questions related to it.
3. MCCLELLAN: Again, John, I appreciate the question. I know you want to get to the bottom of this. No one wants to get to the bottom of it more than the president of the United States.
And I think the way to be most helpful is to not get into commenting on it while it is an ongoing investigation. And that’s something that the people overseeing the investigation have expressed a preference that we follow. And that’s why we’re continuing to follow that approach and that policy. Now, I remember very well what was previously said. And, at some point, I will be glad to talk about it, but not until after the investigation is complete.
4. MCCLELLAN: Well, I think maybe you missed what I was saying in reference to Terry’s question at the beginning. There came a point, when the investigation got under way, when those overseeing the investigation asked that it would be — or said that it would be their preference that we not get into discussing it while it is ongoing.
I think that’s the way to be most helpful to help them advance the investigation and get to the bottom of it.
5. MCCLELLAN: Again, David, this is a question relating to a ongoing investigation, and you have my response related to the investigation. And I don’t think you should read anything into it other than: We’re going to continue not to comment on it while it’s ongoing.
6. MCCLELLAN: I’m well aware, like you, of what was previously said. And I will be glad to talk about it at the appropriate time. The appropriate time is when the investigation…
7. MCCLELLAN: There will be a time to talk about this, but now is not the time to talk about it.
8. MCCLELLAN: Again, I’ve responded to the question.
9. MCCLELLAN: No, that’s not a correct characterization. And I think you are well aware of that. We know each other very well. And it was after that period that the investigators had requested that we not get into commenting on an ongoing criminal investigation. And we want to be helpful so that they can get to the bottom of this. Because no one wants to get to the bottom of it more than the president of the United States. I am well aware of what was said previously. I remember well what was said previously. And at some point I look forward to talking about it. But until the investigation is complete, I’m just not going to do that.
10. MCCLELLAN: Again, you’re continuing to ask questions relating to an ongoing criminal investigation and I’m just not going to respond to them.
11. MCCLELLAN: I appreciate your questions. You can keep asking them, but you have my response.
12. MCCLELLAN: I’ve responded to the questions.
13. MCCLELLAN: I’ve responded to your questions.
14. MCCLELLAN: Again, after the investigation is complete, I will be glad to talk about it at that point.
15. MCCLELLAN: Well, those overseeing the investigation expressed a preference to us that we not get into commenting on the investigation while it’s ongoing. And that was what they requested of the White House. And so I think in order to be helpful to that investigation, we are following their direction.
16. MCCLELLAN: Again, these are all questions coming up in the context of an ongoing criminal investigation. And you’ve heard my response on this.
17. MCCLELLAN: You’re asking this question in the context of an ongoing investigation, and I would not read anything into it other then I’m simply going to comment on an ongoing investigation.
18. MCCLELLAN: Again, you have my response to these questions.
19. MCCLELLAN: Well, I think the president has previously spoken to this.
20. MCCLELLAN: No one wants to get to the bottom of it more than the president of the United States. And we’re just not going to have more to say on it until that investigation is complete.
21. MCCLELLAN: Again, you’re asking questions relating to an ongoing investigation, and I think I’ve responded to it.
22. MCCLELLAN: This is still coming at the same question relating to reports about an ongoing investigation. And I think I’ve responded to...
23. MCCLELLAN: Do you have questions on another topic?
24. MCCLELLAN: I appreciate the question. I think I’ve responded.
25. MCCLELLAN: Again, I’m going to be happy to talk about this at the appropriate time. You and everybody in this room — or most people in this room, I should say — know me very well, and they know the type of person that I am. And I’m confident in our relationship that we have. But I will be glad to talk about this at the appropriate time, and that’s once the investigation is complete. I’m not going to get into commenting based on reports or anything of that nature.
26. MCCLELLAN: You’ve heard my response.
27. MCCLELLAN: And I think those are questions best directed to the special prosecutor. Again, this is an ongoing matter. I’m just not going to get into commenting on it further at this time. At the appropriate time, when it’s complete, then I’ll be glad to talk about it at that point.
28. MCCLELLAN: It’s the same type of question. You’re asking me to comment on an ongoing investigation and I’m not going to do that.
29. MCCLELLAN: Understood. The president directed the White House to cooperate fully with the investigation, and that’s what he expects people in the White House to do.
30. MCCLELLAN: Again, I’ve already responded.
31. MCCLELLAN: You can direct those questions to the special prosecutors. I think probably more than one individual who’s involved in overseeing the investigation had expressed a preference that we not get into commenting on the investigation while it’s ongoing. I think we all want to see the prosecutors get to the bottom of this matter. The president wants to see the prosecutors get to the bottom of this matter. And the way to help them do that is to not get into commenting on it while it is ongoing.
32. MCCLELLAN: I already responded to these questions.
33. MCCLELLAN: Again, I’m just not going to say anything further. I expressed all I’m going to say on this matter from this podium.
Think Progress (http://thinkprogress.org/2005/07/11/briefing-711)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/Bush_Eats_Beef/Catapult-2.jpg
:hat
2. MCCLELLAN: Yes, but this question is coming up in the context of this ongoing investigation, and that’s why I said that our policy continues to be that we’re not going to get into commenting on an ongoing criminal investigation from this podium. The prosecutors overseeing the investigation had expressed a preference to us that one way to help the investigation is not to be commenting on it from this podium. And so that’s why we are not going to get into commenting on it while it is an ongoing investigation — or questions related to it.
3. MCCLELLAN: Again, John, I appreciate the question. I know you want to get to the bottom of this. No one wants to get to the bottom of it more than the president of the United States.
And I think the way to be most helpful is to not get into commenting on it while it is an ongoing investigation. And that’s something that the people overseeing the investigation have expressed a preference that we follow. And that’s why we’re continuing to follow that approach and that policy. Now, I remember very well what was previously said. And, at some point, I will be glad to talk about it, but not until after the investigation is complete.
4. MCCLELLAN: Well, I think maybe you missed what I was saying in reference to Terry’s question at the beginning. There came a point, when the investigation got under way, when those overseeing the investigation asked that it would be — or said that it would be their preference that we not get into discussing it while it is ongoing.
I think that’s the way to be most helpful to help them advance the investigation and get to the bottom of it.
5. MCCLELLAN: Again, David, this is a question relating to a ongoing investigation, and you have my response related to the investigation. And I don’t think you should read anything into it other than: We’re going to continue not to comment on it while it’s ongoing.
6. MCCLELLAN: I’m well aware, like you, of what was previously said. And I will be glad to talk about it at the appropriate time. The appropriate time is when the investigation…
7. MCCLELLAN: There will be a time to talk about this, but now is not the time to talk about it.
8. MCCLELLAN: Again, I’ve responded to the question.
9. MCCLELLAN: No, that’s not a correct characterization. And I think you are well aware of that. We know each other very well. And it was after that period that the investigators had requested that we not get into commenting on an ongoing criminal investigation. And we want to be helpful so that they can get to the bottom of this. Because no one wants to get to the bottom of it more than the president of the United States. I am well aware of what was said previously. I remember well what was said previously. And at some point I look forward to talking about it. But until the investigation is complete, I’m just not going to do that.
10. MCCLELLAN: Again, you’re continuing to ask questions relating to an ongoing criminal investigation and I’m just not going to respond to them.
11. MCCLELLAN: I appreciate your questions. You can keep asking them, but you have my response.
12. MCCLELLAN: I’ve responded to the questions.
13. MCCLELLAN: I’ve responded to your questions.
14. MCCLELLAN: Again, after the investigation is complete, I will be glad to talk about it at that point.
15. MCCLELLAN: Well, those overseeing the investigation expressed a preference to us that we not get into commenting on the investigation while it’s ongoing. And that was what they requested of the White House. And so I think in order to be helpful to that investigation, we are following their direction.
16. MCCLELLAN: Again, these are all questions coming up in the context of an ongoing criminal investigation. And you’ve heard my response on this.
17. MCCLELLAN: You’re asking this question in the context of an ongoing investigation, and I would not read anything into it other then I’m simply going to comment on an ongoing investigation.
18. MCCLELLAN: Again, you have my response to these questions.
19. MCCLELLAN: Well, I think the president has previously spoken to this.
20. MCCLELLAN: No one wants to get to the bottom of it more than the president of the United States. And we’re just not going to have more to say on it until that investigation is complete.
21. MCCLELLAN: Again, you’re asking questions relating to an ongoing investigation, and I think I’ve responded to it.
22. MCCLELLAN: This is still coming at the same question relating to reports about an ongoing investigation. And I think I’ve responded to...
23. MCCLELLAN: Do you have questions on another topic?
24. MCCLELLAN: I appreciate the question. I think I’ve responded.
25. MCCLELLAN: Again, I’m going to be happy to talk about this at the appropriate time. You and everybody in this room — or most people in this room, I should say — know me very well, and they know the type of person that I am. And I’m confident in our relationship that we have. But I will be glad to talk about this at the appropriate time, and that’s once the investigation is complete. I’m not going to get into commenting based on reports or anything of that nature.
26. MCCLELLAN: You’ve heard my response.
27. MCCLELLAN: And I think those are questions best directed to the special prosecutor. Again, this is an ongoing matter. I’m just not going to get into commenting on it further at this time. At the appropriate time, when it’s complete, then I’ll be glad to talk about it at that point.
28. MCCLELLAN: It’s the same type of question. You’re asking me to comment on an ongoing investigation and I’m not going to do that.
29. MCCLELLAN: Understood. The president directed the White House to cooperate fully with the investigation, and that’s what he expects people in the White House to do.
30. MCCLELLAN: Again, I’ve already responded.
31. MCCLELLAN: You can direct those questions to the special prosecutors. I think probably more than one individual who’s involved in overseeing the investigation had expressed a preference that we not get into commenting on the investigation while it’s ongoing. I think we all want to see the prosecutors get to the bottom of this matter. The president wants to see the prosecutors get to the bottom of this matter. And the way to help them do that is to not get into commenting on it while it is ongoing.
32. MCCLELLAN: I already responded to these questions.
33. MCCLELLAN: Again, I’m just not going to say anything further. I expressed all I’m going to say on this matter from this podium.
Think Progress (http://thinkprogress.org/2005/07/11/briefing-711)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/Bush_Eats_Beef/Catapult-2.jpg
:hat