Really, is there anything Gibbs won’t say on behalf of his boss? I’ve put together for your delectation a video montage of the latest example of Gibbs’ truth-defying act. It’s a step-by-step demonstration of how Gibbs yesterday denied the undeniable: that Pres. Obama changed positions when it comes to the possibility of prosecuting Bush administration members involved in authorizing the use of interrogation techniques now deemed verboten.
The clip consists of:
1. Rahm Emanuel on Sunday telling George Stephanopoulous that the officials who “devised” the interrogation policies “should not be prosecuted either.”
2. Gibbs himself, asked on Monday why the Bush administration lawyers who wrote memos supporting the legality of the interrogation techniques should not be prosecuted, saying they wouldn’t because “the president is focused on looking forward. That’s why.”
3. PBO signaling the shift yesterday, saying that “with respect to those who formulated those legal decisions, I would say that that that is going to be more of a decision for the Attorney General, within the parameters of various laws, and I don’t want to pre-judge that.”
4. And finally, Gibbs back at the White House podium yesterday after PBO spoke, managing to keep a straight face in this exchange with Chip Reid of CBS.
CHIP REID: Are you suggesting, are you saying, that there was absolutely no change in policy today?
ROBERT GIBBS: Uh, I, I would, uh, uh, again I would point you to what the president said.
REID: Did he change his policy today?
GIBBS: I don’t think so.
Over at Contentions, Jennifer Rubin has described Gibbs, when it comes his evasions, insults and ad hominem attacks, as being in “a league of his own” among press secretaries. Too true, at least when it comes to the American League. But we’ll always have Baghdad . . .
3 Comments
Oh, yea, the President is going to dump it on the Attorney General…”the buck won’t get here.” He’s got no opinion now, and doesn’t want to “prejudge” anything.
Sounds like Bill Clinton. shoving responsibility off on another Janet at another time.
President “Jello” and his band of kool aid drinkers. There is a reason for BO’s “Confidence gap”….
I don’t think Gibbs is going to last much longer.
He just doesn’t “have it.”
-Dave
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