Fitzwater: Bush Mishandled WMD Arguments

Las Vegas SUN main page ^ | Feb 14 2004 | BILL DRAPER, AP

[carlo3b]

 
Today: February 14, 2004 at 8:35:09 PST

Fitzwater: Bush Mishandled WMD Arguments
By BILL DRAPER
ASSOCIATED PRESS

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) -
A former reporter who served as press secretary to two presidents said the Bush administration is paying the price for its handling of intelligence about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

Marlin Fitzwater, who worked for Presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush, said Friday that the current president should have been more careful with how he used information about Saddam Hussein's weapons program.

"He got caught up in arguments he didn't need to make," said Fitzwater, who spoke at the University of Kansas campus where he received an award.

Fitzwater also said that, with the advent of 24-hour television news networks and countless Internet news sites, the media is in the midst of its most dynamic change in the last half-century.

Competitive pressures often raise questions of individual responsibility, he said. But on the upside, the news industry is too broad and diverse to allow cover-ups of media mistakes, he said.

"I believe that out of this turmoil has emerged a higher quality of journalism, and one that responds faster and with more accuracy than ever before," Fitzwater said.

Fitzwater received the National Citation Award from the William Allen White Foundation. Past winners include Walter Cronkite, George Will, Bernard Shaw, Molly Ivins, Cokie Roberts and Bob Woodward.

[carlo3b]

Fitzwater (gave these comments at this event) received the National Citation Award from the William Allen White Foundation.

Past winners include;
Walter Cronkite (once the US most trusted Commie),
George Will (a milquetoast token Conservative),
Bernard Shaw (another hiding under the table war hero),
Molly Ivins (Ole faith-ful-o-s#it),
Cokie Roberts (Kneejerk Kneepad mamma)
and Bob Woodward (liberal media wet-dream maker).

[Paul Ross]

Marlin Fitzwater is simply giving friendly sage counsel. He is not in league with the likes of Cronkite. You need to take a chill pill.

[ambrose]

Marlin is accusing the White House of having a bad PR operation, and nothing more.

I don't see how one can dispute that assertion. The White House PR, in general, has been on a serious decline ever since Ari Fleischer's departure.

[carlo3b]

Marlin Fitzwater is simply giving friendly sage counsel.

Well, maybe so, but the old boy has lost is knack for timing.. What we needed is another critic from within the ranks don't ya think?

[Cosmo]

indeeed, fleischer was great and scott McClellan is truly awful!!!

[carlo3b]

Marlin is accusing the White House of having a bad PR operation, and nothing more.

OK, but, but, but what have I said in my follow-up post #1 that was in error?.. :)

[ambrose]

I think Fleischer would have knocked down the "AWOL" story on the very first day of the frenzy.

I wish he'd come back and assume his old job.

[onyx]

Newt best summarized the WMD's on O'Reilly' show. I'd like to see Newt in the role of WH Press Secretary.

[ambrose]

I guess that's right... except sometimes criticism is helpful.

[carlo3b]

I'd like to see Newt in the role of WH Press Secretary.

Not a chance, HE HAD A GIRLFRIEND, WHILE GETTING A DIVORCE.. an automatic liberal media, conservative Disqualifier.. :)

[Neets]

I wonder how the author of this piece got from here:

Fitz: "He got caught up in arguments he didn't need to make,"

To here:

Title of piece: " Bush Mishandled WMD Arguments"

That's quite a stretch IMHO

[carlo3b]

except sometimes criticism is helpful.

Yep, thats what I was doing.. :o)

[Recovering_Democrat]

George Will is a good conservative, imho. The rest are lame, as you describe.

I would like to read or see Fitz's remarks in total before I believe the headline writer...I remember after George Tenet's speech all the AP and mainstream news sources could find worthy was the "no imminent threat" quote, while they ignored the vindication of the President's action.

[carlo3b]

That's quite a stretch IMHO

Heck that was easy, I'm only surprised that they didn't accuse BUSH of hiding the WMD's until October.. LOL

[faithincowboys]

Exactly, but Mr. Fitzwater should be cognizant of the media's habit of misrepresenting his benign statements in a way that will be least favorable to Bush. If I were Bush, I would let it be known that all my political allies and subordinates should shut up. The thing with the ecomic adviser is another excellent example. I would say, "Everybody shut the Hell up, no more press conferences, no more speaking engagements!"

Bush has enough to deal with already he doesn't need his "allies" making problems for him.

[carlo3b]

George Will is a good conservative, imho

No argument from me with that, except he is much too polite, and usually much too articulated to make a point that the unwashed masses can understand in his defense of our side!

[carlo3b]

Bush has enough to deal with already he doesn't need his "allies" making problems for him.

BINGO!!

[DestroytheDemocrats]

You are wrong about George Will.

[DestroytheDemocrats]

"No argument from me with that, except he is much too polite,"

I respectfully disagree. During the impeachment he called the Clintons "trash."

[ambrose]

During the impeachment he called the Clintons "trash."

Considering what the Clintoons have done to America, that IS too polite...