WHITE HOUSE BRIEFING - ARI SAYS "DEMS KNEW ABOUT SHADOW GOVERN."

cable news stations ^ | 3/5/02 | me

[Elkiejg]

I just caught part of the WH briefing with Ari (before cable stations cut away for the Pentagon briefing). The media was peppering him about Dems saying they didn't know about shadow gov. arrangements. HE SHOT THEM DOWN.....kept claiming in his soft spoken way "We're confident that when they talk with people on the Hill, they will see that the info. was previously submitted to them" - I'm paraphrasing.

He also got a great shot in to old Helen Thomas when he replied to her that the shadow gov. situation had been around since the cold war years - which he was sure she remembered!! I laughed out loud.

The stupid press kept hammering - "Daschle, Byrd, etc. say they don't know anything about it" -- Ari would reply with his "I'm sure when they talk to people, etc., etc." It was great - sorry they cut away for the Pentagon.

Does anyone know if transcripts are put out on these briefings? It would be worth reading.

[Utah Girl]

I post Ari Fleischer's briefings daily. I'll ping you when it is posted...

[eureka!]

"Does anyone know if transcripts are put out on these briefings? It would be worth reading."

U G has been very good about posting them...

[freedomlover]

He also got a great shot in to old Helen Thomas when he replied to her that the shadow gov. situation had been around since the cold war years - which he was sure she remembered!!

Are you sure he didn't mean the Civil War years?

[Wphile]

I saw some of this too! I CANNOT believe how stupid and single minded the press pool is. They would not let go of this issue. Maybe they should ask the Dems, eh? Perhaps, the Bush administration is going to catch them in a lie. Wouldn't that be great? Would the press report it? Probably not.

I liked Ari's comments about Pickering's nomination and reading that quote from Biden was great! Glad to see Bush is pushing this now.

[Nephi]

His response was timid.
Ari's response should've been along the lines of, "Don't hold me responsible for the fact that the Senator doesn't remember being there on September 11th."

[The Real Eddie01]

Drudge Report -> Ari Fleischer

[steveegg]

Of course the RATs knew about it. If they didn't, then how is it coming out?

I want to say more, but what I want to see happen to the traitorous RATs and their treasonous allies in the Leftist Press isn't nice or pretty.

[KansasConservative]

I've been listening to Rush this afternoon, and a guest on FOX this morning reported that Daschle knew about the shadow government and was given a tour of the facility.

[A Citizen Reporter]

The first thing that Ari said to Helen was that he was "going to disabuse her of the notion of 'shadow government'......that is a mis-nomer." Ari repeatedly used the phrase "continuity of government"

IMHO, that is one of the most important points of this story. "Shadow Government" is a term that was coined sometime last week, ginned up by the press, and used by little tommy, to spread fear and confusion. I'd like to know who coined it? Sounds like a crusty black pant suit to me.

[Buzznutt]

Could you ping me also? Thanks............Buzz

[BOBTHENAILER]

That was a great moment, "Gee, why would Sen. Biden support a floor vote then and not now?"

[Dog]

Elk ...Ari had that look a person has when he is holding aces!

[YaYa123]

The main point Ari made...or tried to make...to all the piling on reporters...was that it's a misnomer to call it "a shadow government". It's a contingency plan to keep the government going in the event of an emergency, and Ari's point was everyone in Washington knows there has been a contingency plan in place since the Cold War.

Ari would not go into details about who it involves, but one example he gave, was someone to make sure people kept receiving their social security checks.

Seems to me the Washington Post came up with the sexy sounding "Shadow Government" term to describe "the Contingency Plan". Democrats figured to use this to their political advantage, and the media is playing it to the hilt.

[Utah Girl]

Yes I will ping you.

[Miss Marple]

Bingo. It is a term coined specifically to arouse the paranoia on both the far left and the far right (as we have seen in innumerable postings here). It was done deliberately and I thin Crusty is the culprit.

[Elkiejg]

Thanks for adding that - yes, I loved it too. Thanks UG for posting transcript when available.

Rush just mentioned Ari's statement too. He's been BLASTING Daschle for 2 days.

[Jen]

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[Poohbah]

They borrowed it from the Christic Institute--as did a large number of tinfoil-wearing FReepers, oddly enough.

[YaYa123]

glad we agree... "Shadow Government = WashPost invention.
I didn't read your reply till after I made my own. This is all soooooooooo hokey!!!

But it did give Ari the opportunity to cloud up and rain all over congress about their own "contingency plan", which they then revealed, and it's now, according to Ari, "a 4 million dollar tourist attraction".

Did you notice not a one of the reporters asked a follow up question about that particular subject?