David Gregory, Silly NBC News Cack

White House press briefing transcripts ^ | 03/29/03 | John D. Jackson

[withteeth]

Here is David Gregory in a White House press briefing, March 25th, wanting, as always, for Ari Fleisher to confirm Gregory's impression/conviction that President Bush is deeply embarrassed about the course of the war.

David Gregory: "Ari, not until the President ordered war to begin and he addressed the American people last Wednesday did he prepare the public for what would be, in his words, a longer and more difficult military fight than many have predicted. Why didn't he do it sooner? And what does he believe the level of patience is of the American public? At what cost is the public prepared to pay for achieving this end?

Ari: [reads earlier presidential quotes, blowing David Gregory's silly assertion out of the water]

David Gregory: "Let me follow up on that, because given -- given your precise preparation for a question like that, it seems to me --

Ari: You're easy to read, David. (Laughter.)

David Gregory: I guess so. Well maybe that -- then maybe that means that there's some level of defensiveness, that perhaps the President is worried that the American public may be less patient than he advised them to be. Is that the case?

Ari: No, I just anticipate your questions well.

David Gregory: Wait a second, Ari. This is wartime. That's a dodge of the question.

Ari: You're asking me why am I prepared to answer your questions?

David Gregory: No, that's not what I asked you. I asked you, does he feel that the public did not adequately bring up its expectation for what we are facing.

Believe me, David Gregory was blushing mad when he blurted out that lie.

Sillyman? You decide.

Now, a couple of days pass and David Gregory is catching on that the White House press corps is being laughed at. So we have the following exchange.

David Gregory: "Ari, there seems to be some level of frustration on the part of the President with the press coverage and, indeed, our questions. One senior official characterized some questions about battle plan and the timing and the press coverage as "silly." So, A, does the President think it's appropriate for the public, the news media, to question him at all about the conduct and the progress of the war? And --

Continues at "Often And Then Again"

[MEG33]

I hope you get better soon.

[tje]

cack

\Cack\, v. i. [OE. cakken, fr. L. cacare; akin to Gr. ??????, and to OIr. cacc dung; cf. AS. cac.] To ease the body by stool; to go to stool. --Pope.

[arasina]

Since you were wondering if the U.S. treats the most vile enemies of our country humanely, I must point out the most obvious evidence: You get a front row seat at every Press Briefing.

EXCELLENT! I wish you could've sent a blind copy to Ari Fleischer!

[arasina]

I'm sure many of us have heard the Italian version of this word: cacca!

[UncleSamUSA]

David Gregory is quickly gaining on ABC's Terry Moran for the title of "Biggest Arsehole and Biggest Anti-American Unpatriotic Jackass" in the White House press corps. Of course, Helen Thomas has the all-time record for stupidity and hate-America rhetoric. But then again, she is retired, right??

[MEG33]

You deserve an award.Helen is the enemy combatant.

[lonestar]

Don't you know, this is the level of education and sophistication coming from the new right, who most likely spent their school days riding the "small bus".

Excuse me, but this is not an answer but a sidestep.

What is a "cack?"

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

I suppose you are a member of the "old right", which allowed Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton to take the whitehouse?

[F16Fighter]

LOL

[truthkeeper]

David Gregory = Monkey Boy

My favorite is the rat-faced boy. Apropos.

[dennisw]

Of course, Helen Thomas has the all-time record for stupidity and hate-America rhetoric. But then again, she is retired, right??

She'll never retire. She'll end up being carried feet first out of the White House press room

 

[homeschool mama]

Rat-faced boy. I like that even better!

[Valin]

Sillyman? You decide.

After giving this much thought (I'm not goona kid you I've lost a lot of sleep over this) I have come to the conclusion that David Gregory has an IQ 40 points lower than a flatworm.

Ordinarily he was insane, but he had lucid moments when he was merely stupid.
Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)

[Valin]

She'll end up being carried feet first out of the White House press room

Would today be too soon?

[xsmommy]

my husband thinks ari deserves some sort of Nobel prize for putting up with the idiocy of the press corps the way he does, with such aplomb. i think even if i was on heavy duty meds, i would be blasting those idiots on a daily basis.

[Howlin]

What Ari deserves is letters or emails from us, showing our support. I have heard that the White House ONLY gets complaints about him.

[Lx]

OMG, I'm going to have nightmares tonight, tommorow-hell forever. ughhhhhhhhhhhh.
Anyone got one of her in a thong? Blowing big chunks alert!

[Howlin]

Bush never said that!

[Bernard]

Is that why it's called "Cackling Oat Bran"?

[general_re]

Actually they are not so cleverly disguised statements. If not answered, they run it in a news article as fact.

Exactly. I find that it's useful to watch for the ubuquitous "some people are saying" construct, or variations thereof - as in "Some people are saying that this war is becoming a quagmire. How do you respond to that?"

One of these days, I'm hoping for a press secretary who will say "Who says that?" - because the truth is, "some people" invariably means "me and my colleagues in the press corps". Statements that start out with "some people are saying..." or "some people think that..." will always tell you what the press is saying and thinking...