Each network reporter is under standing orders to get the President's answer to that reporter's question. It doesn't matter if someone else asked that question - the network wants a shot of ITS reporter asking the question and the Prez answering it. This is so they can say in the setup that "President Bush today said, when questioned by NBC's David "Lurch" "Ratface" Gregory, that...yadayadayada." They then cut to Gregory asking the question and Bush answering it. This is how it's done. It is NOT fair game to ask a question and then use the Prez's answer to another question posed by another reporter. They kill each other over stuff like this.
So, if the net wants a particular Q&A, THEIR guy has to get the question asked AND the Prez has to answer it. They can use another answer ONLY if they shift gears and refer to a different question.
So, while they're trying to catch him in some inconsistency, what they're REALLY doing is striving for face time - THEIR guy asking the Prez "the question." Watch them this evening. EVERY network news show will have this in one of their top 2 stories, and every net will have their own reporter asking the same question and getting the same answer from Bush. This is why presidents don't just answer a given question once and then hammer the other loonies into the ground when THEY ask the same question. They understand that the guys in the room are, at least partially, acting under orders.
Helen Thomas, of course, is not covered by the above. She's the one who will ask, after all the fur has flown, if he can recall being on Harkin's board. Sad.
Michael