McClellan: “Mr. Gregory, is this the five-minute argument?”
The man enters the room. Mr Vibrating is sitting at a desk.
Man: Is this the right room for an argument?
Mr Vibrating: I’ve told you once.
Man: No you haven’t.
Mr Vibrating: Yes I have.
Man: When?
Mr Vibrating: Just now!
Man: No you didn’t.
Mr Vibrating: Yes I did!
Man: Didn’t.
Mr Vibrating: Did.
Man: Didn’t.
Mr Vibrating: I’m telling you I did!
Man: You did not!
Q: Scott, does the President retain confidence in his FEMA Director and Secretary of Homeland Security?
MR. McCLELLAN: And again, David, see, this is where some people want to look at the blame game issue, and finger-point. We’re focused on solving problems, and we’re doing everything we can —
Q: What about the question?
MR. McCLELLAN: We’re doing everything we can in support —
Q: We know all that.
MR. McCLELLAN: — of the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA.
Q: Does he retain complete confidence —
MR. McCLELLAN: We’re going to continue. We appreciate the great effort that all of those at FEMA, including the head of FEMA, are doing to help the people in the region. And I’m just not going to engage in the blame game or finger-pointing that you’re trying to get me to engage.
Q: Okay, but that’s not at all what I was asking.
MR. McCLELLAN: Sure it is. It’s exactly what you’re trying to play.
Q: You have your same point you want to make about the blame game, which you’ve said enough now. I’m asking you a direct question, which you’re dodging.
MR. McCLELLAN: No —
Q: Does the President retain complete confidence in his Director of FEMA and Secretary of Homeland Security, yes or no?
MR. McCLELLAN: I just answered the question.
Q: Is the answer “yes” on both?
MR. McCLELLAN: And what you’re doing is trying to engage in a game of finger-pointing.
Q: There’s a lot of criticism. I’m just wondering if he still has confidence.
MR. McCLELLAN: — and blame-gaming. What we’re trying to do is solve problems, David. And that’s where we’re going to keep our focus.
Q: So you’re not — you won’t answer that question directly?
MR. McCLELLAN: I did. I just did.
Q: No, you didn’t. Yes or no? Does he have complete confidence or doesn’t he?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, if you want to continue to engage in finger-pointing and blame-gaming, that’s fine —
Q: Scott, that’s ridiculous. I’m not engaging in any of that.
MR. McCLELLAN: It’s not ridiculous.
Q: Don’t try to accuse me of that. I’m asking you a direct question and you should answer it. Does he retain complete confidence in his FEMA Director and Secretary of Homeland Security, yes or no?
MR. McCLELLAN: Like I said — that’s exactly what you’re engaging in.
Q: I’m not engaging in anything. I’m asking you a question about what the President’s views are —
MR. McCLELLAN: Absolutely — absolutely —
Q: — under pretty substantial criticism of members of his administration. Okay? And you know that, and everybody watching knows that, as well.
MR. McCLELLAN: No, everybody watching this knows, David, that you’re trying to engage in a blame game.
Q: I’m trying to engage?
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes.
Q: I am trying to engage?
MR. McCLELLAN: That’s correct.
Q: That’s a dodge.
[…]
[link]
I’m going to freeway blog my neighborhood this weekend any suggestions for signs?
“stop being proud of him”
Here’s the deal. If I was in the press corps and had to deal with that type of crap every day for the past four years it would just eat me up. The lies, the spin and and really the lack of respect for the press and the American people are just amazing. I can’t fathom the type of meditative training that it would take to let that BS slide without it destroying me. I mean these press guys make the Dali Lama look like a thoughtless vindictive SOB by comparison. Somebody just needs to go after these cobags and stick with it like a frickin’ Gila Monster in a nest of rabbits.
I’ll second all of the above sentiments.
Good response I heard elsewhere: “Scott, are you saying this administration thinks of hundreds of thousands homeless and tens of thousands dead as a ‘game’?”
teh l4m3, you are playing the blame game. We are focused on the relief effort………..rinse …lather…..repeat…..ad naseum.
I would like to see someone get all corporal punishment on his ass and wack him across his knuckles with a cane every time he lied and spun. His self abuse over the caches of Jeff Gannon’s websites would come to a quick end as a result.
Underused slur: prig1. A person who demonstrates an exaggerated conformity or propriety, especially in an irritatingly arrogant or smug manner.2. Archaic. A conceited dandy; a fop.
No, I think ‘wanker’ is the term you’re looking for.
I’ve been checking in periodically from my new digs in Scotland (actually the public library – can’t get broadband at my home yet as it is in a rural location). I feel like I’ve missed so much in just a few weeks! I see MJ’ is still with us, and the kitties are still at the ready. All is well then. As for Katrina and the administration response: What.A.Clusterfuck.
At least you get a better idea of the lowdown by watching the BBC. I can only imagine how the ‘murkin press is handling this….
BTW, belated birthday greetings to D. Sidhe – and congrats on those C’s!
Hey celcticgirl- haven’t seen you here in a while.
BTW- is “blame gaming” a verb???
It’s a noun, a verb, an adverb, a proposition and great new butter subsitute. It’s also the hottest dance move this year. It’s this season’s new “flip flop.”
Get one meaningless expression out there, make sure everyone’s saying it, and hey presto!…you can no longer talk to wingnuts (as if you ever really can) because they’ll block their ears and say “La la la…I can’t hear you…blame game, blame game, blame game.”
Betcha William Safire will have a nice long column about “blame-gaming” this Sunday.
Right now, I’m picturing Scott McClellan wearing a doo-rag, a bunch of gold chains and standing in front of a car with spinning rims. That’d be the cover of his debut album, which’d be called “Pimpin’ Scott MC Presents: Blame Gamin’.”
Shorter Scott McClellan: “There will be plenty of time for figuring out who screwed the pooch after everyone has forgotten how badly it was screwed. Can you please wait until we’re out of the White House before you ask these questions?”
The Blame Game:
FEMA FEMA Bo BEMA
Banana Fanna Fo FEMA
Me My Mo-MEMA
Major clusterfuck
I say it’s time to resort to their trics and use soundbites and ellipses:
Q: No, you didn’t. Yes or no? Does he have complete confidence or doesn’t he?
MR. McCLELLAN: No…
http://www.breitbart.com/news/na/D8CFJE1O1.html
Rudolph Giuliani, who guided New York City through the dark days after Sept. 11, said there is no place for second-guessing during an emergency, and he is not interested in criticizing the way government officials handled Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.
The former mayor said before a speech Tuesday that it is too soon to draw any conclusions about whether the agencies that responded took too long or who was responsible.
The former mayor said that iitt iiss ttoooo ssoooonn ttoo ddrraaww aannyy ccoonncclluussiioonnss aabboouutt wwhheetthheerr tthhee aaggeenncciieess tthhaatt rreessppoonnddeedd ttooookk ttoooo LLLLO-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-ONNNNGGGG ttoo RRRRE-E-E-ESSSSPPPPO-O-O-O-O-O-O-ONNNNDDDD
Big second on WTF is “Blame Gaming”. How is “Blame Gaming” different than regular old blaming? Are you gaming the system with blame? Or just perhaps “blame gaming” is a meaningless nonsequitor intended to to confuse and distract. I’m afraid if things get worse, Scotty will be answering all questions with barnyard animal sounds.
They really need to be careful. “Blame” is very close to “Plame” and the rhyme may remind some reporters that they want to ask about that, too.
When someone accuses the federal government of being a little slow on the uptake with Katrina’s aftermath, that’s the blame game. What is it when the federal officials who are being accused of such slowness point the finger at state and local officials? Has anyone asked McClellan that one?
They don’t really need Scotty, do they? A tape recorder would do just as well.
I’m picturing an hour long track that’s just Scotty saying “Blame game” over and over at irregular intervals, maybe with some elctronic noise and violins in the background, kind of a “Revolution No. 9” thing.
You have to keep the concepts and phrases as simple as possible. Nine-eleven, Monicagate, Death Tax, Race Bait, Blame Game. Heh-indeedy. Disturbing-if-true.
Atrios has it all figured out: link — extract — ‘Fuckers!’ — repeat. PS I’m a professor.
As you know, the Left needs more of these little nuggets for itself.
Okay, maybe it doesn’t.
Thanks, Celticgirl. Congratulations on the new homeland!
Dan Someone: That’s called “accountability”. Duh.
M’kay Scotty… how about we skip the “game” and go straight to the “blame?”
Or, as the rest of the English-speaking audience calls it: “accountability.”
I agree with Christopher, a few catch-phrases might help our cause. This unparalleled failure needs a name, or it will get spun into obscurity. Something like…
Flood-gate
Bungle in the Bayou
No Child Left Alive
My Pet Goat 2
Sorry, that was jade, not Christopher…
Is this america’s chernobyl? yups
“We’re not going to play the blame game.”
(five second pause)
“It was fault of local government.”
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