Quotes of the Morning: Great Scott!

“An angry President Bush rebuked chief political guru Karl Rove two years ago for his role in the Valerie Plame affair, sources told the Daily News.
‘He made his displeasure known to Karl,’ a presidential counselor told The News. ‘He made his life miserable about this.’
Bush has nevertheless remained doggedly loyal to Rove, who friends and even political adversaries acknowledge is the architect of the President's rise from baseball owner to leader of the free world.”
-New York Daily News, October 19, 2005

“You know.. that sounds a little bit like Dubya looking for some political cover by saying that Karl leaked information without his knowledge. Then you remember what Dubya said when this story broke.”
-Skippy

“I'd like to know who leaked, and if anybody has got any information inside our government or outside our government who leaked, you ought to take it to the Justice Department so we can find out the leaker . . . I don't know who leaked the information, for starters. So it's hard for me to answer that question until I find out the truth.”
-George ‘Dubya’ Bush, October 6, 2003

“QUESTION: Yesterday we were told that Karl Rove had no role in it. . .
THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
QUESTION: Have you talked to Karl and do you have confidence in him . . .
THE PRESIDENT: Listen, I know of nobody -- I don't know of anybody in my administration who leaked classified information. If somebody did leak classified information, I'd like to know it, and we'll take the appropriate action.“
-George ‘Dubya’ Bush, September 30, 2003

“McCLELLAN: He wasn't involved. The President knows he wasn't involved.
QUESTION: How does he know that?
McCLELLAN: The President knows.
-Press Gaggle with Scott McClellan, September 29, 2003

"In June 2004, Bush was asked if he would 'fire anyone found to' have leaked the agent's name. 'Yes,' he replied."
-Washington Post, July 19, 2005

“Hmm.. If I’m doing the math correctly ‘two years ago’ is further back than June of 2004. That would mean that Dubya, when he said that he would fire anyone who leaked an agent’s name, was lying (based, of course, on the assumption that the New York Daily News article is accurate). What he meant to say that he would fire them if someone ELSE found out about it. He already knew. Suddenly a stained blue dress doesn’t seem like such a big deal.. I wonder how the White House is dealing with this story?”
-Skippy

“QUESTION: Thanks. Is it true that the President slapped Karl Rove upside the head a couple of years ago over the CIA leak?
SCOTT McCLELLAN: Are you referring to, what, a New York Daily News report? Two things: One, we're not commenting on an ongoing investigation; two, and I would challenge the overall accuracy of that news account.
QUESTION: That's a comment.
QUESTION: Which part of it?
QUESTION: Yes, that is.
QUESTION: Which facts --
SCOTT McCLELLAN: No, I'm just saying -- no, I'm just trying to help you all.
QUESTION: So what facts are you challenging?
SCOTT McCLELLAN: Again, I'm not going to comment on an ongoing investigation.
QUESTION: You can't say you're challenging the facts and then not say which ones you're challenging.
SCOTT McCLELLAN: Yes, I can. I just did. (Laughter.)”
-Press Gaggle with Scott McClellan, October 19, 2005

“It’s like listening to the old Abbot and Costello ‘Who’s on first’ routine all over again. Scotty is getting good at this kind of thing..”
-Skippy

“QUESTION: Is the president confident that Cheney did not leak Valerie Plame’s identity?
MCCLELLAN: Again, I appreciate any question on this but, as you know, our policy is not to comment on an investigation while it’s ongoing, and that means any question relating to it. And I’m just not going to comment on an investigation while it’s ongoing.”
-Press Gaggle with Scott McClellan, October 18, 2005

“QUESTION: You said that you were going to check to see if President Bush or either Cheney had been asked once again to go before the special prosecutor and answer questions after their initial appearance.
MCCLELLAN: No, the president has not. I provided you information when he was interviewed previously. And my understanding is the same applies to the vice president.”
-Press Gaggle with Scott McClellan, October 18, 2005

“Scotty… If every topic relating to the investigation, no matter how tangential, is ‘no comment’, then how come that last question received an answer? I mean if this question can’t be answered..”
-Skippy

“Q Does the President still have full confidence in Karl Rove?
MR. McCLELLAN: Jessica, this is asking questions all in the context of an ongoing investigation. And --
Q He's one of the President's chief advisors. Does he have confidence in his ability to perform the job?
MR. McCLELLAN: Karl continues to do his duties as Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to the President, and you're trying to ask a question in the context of an ongoing investigation. The President has made it very clear, we're not going to comment on an ongoing investigation. What we're going to do is support the efforts of the special prosecutor --
Q But, Scott, there's a difference between commenting in a way that would interfere with an investigation and conveying the sense and the clear idea that the President is engaged and concerned --
MR. McCLELLAN: And I've already answered that question, and what I said previously still stands. So I would encourage you to go back and look at what I said previously. But you're asking this question today in the context of some grand jury testimony that's going on. So that's asking a question in the context of an ongoing investigation.”
-Press Gaggle with Scott McClellan, October 14, 2005

“..then why could the previous one? It seems that Scotty is getting a little jittery.”
-Skippy

“Q What do you say to reports that the White House is very jittery about everything that's been happening, and that the President is under a great strain?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think you've been covering the President today. The President has been having a pretty full day here at the White House. Like I said, we've got a lot of important work on the plate, and we are moving forward on the President's agenda.
Q Where do these reports come from, that they -- do they have any validity?
MR. McCLELLAN: From your colleagues, who write them.
Q Pardon?
MR. McCLELLAN: From your colleagues, who write them.
Q I mean, do they have any basis?
MR. McCLELLAN: What do you mean, ‘do they have any basis’?
Q That's what I'm asking.
MR. McCLELLAN: Ask those colleagues.
Q No, I'm asking you --
MR. McCLELLAN: I told you what we're doing.
Q -- you know what's going on in the White House.
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, we're focused on the priorities of the American people.
Q Come on, Scott, have you got a case of the shakes, or not? Come on. (Laughter.) Hold up the hands, let's see (Laughter.)”
-Press Gaggle with Scott McClellan, October 14, 2005