Here's the real conundrum for the administration

[ithinkmyliverhurts]

If these questions were being raised during Clinton's tenure, Bush I's tenure, Reagan's tenure, Carter's tenure, not Ford's, and ceratinly not Nixon's, the administration would hold a press conference. The President would lay out his case and/or make an apology. The reporters would ask questions, the President would answer--off the cuff, yet sticking to the script. But Bush can't do this. Look at him yesterday with Annan. He made big, BIG, mistakes in what he said. No one in the press is calling him on it yet (although Dana Priest and Dana Millbank highlight it in their article in the Wash. Post today). Chimpy's handlers know that he will only make things worse. He can't answer questions about the one basic contradiction out there (a contradiction he made worse yesterday): an administration official declared the Niger line a mistake; now the line coming out is that it is technically correct and that they stand by it (it's "darn good" intelligence).

Bottom line: the press needs to let the administration know that the easiest way for this to go away is for Bush to have a press conference. Trust me, the press can get this message out quite easily. They have the administration by the balls. People are interested in this story. The patriot police cannot be used against the press or those seeking answers. In fact, it can be used against this administration. The media need to force a press conference. The administration knows this but can't comply, as chimpy will only make things worse.

Finally, my prediction:

1) chimpy will address the nation on "the state of Iraq"--proclaiming that it's hard work but that our soldiers can do it, that the people of Iraq are showing their gratitutude, that Saddam Hussein will no longer terrorize his people, that the world will look back and see that America was on the right side of history. In this address, he will briefly cover the Niger case, going with the justification for citing the British report (though you'll see no specificity here). He will make the press turn into analysts rather than reporters, and the "think tanks" can roll out in droves to spin it the way they want. It will be up to the media not to let go of this issue until they get a press conference, until they get the answers to the questions they want to ask.

2) chimpy deflects everything once Blair shows up. They will hold a joint press conference in which the far more articulate Blair can answer questions and hold the line. He will be able to construct impromptu answers that follow a careful script. Chimpy can then be his "plain spoken" self. This scenario should worry us. Blair is articulate. Americans want to believe we were justified in going to war. Blair will provide them that justification, I believe. I hope we get British press and pundits to hammer Blair. Americans, I have found, are easily wooed by accents. Blair's english accent alone will give him an air of authority.

We'll see.

[pansypoo53219]

1. you mean

a press 'conference' like the last stage managed chimp fest?

[ithinkmyliverhurts]

3. No, I think that may have pissed them off even more and

made them smell the blood in the water with doofus's answers. This type of scandal will make even the biggest whore dream of the pulitzer. Can they outlast the administration is the question. Will they be happy to let Blair do the talking?

[trof]

2. On accents:

Dead on.
My Brit friends think it's funny and quite amazing that Muricans think anyone with an English accent is automatically intelligent and well educated.

[LondonReign2]

5. They are

<My Brit friends think it's funny and quite amazing that Muricans think anyone with an English accent is automatically intelligent and well educated.>

They are, compared to 'Muricans. I spent three years in England, and while they too suffer from plenty of dim bulbs, nothing but nothing rivals the 'Muricans that make up Shrub's supporters.

[ithinkmyliverhurts]

4. And I want to see the press keep asking the same questions

until he answers it. I want Bush to say, "I just answered that," to which some reporter (other than the magnificent Helen Thomas) replies, "With all due respect, sir, no you didn't, and I think America and the soldiers who are over in Iraq deserve an answer." And then ask it again. And again. And when he gets off message or starts to generalize, interrupt him (he HATES this more than anything). Chimpy will go ballistic. Treat him with the contempt (politely, mind you--which means asking the questions we all want answered and not quitting until we get them) that he feels for the press.