Who was that reporter grilling McClellan at the press conference?

[Skidmore]

Randi Rhodes just played this. It was great? She was really raking him over the coals to explain the DSM hearings and the petition.

[chalky]

1. I was just wondering this myself.

Wish I could get my hands on some video of this press conference.
I'd like to see not only her but those beads of sweat that popped up on little Scotty's forehead while she grilled him like a steak.

[Kahuna]

2. It sounded like that April, what's her name.... She's...

an attractive 30 something, African American reporter.

[NewInNewJ.]

3. If you are talking about yesterday

It was April Rand, not sure of last name, but April was the one.

[slor]

4. She was paying her penance for her famous...

"how is your faith holding up, Mr. president?" question that she asked when he launched his illegal war.

[niceypoo]

5. Rest assured she'll never be called to ask again

Hense goes the standard at the Bush whitehouse press gatherings, ask hardball questions, be ignored from here on out.

[Blue Belle]

6. I wonder if she gets to come back into the room again...

She'll probably be replaced with a more "user friendly" reporter.

I hope not. We need to keep grilling these bastards.

[Kazak]

7. Transcript?

Sounds juicy!

[pacalo]

8. It was April Ryan of American Urban Radio.

To see this particular exchange, go to http://www.c-span.org/videoarchives.asp?CatCodePairs=,&ArchiveDays=100

Move the queue bar to the 30:11 point.

Another exchange between Spot & Terry Moran was interesting. This one begins at 8:14 on the queue bar. Listen to the emphasis Moran puts on the words "last throes" (from a recent Cheney quote). Stick with it; they go back & forth at least 6 times before Spot finally dismisses Moran.

[chalky]

9. Thanks for that 8_year...

"Any idea how long a 'last throes' lasts?"

Scotty ran screaming from that question, didn't he?
It would have been sweet if the next reporter (Steve) had said, "No, I'm gonna let Terry finish. He was asking the question I wanted to ask, anyway."

[pacalo]

10. YW, chalky.

Did you also notice how Spot lost his train of thought & stumbled over his words when he went on to "Steve"? :)

[Emit]

11. I can't get that link to play, but the transcripts here from the WH

show he called her Elaine:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/06/20050616-5.html

<<snip>>
Elaine, go ahead. Let me keep going because the President is going to be speaking here shortly, so I want to try to get around to others who have their hands up, as well.

Q Scott, on another topic, has the President or anyone else from the administration responded to the letter sent last month by Congressman John Conyers and signed by dozens of members of the House of Representatives, regarding the Downing Street memo? Has the President or anyone else responded?

MR. McCLELLAN: Not that I'm aware of.

Q Why not?

MR. McCLELLAN: Why not? Because I think that this is an individual who voted against the war in the first place and is simply trying to rehash old debates that have already been addressed. And our focus is not on the past. It's on the future and working to make sure we succeed in Iraq.

These matters have been addressed, Elaine. I think you know that very well. The press --

Q Scott, 88 members of Congress signed that letter.

MR. McCLELLAN: The press -- the press have covered it, as well.

Q What do you say about them?

Q But, Scott, don't they deserve the courtesy of a response back?

MR. McCLELLAN: Again, this has been addressed. Go ahead...
<<snip>>

[Emit]

12. My bad, later he calls on April:

<<snip>>

April.

Q Scott, on John Conyers, John Conyers is walking here with that letter again, as you have acknowledged from Elaine's comment. But 88 leaders on Capitol Hill signed that letter. Now, I understand what you're saying about him, but what about the other 88 who signed this letter, wanting information, answers to these five questions?

MR. McCLELLAN: How did they vote on the war -- the decision to go to war in Iraq?

Q Well, you have two -- well, if that's the case, you have two Republicans who are looking for a timetable. How do you justify that?

MR. McCLELLAN: I already talked about that.

Q I understand, but let's talk about this.

MR. McCLELLAN: Like I said --

Q Well, just because -- I understand -- but wait a minute, that's not -- if leaders from Congress -- if you're talking about unifying and asking for everyone to come together, why not answer, whether they wanted the war or not, answer a letter where John Conyers wrote to the President and then 88 congressional leaders signed? Why not answer that?

MR. McCLELLAN: For the reasons I stated earlier. This is simply rehashing old debates that have already been discussed.

Q What is it that the President can tell the American people in terms of progress on the ground in Iraq that can help reverse what we've see in public opinion polls in the last month, a majority, for the first time, saying that it's not --

MR. McCLELLAN: I don't know it's necessarily the President, but anybody in the administration, as well -- the Secretary of Defense, our commanders on the ground, the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are continuing to update the American people about the progress being made on the security front. The President will also talk to them about the progress being made on the political front. There's a lot of progress. But he'll also talk about the difficulties and dangers that remain, that we continue to face.

<<snip>>

[pacalo]

13. TY, Emit

[Contrary1]

14. Wow, I finally understand it now......

desperation of the insurgents aka: "last throes" = higher number of dead US troops and innocent Iraqi civilians.

Thanks Scott.