Snow Backtracks, Now Claims Bush Didn’t Know Of Walter Reed Neglect

[Laura PourMeADrink]

http://thinkprogress.org/

Snow Backtracks, Now Claims Bush Didn’t Know Of Walter Reed Neglect
During yesterday’s White House press briefing, Tony Snow tried to play down the neglect uncovered at Walter Reed by portraying it as old news. President Bush “certainly has been aware of the conditions in the wards where he has visited, Snow said, affirming that the administration was aware of Walter Reed’s conditions “before the articles appeared in the paper.”

The White House has since backtracked from Snow’s comments. In a small addendum added to the bottom of yesterday’s briefing transcript on the White House website, a note now reads that Bush “first learned of the troubling allegations regarding Walter Reed from the stories this weekend in the Washington Post,” and that he is “deeply concerned” by the conditions:

[John Q. Citizen]

1. bush doesn't read the papers now does he?

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Bush knew it before he didn't know it.

Try that, Tony. It should explain everything.

[Bake]

21. The Libby Defense: He knew it, forgot it, then learned it again for the first time

And didn't remember that he'd already learned it once.

Actually, in the case of the Boy King, I'd almost believe that ...

Bake

[xultar]

3. Bush was unaware that cutting funding would have a negative impact.

Yeah and Iraq had WMDs.

[Solly Mack]

4. I made a note of that yesterday

the added footnote AFTER the press briefing was over

press briefing transcript
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x253411

[rodeodance]

5. He had 20 minutes or so yester of Constant --of course Bush is concerned

and was AWARE--------! oh tony you are such MUSH!

[Laura PourMeADrink]

7. I have to admit, Tony's good. He is a master at spin - better

than anyone. And, it just kills me to see the
press laugh along with his bullshit.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

9. I can't say I keep up with all of the press secretaries, but hasn't...

Snow backtracked more than others? It seems to me that he has.

Is the press laughing along "with" or "at"? I'd like to think "at," but after watching Scarborough last night with Crawford, Buchanan, and some guy whose name I forget, there's just waaay too much jocularity (enough with the sports metaphors!) when discussing war. It's shameful that so many find this amusing. Where's O'Donnell when you need him - he always calls them on it.

[Lasher]

15. No, the WH press corps is not laughing at Snowjob. It's vice versa.

And it really grates me too. And Junior tells them plain lies, gets caught at it, and tells them more things to just trust him on. They go along with it, with nary a one of them having the guts to say, "Excuse me Mr. President, but you admitted you lied to us in November out of political expedience when you said you were not considering the replacement of Secretary Rumsfeld. Can you give us a reason we should believe anything else you say?"

But noooooo, Junior just comes up with some extremely lameass joking and the press corps just starts yukking it up. "Good one, Mr. Funny Guy. May I have a seat on the first row? Kiss your butt, sir?"

[War Pigs]

14. Lying is just 2nd nature to these a-holes. Put him under oath

about what shrub had for lunch and his fucking head might explode.One minute he knows because he should, but if he did why wasn't something done??? Lyin' is such hard work...kinda like starting wars with other peoples kids. OJT at Faux Noise can certainly come in handy.:wtf:

[tabasco]

6. Liars. Bush had to have known about the budget cuts!

Only the delusional believe the liars anymore. Sadly, there are millions of delusional people in this country.

[rodeodance]

8. alll that spinniing makes a man Dizzy

[rodeodance]

10. Which is Wose-that he knew about the Conditions and did not do anything

about them or he did not know?-----and should have known?

[kansasblue]

22. nice.....just what I was going to add. (Bush's comment about Iran)

[rodeodance]

11. Great DU thread from yesterday about this issue.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3123976

[w8liftinglady]

12. did someone get a screen capture of yesterdays conference

[JohnyCanuck]

13. I would imagine he is deeply concerned

- deeply concerned that the story will knock a few more percentage points of his diminishing approval ratings, as even more blind eyes are opened as to what callous, unfeeling hypocrites and liars makeup the current Bush administration

[Felinity]

16. Oh!

Well never mind, then. He didn't even know. Let's face it, there's a lot of "unknown unknowns" to *.

Does the phrase, "can't find his ass with both of his hands" apply to anyone you can think of?

[deadparrot]

17. It's really a lose-lose situation for old George, isn't it?

If he didn't know, he looks vapid and unconcerned about ailing veterans.
If he did know...well, he KNEW. And he didn't do anything about it.

[gatorboy]

18. Old news? Is that when Bush visited Walter Reed?

Bush Visits Wounded Troops at Walter Reed

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/07/01/national/w143327D36.DTL

President Bush expressed his gratitude to the nation's men and women in uniform on Friday, praising them for "laying the foundation for peace for generations to come."

Bush visited 37 soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan and being treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington.

"Every time I come here I am struck by the remarkable resolve and courage of the men and women who are treated here," he said.

Presidential spokesman Scott McClellan said it was an emotional visit for Bush. He said one soldier who had lost a leg struggled to rise so that he could stand at attention to salute Bush.

[riderinthestorm]

29. And he's been to Walter Reed how many times? Really?

And he's never seen the crowded conditions? And/or nobody's ever told him? Somehow he's been there oodles of times ("Every time I come here..." implying he comes there A LOT) and nobody's ever pulled him aside and said "I'm getting screwed out of my disability by the veterans boards" or "my room at building 18 is making me sick" or "the roaches are carrying away my bed at night" or.....??!

:argh:

Ya know people have been saying this for a LONG time about the slipping veterans care, the diminishing dollars, the brain injuries lacking quality rehab etc. How the fuck did dimwit manage to escape even the most basic complaint???

[Arkansas Granny]

30. That makes me think that the soldiers he sees at WR are screened

just as carefully as his audience at other events. Can't have anyone making waves.

[Broken Top]

32. He's been to Walter Reed How Many times? Really?

He's been to Walter Reed? B.S. Bush hasn't been to Walter Reed until yesterday when the fool was forced to go because someone finally got up enough gumption to bring the shocking conditions into the open and he made the visit because he could no longer ignore the hospital or its occupants.
The mainstream media is a hopeless collection of spineless babblers and scribblers who will not ask Snow (the propagandist) a single profound question. This country is going down and the people responsible are treated with kid gloves and the media does nothing but carry water for the White House.
Who has been in charge at Walter Reed? Where are the doctors to allow such terrible care and conditions? How did such deplorable conditions develop in the first place and why were they allowed to fester into the major cesspool it has become? Identify this person or persons responsible and hold them accountable. Isn't that one of the Republican "values"--responsibility? Oh my God they are so disgusting. When are they going to move these sick veterans out of there into decent living condition with decent care? The questions go on and on and the media laughing clowns find the entire episode one great big joke!
This is supporting the troops Repug style!
Broken Top

[swimboy]

19. "Can we get that Brownie guy workin' on it?"

"Is he still around? He got New Orleans all arned out."

[IWantAChange]

20. more cracks in Repug BizzaroWorld starting to appear?

The spin cycle doesn't seem to be as efficient as it was prior to Nov '06 election does it???

[dsharp88]

23. As Bush would say, "I don't know which is worse..."

he knew about it and did nothing, or he didn't know the condition of our Veterans hospitals in the first place.

It can't be the former because, as we all know, he stands behind our troops and he would have done something.

It can't be the latter because, as we all know, he had the Veterans Healthcare Bill killed by the republican congress on April 15, 2005 because it wasn't needed.

It is a puzzlement...

[swag]

24. Never mind. Somebody beat me to it.

[Skip Intro]

25. Guess it depends on what your definition of "certainly" is. n/t

[Skittles]

26. SPINNING IS HARD WORK

WHAN AN ASSWIPE

[racaulk]

27. .

[Counciltucky]

28. Anyone notice Bush is always "deeply concerned" about something?

And that nothing ever gets done?

[Hubert Flottz]

31. Bush want's to cut and run from the truth about all his tax cuts...

Why is America broke?

[opihimoimoi]

33. America is broke cause we let the Fox guard the hen house...its dat simple

Le Flippe Flopper...farmer ma bouche