McClellan Says 5 Minute Meeting Is Proof Bush Welcomes “Honest Critics”

[sweetm2475]

At today’s briefing, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan cited a meeting with officials from former administration last week as proof that Bush is open to honest criticism about his policies in Iraq:

"They know the difference between honest critics who question the way the war is being prosecuted - we welcome that. In fact, the president has met with some of those honest critics. He met with a number of them just last week…

The president has sat down with administration officials from previous administrations, some who did not agree with the decisions, some who do not agree with everything we’re doing in terms of moving forward on that strategy, and listened to their ideas. We welcome those ideas. That’s honest critics."

That’s right, he listened to ideas from 13 officials from previous administration for “5 to 10 minutes…before herding the whole group into the Oval Office for what he called a ‘family picture.’”

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/01/10/honest-critics/

[Loonman]

1. Oh geez, good one, Snotty

:argh:

[gratuitous]

2. And some of us knew going in that this would happen

Yet chumps like Madeline Albright still showed up to get bullied by Stupidhead and then be used as props "supporting" his policies. Hell, I'm just a doofus with a modem far away on the West Coast, and I spotted this coming as soon as I heard about it. What kind of a chump is Robert McNamara that he didn't figure this out, too?

[Captain Hilts]

5. You're assuming that they knew how the 'meeting' was going to be.

And so long as creeps like MacNamara are going to be there, it's good Albright was there.

[gratuitous]

12. All I'm saying is that I knew what this "meeting" was going to be

I've seen Bush pull this stunt before. Remember his one-day economic summit in Waco? Whatever came out of that? Bush solemnly promised the participants that, although he couldn't stay for the whole day (pressing matters required his presence elsewhere) he would read all the reports and transcripts generated by the summit, and carefully consider them before coming out with his Grand Exalted Theory for the Fulfillment of a Unified Continuum of Careful Economic Development (GETFUCCED). Never heard another word about it.

When I heard that Bush was "meeting" with all the surviving former Secretaries of State and Defense from every past administration, I knew in a heartbeat that this would end up the same as the Waco summit: A great deal of sound and fury, signifying nothing. And if folks like Albright, McNamara and the rest didn't know this going in, I still say they're chumps. Albright's attendance was not to rein in McNamara, offer penetrating insights and analysis or anything else except to provide window dressing for another photo op.

[fooj]

3. Right. It takes longer to take a good, healthy shit!

Peace.

[TheCowsCameHome]

8. It takes O'Lielly, Limbaugh, Liddy, and Hannity 3 hours each day.

[Vickers]

4. C'mon, 13 people, 5 minutes? That's almost 23 seconds each!

Plenty of time to get their points across!

:sarcasm:

I spent more time listening to my kids propose putting a Little Tikes picnic table in the TV room. :spank:

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

17. Yes. Do the math.

http://www.shoppingcomparison.co.uk/IMGE/vvvzingmkdvhrzbnl/ik!_rrdsr/oqnctbs/230196568.jpg

[Vickers]

18. Aw man, I can't wait to show my kids your graphic!!!

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[TheCowsCameHome]

6. Bush wouldn't know honest if he was in an ocean full of it.

[OneTwentyoNine]

7. Hey Scott,hows that ulcer coming along??

Having to drag out of bed each day and tell bald face LIES to the media and American public must be an ass kicker on the gut. Some can take it,others get taken out by that kind of lifestyle. Lets see how it shakes out for you.

Unless you resign you have a little over three years of this BULLSHIT left!!

[underpants]

9. Sounds like how they listened to enviro and consumer groups

on the energy policy.

something like 40 groups had two hours with a VP staffer BEFORE the energy plan was available for anyone to read. Basically they read their mission statements and were told to leave.

[Loonman]

10. It was nothing but a photo-op and cheap political stunt

Bush must think the people are really stupid.

[JAbuchan08]

11. that works out to less than one minute per official

[eppur_se_muova]

13. That depends on what the meaning of the word "honest" is...

and the meaning of the word "critic"...
and the meaning of the word "welcomes"...
and Clinton only wanted to debate the meaning of the word "is"...

[Jacobin]

14. "honest critic" equals someone who agrees with US staying in Iraq

Bush^ is such a fuckwad

[vixengrl]

15. Heh heh--taking honest criticism, five minutes at a time.

If two-three of the five minutes can be him snippily defending himself. But the picture lasts longer than the meeting and conveys the impression of agreement.

I guess no one dared do "horns" behind his head.

[NativeTexan]

16. Hell...5 or 10 minutes is more.....

....that it took for the idiot to decide to invade Iraq!!

[demgrrrll]

19. The White House Press needs to go all Animal House on Scotty

coughing and saying bullshit and blow me when the little bastid is speaking. I'd probably pay to see that.