Did anyone see that dustup David Gregory had with Tony Snow

[Skidmore]

at the WH press conference yesterday? I saw a bit of it on Countdown. I was in class all day yesterday so I didn't get to watch the press conference. Gregory called Snow on laughing at a question about the war that he had been asked. Told him that the question was a serious one that the people would like answered.

[wicket]

1. This is what I could find from the transcript:

LINK

David.

Q I just want to try to clarify this point. Are you saying that the President is, as we sit here today, opposed to the idea of a phased troop withdrawal that has behind it the intention of pressuring the Iraqi government on the idea that U.S. troops are not there for good? For or against that proposition?

MR. SNOW: Well, why don't we wait until somebody actually proposes it, other than a couple of sentences --

Q Well, actually, it's more than a couple of sentences. I mean, the campaign is over --

MR. SNOW: No, it's -- the campaign, that's right, the campaign -- well, the campaign is over. But Democrats now have to put meat on the bones. And so all I'm saying, David, is that if there is a proposal that would succeed in laying out the proper ways of an Iraq that can sustain, govern, and defend itself -- but the President has also said, and I'll reiterate --

Q -- this is not a new idea.

MR. SNOW: It's an idea that still doesn't have any detail in it. It isn't fleshed out. It is not something that allows you to have any metric by which somebody does this. And, furthermore, David, there are more than -- there are a whole series of Democratic proposals. I think before you start getting into the position of trying to get me to respond, you probably need to get the Democrats, those doing the speaking, to fix on what they think the proper counterproposal, if there is one.

Our view is let's figure out how to work together on this. But I'm just not going to get into the position of going in and responding to things that, again -- if you can show me --

Q Tony, wait a second. You're casting this off as slogans, quoting The New York Times. There's a serious idea on the table. It's not just Carl Levin's, it is others within the Democratic Party. It is a serious idea. It's one that presumably the Iraq Study Group is studying, and that is the notion of a phased withdrawal with some benchmarks. Is the President opposed to that, or supportive of that?

MR. SNOW: Like I said, as I said -- what are the benchmarks?

Q I'm asking you a question --

MR. SNOW: No, no, no, I just made the point that what you have is something that's nonspecific. So what are the benchmarks? If you -- see, this is why I'm not going to answer the question as you framed it.

Q I'm asking you a direct question, which is --

MR. SNOW: No, I'm giving you a direct -- let me do it and then you can come back at me, okay?

Q No, Tony, because you're interrupting the thought. You're asking me questions. I'm asking a direct question: There is an idea on the table that is not willy-nilly, that is not opaque, it is specific. It is the idea of phased troop withdrawal that Republicans and Democrats have referred to, that has behind it the notion of pressuring the Iraqi government. Yes, there are details to be worked out, but it is still a proposition that is a serious -- oh, you can laugh. I mean, I don't know how many people in the public think that's a funny idea. The point is this is a serious point, and you either have a position, or you don't. Is the position of the President that he has no position on it?

MR. SNOW: No, the position is -- as I think I succeeded in making the point when I asked you what the benchmarks were and you said you didn't know. You give me a proposal that's got something to react to. If the conditions on the ground do not merit withdrawal, the answer is, no.

Furthermore, the Iraqis have plenty of incentive. The idea that somehow you have added incentive -- these are people who are dying in large numbers. They understand what the incentives are. And they are the ones going out and risking their lives to vote, and they are the ones who are committing blood and treasure to this. They are the ones who have spent every day and night worrying about it because their very existence depends upon it, David.

So as far as trying to get me to, again, respond to something that is an idea -- but it's a caricature of a plan because it doesn't have any meat and bones on it. When somebody comes back and has benchmarks and that sort of thing, then we'll be happy to talk.

[Sedona]

5. Video is on the Span

Its at c-span.org link is half way down the page
White House Press Briefing with Tony Snow (11/13/2006)

Gregory is about 7:30 in.

Sorry, I cant post the link, maybe someone a little more geeky can figutre it out.
(and I mean geeky in a NICE way :hug:)

[wicket]

8. Thanks Lisa!

:hug:

[Jensen]

11. Go David!

Welcome to DU LisaCea!:hi:

[hippiechick]

7. Wow, Tony was twistin like a frisbee in a tornado !!

:rofl: :rofl:

[Waya]

2. Only saw the snippet in Countdown.........

[izzie]

3. I saw it on Imus and frankly I thought Snow was foolish.

I think it is a bad move to make fun of stopping a war. That was not what Imus was thinking I take it.

[Cass]

4. I saw the excerpt played on Countdown. Tony Snow came off like a real jackass. I am so glad David

Gregory called him on his idiotic behavior.

[H2O Man]

6. It was beautiful.

I feel sad for the republicans who are attempting to spin it as a Snow victory. They know that anyone watching the film clip knows Gregory put Snow in check.

[spanone]

9. Snow represents his boss well. He rivals * as an asshole.

[global1]

10. Just Like A Tornado Finally Spins Itself Out - So Has Tony....nt

[catmandu57]

12. I don't think they realize how serious we are

We threw out the fuckers to get the hell out of Iraq, amid other things. These smarmy bastards have been getting their way so long, that they don't fully realize it's over, after a few more smack downs they're going to be whimpering in the corner.

[praeclarus]

13. We can't leave Iraq until it can defend itself...

... against us.

Simple.

[emulatorloo]

14. Kick n/t

[Metta]

15. Snow putting G down because he couldn't give chapter and verse on policy.

It's not his job to make or be familiar with policy specifics. Snow was toying with him, distracting him from the question which G was on to, happily. Snow was also using the tired Republican shell game of a fake set of choices in an attempt to steer the conversation away from the question.

G did a decent job of holding Snow's feet to the fire, given his reaction and not calling Snow on his deception.