Thomas Veil
May 13, 2006, 04:35 PM
Tony Snow on His First Press Gaggle: "This is Just a Mess"
By E&P Staff
Published: May 12, 2006 11:40 AM ET
NEW YORK Ending his first week on the job on a chaotic note, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow on Friday conducted his first informal "press gaggle" this morning, but had to admit when it went awry, "This is just a mess."
It followed two days of Snow counter-attacks on press coverage of the administration. After complaining earlier in the week about articles in The New York Times, USA Today and on CBS News, he added the Associated Press and Washington Post to the hit list on Thursday.
Snow has not scheduled a formal press briefing until Tuesday but attempted the more informal morning "gaggle" today. After scheduling it for 9:00, he switched it to 9:30 -- then began at 9:15, causing protests.
"Well, I apologize," Snow said. "That's just flat my fault."
Then he had to admit he did not know enough to answer many questions, and referred a couple to deputy press secretary Dana Perino. She spoke so softly he had to intervene, reading some talking points from a sheet of paper. "As the new kid on the block, I'm not fully briefed on the issue," he said, or words that effect, numerous times.
Meanwhile, several dozen members of the press corps were unhappily crammed into the tight quarters of his West Wing office instead of the usual briefing room, leaving some out in the hall. "This is just a mess," he acknowledged good-naturedly.
When Helen Thomas asked what he'd do to make President Bush more "credible," he replied curtly, "I'm not going to answer questions about credibility." Snow also said that he had no financial links to Fox News, no promise of a job to return to there, and not even a Fox pension (he said he stupidly did not take part in their 401-K offer).
Earlier, on Thursday, continuing its "Setting the Record Straight" media critique, Snow's office had knocked the AP for a story headlined: “Army Guard, Reserve fall short of April recruiting goals.” The White House, acting as a kind of conservative version of Media Matters, countered: “The Army National Guard, Air Force Reserve, and Marine Corps Reserve all have exceeded or achieved their year-to-date recruitment goals.” That did not address the April numbers, however.
The White House also noted that the Washington Post ran an editorial calling Bush’s tax cuts “a windfall for the rich” on Thursday, the same day it published a news article saying the measure would aid the middle class.
Snow at the gaggle today defended the "Setting the Record Straight"
effort, claiming it was strictly "factual."So apparently the modus operandi has gone from McClellan's "I can't comment on that" to Snow's disingenuous Limbaugh-like spin.
I doubt this'll help Bush any. I don't think even Republicans believe what's coming out of the White House these days.
Editor & Publisher link (http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002501851)
By E&P Staff
Published: May 12, 2006 11:40 AM ET
NEW YORK Ending his first week on the job on a chaotic note, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow on Friday conducted his first informal "press gaggle" this morning, but had to admit when it went awry, "This is just a mess."
It followed two days of Snow counter-attacks on press coverage of the administration. After complaining earlier in the week about articles in The New York Times, USA Today and on CBS News, he added the Associated Press and Washington Post to the hit list on Thursday.
Snow has not scheduled a formal press briefing until Tuesday but attempted the more informal morning "gaggle" today. After scheduling it for 9:00, he switched it to 9:30 -- then began at 9:15, causing protests.
"Well, I apologize," Snow said. "That's just flat my fault."
Then he had to admit he did not know enough to answer many questions, and referred a couple to deputy press secretary Dana Perino. She spoke so softly he had to intervene, reading some talking points from a sheet of paper. "As the new kid on the block, I'm not fully briefed on the issue," he said, or words that effect, numerous times.
Meanwhile, several dozen members of the press corps were unhappily crammed into the tight quarters of his West Wing office instead of the usual briefing room, leaving some out in the hall. "This is just a mess," he acknowledged good-naturedly.
When Helen Thomas asked what he'd do to make President Bush more "credible," he replied curtly, "I'm not going to answer questions about credibility." Snow also said that he had no financial links to Fox News, no promise of a job to return to there, and not even a Fox pension (he said he stupidly did not take part in their 401-K offer).
Earlier, on Thursday, continuing its "Setting the Record Straight" media critique, Snow's office had knocked the AP for a story headlined: “Army Guard, Reserve fall short of April recruiting goals.” The White House, acting as a kind of conservative version of Media Matters, countered: “The Army National Guard, Air Force Reserve, and Marine Corps Reserve all have exceeded or achieved their year-to-date recruitment goals.” That did not address the April numbers, however.
The White House also noted that the Washington Post ran an editorial calling Bush’s tax cuts “a windfall for the rich” on Thursday, the same day it published a news article saying the measure would aid the middle class.
Snow at the gaggle today defended the "Setting the Record Straight"
effort, claiming it was strictly "factual."So apparently the modus operandi has gone from McClellan's "I can't comment on that" to Snow's disingenuous Limbaugh-like spin.
I doubt this'll help Bush any. I don't think even Republicans believe what's coming out of the White House these days.
Editor & Publisher link (http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002501851)
