The Failed Pacifist

White House Now Refuses to Talk

After years of commenting on the Valerie Plame case, usually to deny any involvement, the White House today began stonewalling in a BIG way! When asked today about Karl Rove's apparent involvment in the case, White House spokesman Scott McClellan repeatedly gave answers along the line of "Again, you're continuing to ask questions relating to an ongoing criminal investigation and I'm just not going to respond to them".

Clearly miffed, the reporters pointed out numerous times during this investigation that the White House was willing to comment. When a reporter asked "When did you change your mind", McClellan's response was "There came a point, when the investigation got under way, when those overseeing the investigation asked that it would be — or said that it would be their preference that we not get into discussing it while it is ongoing." This of course lead to the inevitable question, and the inevitable reply:

Q: When did they ask you to stop commenting on it, Scott? Can you pin down a date?

MCCLELLAN: Back in that time period.

Q: Well, then the president commented on it nine months later. So was he not following the White House plan?

MCCLELLAN: I appreciate your questions. You can keep asking them, but you have my response.

So there you go. It seems the press may be on to something. One wonders when it will come out.

posted by Doran @ 3:05 PM