?
If you've been listening to the WH briefings lately, you'll notice that there is a new right-wing shill (who goes by the name "Les") throwing soft-balls at Scotty. His bias is as clear as his loud penetrating voice.
Who is this new "Jeff Gannon"?
(Transcript of his questions from today's briefing below the fold.)
Go ahead, Les.
New Jeff Gannon: Scott, I have a two-part. World New Daily reports that Navy Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt has now gone without food for two weeks in his protest of the Navy's ordering him not to mention Jesus in public prayer, and he's hoping very much for an executive order from the President. My question, how in the world can the President, as a devout Christian, allow the Navy, of which he is Commander-in-Chief, to engage in this suppression of the First Amendment's guarantee of the free exercise of religion?
MR. McCLELLAN: A couple of things. One, someone brought this question up earlier. I haven't had a chance to check into it fully. I will check into fully, so let me take your question. But I think this is a matter probably best addressed to the Department of Defense. But let me take a look into this specific matter.
New Jeff Gannon: In a full-page ad in The New York Times, the ACLU quotes the President on April the 20th of 2004 as saying, "When we're talking about chasing down terrorists, we're talking about getting a court order before we do so." And my question: Did the President say that, on that date? And what is your reaction to the ACLU charging that the President, "lied to the American people and broke the law"?
MR. McCLELLAN: A couple of things. I addressed this question previously. The President addressed this question again just the other day. That speech was on the Patriot Act, and the President was talking about roving wire taps in the context of the Patriot Act, so we've already addressed that.
The ACLU -- this is one of the special interest groups that Democrats in the Senate are trying to appease because they want to weaken and undermine the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act is vital to saving lives, and the President is going to hear about how the Patriot Act has helped save lives. It has also met an important commitment to protect people's civil liberties.
New Jeff Gannon: Does he --
MR. McCLELLAN: And that's why it's important that it be re-authorized. And Democrats need to set aside politics -- they're putting politics above our nation's security and they need to move forward in the Senate and let it be re-authorized.
New Jeff Gannon: Doesn't he think the ACLU is very irresponsible?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think some of the statements that they make -- that they are making sure are.
