Wednesday, May 25, 2005

"Did we invade those countries?"

In today's press gaggle at the White House, Helen Thomas asks Scott McClellan to explain the meaning of the word "invitation." (Thanks to freepress4all for the catch.)

Q The other day - in fact, this week, you said that we, the United States, is in Afghanistan and Iraq by invitation. Would you like to correct that incredible distortion of American history –

MR. McCLELLAN: No, we are - that's where we currently –

Q - in view of your credibility is already mired? How can you say that?

MR. McCLELLAN: Helen, I think everyone in this room knows that you're taking that comment out of context. There are two democratically-elected governments in Iraq and –

Q Were we invited into Iraq?

MR. McCLELLAN: There are two democratically-elected governments now in Iraq and Afghanistan, and we are there at their invitation. They are sovereign governments, and we are there today –

Q You mean if they had asked us out, that we would have left?

MR. McCLELLAN: No, Helen, I'm talking about today. We are there at their invitation. They are sovereign governments –

Q I'm talking about today, too.

MR. McCLELLAN: - and we are doing all we can to train and equip their security forces so that they can provide for their own security as they move forward on a free and democratic future.

Q Did we invade those countries?

MR. McCLELLAN: Go ahead, Steve.
For extra enjoyment, go take the Lou Dobbs QuickVote poll at CNN, which asks, "Do you think the Bush White House is trying to manipulate the media?" At this writing, 96% have answered "yes." Sounds like a mandate to me.

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