Thursday, December 05, 2002

Fleischer actually accuses Helen Thomas of siding with Iraq:


Q Ari, two questions. What was the President thinking when he appointed an alleged war criminal to investigate a war crime? What was he thinking?

MR. FLEISCHER: Who are you thinking of?

Q Chile, Allende, Cambodia, Kissinger.

MR. FLEISCHER: Would he appoint --

Q Kissinger.

MR. FLEISCHER: Oh, I see what you're saying. Everything that I said when Henry Kissinger was appointed two weeks ago, about the outstanding integrity of Henry Kissinger and the high regard in which he's held. You should have been here two weeks ago; you missed that one.

Go ahead, you get a follow-up because you haven't been here.

Q You said Iraq has lied in the past and its continuing to lie. Kissinger lied to Congress about Cambodia. Kissinger lied to Congress about Chile. How do we know he's not going to lie about his investigation?

MR. FLEISCHER: I think that if you want to compare what Tariq Aziz said last week to what Henry Kissinger, who has ably served the United States and who continues to ably serve the United States and is held in very high regard by people in both parties, including the families of 9/11, that's your judgment, your business. The President rejects that line of thinking.

Q Where does find these great men? Where? Every one from the Iran-Contra scandal has been named to this administration. (Laughter.)

MR. FLEISCHER: Helen, tomorrow I announce your appointment. (Laughter.)


Does this mean Hitchy-poo is siding with Iraq too?

UPDATE: oops - the first part was Russell Mokhiber.