McClellan: ‘We Are On the Way to Accomplishing the Mission’
McClellan: ‘We Are On the Way to Accomplishing the Mission’
Three years ago today, President Bush stood under a banner that proclaimed “Mission Accomplished” and announced that “major combat operations in Iraq have ended.”
Today, at the end of a testy exchange with a reporter, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan offered a revised slogan: “We are on the way to accomplishing the mission.” He also accused those who brought up the original banner of “misrepresenting and distorting the past.”
Today, at the end of a testy exchange with a reporter, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan offered a revised slogan: “We are on the way to accomplishing the mission.” He also accused those who brought up the original banner of “misrepresenting and distorting the past.” Watch it:
Full transcript below:
QUESTION: Scott, given the current situation in Iraq, what the president described today as havoc…
MCCLELLAN: As a what?
QUESTION: Havoc — he used the word havoc today — could he, would he, possibly stand under a sign that says Mission Accomplished today, as he did three years ago?
MCCLELLAN: Well, I think that there are some Democrats that refuse to recognize the important milestone achieved by the formation of a national unity government. And there’s an effort simply to distract attention away from the real progress that is being made by misrepresenting and distorting the past.
And that really does nothing to help advance our goal of achieving victory in Iraq.
QUESTION: So, Scott, simply yes-or-no question: Could the president stand under a sign today…
MCCLELLAN: No, see, this is a way that…
QUESTION: This has nothing to do with Democrats. I’m asking you…
MCCLELLAN: Sure it does.
QUESTION: … based on reporter’s curiosity: Could he stand under a sign again that says Mission Accomplished ?
MCCLELLAN: Democrats have tried to raise this issue. And like I said, misrepresenting and distorting the past, which is what they are doing, does nothing to advance the goal of victory in Iraq.
QUESTION: I mean, it’s an historical fact that, you know, we’re all taking note of…
MCCLELLAN: Well, I think the focus ought to be on achieving victory in Iraq and the progress that’s being made. And that’s where it is.
And you know exactly that Democrats are trying to distort the past.
QUESTION: Let me ask it another way: Has the mission been accomplished?
MCCLELLAN: Next question.
QUESTION: Has the mission been accomplished?
MCCLELLAN: We are on the way to accomplishing the mission and achieving victory.
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Scotty wants to go out in a blaze of bullshit. (Can bullshit blaze?)
May 1st, 2006 at 2:42 pmgive em hell while he’s still there boys.. he isn’t getting out that easy =)
May 1st, 2006 at 2:44 pmWhat exactly IS our mission again?
May 1st, 2006 at 2:45 pmI will miss him so much – that deer-in-the-headlights look.
May 1st, 2006 at 2:45 pmWhat a whiny bitch. I hope every single briefing is like this one, or worse.
May 1st, 2006 at 2:46 pmthey’re on the way to accomplishing the mission like i’m on the way to the store right now….i’m thinking about it, but i aint’ exactly getting up outta my chair yet.
May 1st, 2006 at 2:47 pmThere are different missions in Iraq.
May 1st, 2006 at 2:47 pmFor a true look at the past take the Presidential Trivia Quiz. Just click on Clyde.
Please pass it along.
May 1st, 2006 at 2:49 pmI can’t believe people still think that this “mission accomplished†event was in reference to what the current situation is in Iraq today.
Comment by Tracy — May 1, 2006 @ 11:05 am
The ousting of Saddam and his regime from power.
“If you listen to what was said by Pres. Bush this was the implied meaning of “Mission Accomplishedâ€.â€
That is what you and so many others out there thought. It was rather clear to me.
Comment by Tracy — May 1, 2006 @ 11:29 am
Hi Tracy, so whats your spin on this one, it seems you and the White House disagree today on what mission was exactly accomplished. Tracy you seem too normal to be backing these fools, you are just making yourself out to be a fool.
May 1st, 2006 at 2:52 pmWow. Scotty sure throws that curse word out there to feed the base doesn’t he? What curse word you ask? Democrats, of course. LMAO! For the life of me, I can’t figure out what democrats have to do with Dumbya’s decision to dress in a flight suit and stand under a banner stating “mission accomplished”. I am so ashamed that these people are in charge of my country.
May 1st, 2006 at 2:56 pmI would have all my speeches open-ended and ambiguous if I knew I would be held accountable to what I say. And I can always go back and say, “thats not what I said”, or “did you hear that one small qualifyer I said”.
May 1st, 2006 at 2:58 pmYes, it was all the Democrats’ fault that three years ago Bush stood infront of a banner stating “Mission Accomplished”, and said major combat operations in Iraq were over.
May 1st, 2006 at 2:59 pmColbert was better in his audition video than this. I suspect that if a reporter asked Scotty what color his boxers were today, he would have started with the sentence with: “the Democrats…”
May 1st, 2006 at 3:00 pmHow is the past being misrepresented and distorted, is the video tape made up of liberal magnetic particles?
May 1st, 2006 at 3:00 pmPresident Bush:
- “Mission Accomplished.” (President Bush’s Backdrop, May 1, 2003.)
- “Major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed.” (President Bush, May 1, 2003.)
- “This mission isn’t easy, and it will not be accomplished overnight.” (President Bush, June 18, 2005.)
May 1st, 2006 at 3:01 pmIf one were to look up the word obfuscation in the dictionary, it should say- see McClellan, Scott. It will be interesting to see if Tony Snow will be able to lower himself to such diminished expectations.
May 1st, 2006 at 3:01 pmAnyone remember the Tom Hanks?? movie were he was a corporate media rep, and started telling the truth instead of spin? I think it would be funny for Mclellan in his last days to start telling the truth. Can you imagine him say “Well Dubya wanted to be the wartime president, and since afganistan was too small, and since we didn’t like Saddam anyway…
May 1st, 2006 at 3:01 pmIt’s Bill Clinton’s fault…… Also, it must be Clinton’s fault that Scotty and Bush are both dimwits.
May 1st, 2006 at 3:04 pmAfter Rove’s indicted, after we (Democrats) get back the Senate and House, and after Dubya is impeached : then it will be MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. Until then, it’s business as usual.
May 1st, 2006 at 3:04 pmSCOTTY’S “MISSION” IS TO WALK AWAY FROM A FEW MORE DONUTS.
May 1st, 2006 at 3:05 pmthe only distortion is between your ears Scottie……whheeoooo…whheeoooo…wheeoooo…
May 1st, 2006 at 3:07 pm#17. It was Dudley Moore.
It was called “Crazy People”
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099316/plotsummary
May 1st, 2006 at 3:08 pmWhen does Tony take over?
May 1st, 2006 at 3:09 pmIts not I am thinking of a different movie, I do think “crazy people” was funny though.
May 1st, 2006 at 3:09 pm#1
May 1st, 2006 at 3:13 pmFirst you have to put it into a brown paper bag and then you put it on the White House doorway and ring the bell.
MCCLELLAN: We are on the way to accomplishing the mission and achieving victory.
In other words, “no”
May 1st, 2006 at 3:22 pmI found the movie, it was called “Head Office” and starred Judge Reinhold, that is most likely why I couldn’t remember the movie well. Anyway he starts being honest with the press on why his company is doing some really bad things. I would like to see McClellan do the same before he leaves.
May 1st, 2006 at 3:23 pmSo, when will the mission, though already “accomplished”, really be “accomplished”? 5 years, ten? This is the reason the BA sacked Sotty. Though I guess he can’t really articulate a on-existant strategy.
http://www.lcoliberal.blogspot.com
Liberal commentary with an edge: LCL
http://www.sunstateactivist.org
May 1st, 2006 at 3:23 pmThe latest on the May 1 Immigration protests
#17
May 1st, 2006 at 3:24 pmI think you’re thinking of “Liar, Liar”, a Jim Carrey movie.
So if The President is the decider, does that make Mr. McClellan the great distorter?
May 1st, 2006 at 3:26 pmAfter re-reading the transcript above, I think Scotty snuck in the answer hoping no one would catch it. The exchange:
QUESTION: So, Scott, simply yes-or-no question: Could the president stand under a sign today…
MCCLELLAN: No, see, this is a way that…
Hmmmm????
May 1st, 2006 at 3:48 pmsomewhat off topic – and i hope this isn’t a repeat – did you hear about this?:
Josh Bolton is considering doing away with televised Press Briefings
that’s all we need…
May 1st, 2006 at 3:55 pmWhen is Scott’s last day at the White House press room? We all need to give him a fond farewell > lol I mean a swift kick to his butt! Bye bye Scotty boy!!!
May 1st, 2006 at 3:55 pmHow is the mission accomplished when we’re about to leave on our THIRD tour over there?
MISSION ABOLISHED!!!
May 1st, 2006 at 4:03 pmWhen does Tony take over?
Comment by Ugh #23
Ugh
…When he completes his Jeff Gannon School of Journalism refresher courses…
May 1st, 2006 at 4:07 pmscotty would’ve been a great person to have around as a kid, if you broke anything that would make Dad mad.
“your car was already smashed up BEFORE we took it out without your permission. in fact, Sir, we took it to be repaired without bothering you with the details. but then it got hit in another wreck, a bizarre coincidence, Sir, but strange things happen. and yes, we had a little drink after that, but Sir, we were in shock and hard liquor helps calm the nerves… i hope you’re not still thinking of punishing us after All We’ve Been Through…” – starts whimpering. “All we really want is a hug…”
May 1st, 2006 at 4:07 pm“in fact, Sir, it was the Democrats fault. i don’t usually tell tales, but it was the Democrats that smashed it up.”
May 1st, 2006 at 4:09 pmmy special anniversary card
May 1st, 2006 at 4:10 pmDear God, when will this war against Terrans be over?
May 1st, 2006 at 4:51 pmLately McClellan has bee throwing out “Democrats” the way conservative bloggers throw out “Clinton”. Neither can answer any questions about how the Bush administration has screwed up without trying to convince us it was the Democrats or Clinton’s fault.
So much for the personal responsibility party.
May 1st, 2006 at 5:04 pmWill the democrats who put up the ‘Mission Accomplished’ banner please step forward……..
Now snotface says..’we’re on our way to..MissionAccomoplished ?????, well snotface WE are on our way to Impeach bush.
68% rule
May 1st, 2006 at 5:06 pmBadmoodman:
He’s the flaming cowchip of freedom.
May 1st, 2006 at 5:06 pmCool!!!
Scotty is channeling Bagdad Bob again. I love reruns like this.
May 1st, 2006 at 5:08 pmmcclellan couldn’t eat baghdad bob’s shorts! at least bb was right more than 20% of the time…
May 1st, 2006 at 5:16 pm
The only place the Republicans are on their way to is the door.
May 1st, 2006 at 5:17 pmWhere is Tracy to defend her position?
May 1st, 2006 at 5:20 pmYeah, and the Sun is “on the way” to burning itself out. 2 weeks after that, Sunnis and Shiites will learn to live in harmony.
May 1st, 2006 at 5:21 pmif only mcclellan that fat little sweaty lying piece of dogsh-t were to come to the podium and quote bb:
“the insane little dwarf Bush”
Rumsfeld is a “crook” and “the most despicable creature.”
“Bush doesn’t even know if Spain is a republic or a kingdom, how can they follow this man?”
Rumsfeld is “the worst kind of bastard”
“We feed them death and hell!”
Bush “knows that he is standing in quicksand when it comes to his baseless talk on Iraq”
Even those who live on another planet, if there are such people, would have condemned this action before it started
May 1st, 2006 at 5:24 pm
Caption contest:
“We are now seeing evidence of accomplishment-related, mission activities in Iraq today.”
May 1st, 2006 at 5:48 pmMcClellan on the mission…
Bullshit accomplished. From Think Progress:QUESTION: Has the mission been accomplished? MCCLELLAN: We are on the way to accomplishing the mission and achieving victory.On the way? How reassuring….
May 1st, 2006 at 6:02 pmWhat do they expect when they so often misrepresent and distort the present?
May 1st, 2006 at 6:52 pmI was suprised that the followup question was not asked with “what misrepresentation has been made of the “Mission Accomplished” statement?”
May 1st, 2006 at 6:58 pm#9 That was the first thing I thought of when I saw the headline. McClellan uses “The Mission” singularly so it can’t be yet another mission.
May 1st, 2006 at 7:31 pm#9 That was the first thing I thought of when I saw the headline. McClellan uses “The Mission” singularly so it can’t be yet another mission. Tracy’s less than honest defense of “Mission Accomplished” is so hokey it isn’t even worth debating.
May 1st, 2006 at 7:32 pmWe’re on the way to accomplishing the mission?! WTF?
May 1st, 2006 at 7:47 pmThe Press Corps should have all nailed him on that one – not just the one guy in the back of the room.
This is one thing they can’t blame on the Democrats.
Snippy little prick.
May 1st, 2006 at 8:44 pmCome one, come all to the latest installment of the Bing “George W.” Crosby and Bob (Scottie) Hope “on the Road” movies: “We’re off on the road to Accomplished”
May 1st, 2006 at 9:17 pmMisrepresenting and distorting the past?!? McClellan apparently thinks that he’s suddenly become O’Brien from “1984″…trying to convince us that we never actually saw the “Mission Accomplished” banner because it never actually existed outside our own imaginations, and it’s all the fault of those awful Deomcrats!
Reminds me of a quote by Richard Pryor relating the story of a man whose wife catches him in flagrante delicto — “Who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes?” Talk about “gaslighting” someone…
For the love of all that’s sacred…we’ve turned so many “corners” by this time that they have (as Edwin Abbott described in “Flatland”) become too small to be perceived by the naked eye. To all appearances, we’re just going around in a circle…
May 1st, 2006 at 10:33 pm“Mission Accomplished” he proudly proclaimed.
(Pay no attention to the killed and the maimed)
Where’s the WMD’s? Under the Desk? Under the Chair?
He crawled on his knees, as if they were there.
T’were none to be found, this reason for war,
But not to worry, there’s reasons galore!
Saddam was a bad guy, we all know that’s true!
He tortured his people, and murdered them too!
For the sake of the peace-loving folks in Iraq,
Bush had no choice but to order the attack.
On missiles, on stealth planes, on bombers and fighters!
On armor, on soldier, on embedded news writers!
Our army took Baghdad, Tikrit and Kirkuk,
In a glorious campaign for the history book.
We rolled through the country with relative ease,
Yet found no trace of the WMD’s.
Thousands have died for this “noble causeâ€
Their blood the price of a war full of flaws.
“What noble cause?†a mother did cry,
“My son is dead, because of a lie!â€
“Mission Accomplished†the banner read.
May 1st, 2006 at 10:54 pmAnd three years later, thousands more are now dead.
It isn’t even amusing to beleager Scotty anymore. Where was the MSM back in the day when calling the Administration on it’s lies might have changed something? Scotty is unassailable
May 1st, 2006 at 11:40 pmin the depth of his sock puppetry.
#54: #9 That was the first thing I thought of when I saw the headline. McClellan uses “The Mission†singularly so it can’t be yet another mission. Tracy’s less than honest defense of “Mission Accomplished†is so hokey it isn’t even worth debating.
Comment by JPark —
To #9 and #54,
May 2nd, 2006 at 12:37 amI already wrote on another thread why I think Tracy may be a paid troll or shill. In any case, his work or at least his goal apears to be to distract from the point of the thread. My experience is that once he runs out of excuses for Bush–which inevitably happens, he clams up, as he has done now. To borrow your words, most of his excuses are too “hokey” to be “even worth debating.”
Ps. Briseadh na Faire,
May 2nd, 2006 at 12:41 amMy compliments on your poem. Well-done both as poetry and very true in terms of recent history.
Lora, thank you.
Tracy –
In other words, Tracy, the “mission” has always been a clear violation of Article 2, Section 4 of the United Nations Charter, i.e. AN INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIME!!!
May 2nd, 2006 at 12:52 am# 63 Briseadh na Faire:
Timely words all.
”Greetings,well-met fellow,hail !”
May 2nd, 2006 at 3:15 amBaghdad Scottie Strikes Again!!!!
May 2nd, 2006 at 4:43 amOh, and Baghdad Tony Will Be Snowing Us Shortly!!!!
May 2nd, 2006 at 4:45 amI’m sick of the way he keeps blaming Democrats. ‘well some Democrats are trying to…”
May 2nd, 2006 at 8:06 amI suppose the 60+ percent of Americans who disagree with the war are all Democrats?
President Bush defined “the mission” just before the invasion:
May 2nd, 2006 at 10:35 am
Where is Tracy? Off trolling some other site? Hiding under a rock? What is the going rate to sell out your country anyway?
May 2nd, 2006 at 11:13 amAnd another thing – How did the WH press corps. let snotty get away with blaming the Dems for that Godawful Mission Accomplished banner Just how are WE Democrats “Misrepresenting and distorting the past”? I hope Snotty takes a bad beating today.
May 2nd, 2006 at 11:18 amMcClellan: We are on the way to accomplishing the mission
Sure makes me wonder what our mission really was.
May 2nd, 2006 at 11:20 am#9- That is quite possibly the stupidist comment I have read on this site. Let me be clear here, I am talking about Tracy’s comment only. People do not think that an event that occured THREE YEARS AGO has anything to do with something that was, at that time, still THREE YEARS IN THE FUTURE!!! No such ‘reference’ exists, outside of your mind, that is. Bush has an unfortunate tendency to ‘jump the gun’, shouting, “I know, I know!”, but he is wrong every time, not that he cares. It was someone else’s fault, he was just repeating what ’someone else’ told him.
May 2nd, 2006 at 12:13 pmDistorting the Present
Just heard a clip of the McClellan bit on the Franken show on AA: Franken’s partner delivered the great response:
May 2nd, 2006 at 12:38 pm
Badmoodman asks in regard to Scotty’s comments,
Ever hear of explosive diarrhea?
May 2nd, 2006 at 12:44 pmThis administration has a terminal case.
Scotty is, we all agree, a flaming bag of poo.
Flame away, Scotty!
May 2nd, 2006 at 2:02 pmRe: If he knew there were no WMDs going in, and “The Mission” was disarmament, how can such a mission be accomplished? Methinks it could not have been started to begin with.
And, #63, good one.
PS. And where is I-crossed-I? I miss him. [sniffle]
May 2nd, 2006 at 2:05 pmOnce more Scott,
…this time with FEELING!
May 2nd, 2006 at 2:37 pm[...] (h/t Think Progress for the transcript) [...]
July 26th, 2006 at 1:34 amNaked Girls Naked Black Men Girls Naked
I can not agree with you in 100% regarding some thoughts, but you got good point of view
March 19th, 2008 at 9:23 pm