Snow Denies White House Censored Critic, Moments After Admitting He Knew Nothing About It
Snow Denies White House Censored Critic, Moments After Admitting He Knew Nothing About It
Flynt Leverett, a Middle East analyst who served under President Bush on the National Security Council, revealed on Friday that the White House has been blocking the publication of an op-ed he wrote for the New York Times. The column is critical of the administration’s refusal to engage Iran. Leverett accused the White House of trying to “silence an established critic of the administration’s foreign policy incompetence.” (Steve Clemons, Christy Hardin Smith, and Juan Cole have more.)
Today, Tony Snow was asked about Leverett’s allegations at the White House press briefing. At first, Snow admitted, “I don’t know anything about it.” Moments later, however, he issued a definitive denial. “The White House is not blocking his writings,” Snow said.
Watch it:
UPDATE: NDN Blog has more.
Transcript:
QUESTION: Flynt Leverett — a former NSC official, Mideast expert; he also worked for the CIA — has charged that the administration has blocked publication of an op-ed he wrote for the New York Times simply because he’s critical of the administration’s Iran policy.
SNOW: I doubt that. But Flynt has been plenty critical and plenty public in the past. I don’t know…
(CROSSTALK)
QUESTION: … now being blocked because he’s become increasing critical at a time when it’s politically important for the White House to have public support for its foreign policy.
SNOW: I sincerely doubt that, but I’ll try to find out. I don’t know anything about it except, come on, it’s not like Flynt has not been out publicly on a number of occasions questioning the administration.
QUESTION: But he says the CIA has cleared this particular piece, and the White House has blocked it. So my question is…
SNOW: The White House is not blocking his writings.
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rest assure this article will be published… and the longer it takes the more the anticipation will build… it going from being a drop in the bucket to being a big splash… this will almost certainly turn out to be a positive development in the end!
Comment by G.W.SuperChrist — December 15, 2006 @ 8:44 pm
I think the splash just got a little bigger… and tomorrow it will almost certainly grow bigger still… SuperChrist you’re a genius!!!
December 18th, 2006 at 4:34 pmI think the Snow-bot needs another tune-up
December 18th, 2006 at 4:36 pmPoor Tony….can’t even keep his lies straight anymore.
Too bad we still don’t have a press that will take this administration to task for its lies…
December 18th, 2006 at 4:37 pmSo the news is not that Snow is lying – because that’s a given – but that he’s been caught lying. Which is probably not news either, to the extent that the news has to be something new.
December 18th, 2006 at 4:38 pmNot blocking his “writings”, just his “op-eds”. Apples to oranges.
December 18th, 2006 at 4:39 pmGood, then they won’t mind him publishing his piece.
Next.
December 18th, 2006 at 4:45 pmAnd here is the actual article I tried posting it up with link read the bit a see the hidden link
His 1,000-word article was based on a longer published piece that the CIA had cleared without demanding any changes, and that is available on the net. At the website talkingpointsmemo.com, Mr Leverett wrote: “The White House inserted itself into the prepublication review process for an op-ed on the administration’s bungling of the Iran portfolio.”
December 18th, 2006 at 4:56 pmTo be fair, although I dont give Tony credit for being smart enough to know he had an escape hatch – these arent mutually exclusive. He COULD know nothing about it, and can deny it, legitimately, if the white house had a policy that they stuck to, that said, we never censor ANYONE’s writings. Of course, we all know the reality.
December 18th, 2006 at 4:56 pmTHE LINK TO ARTICLE
http://www.tpmcafe.com/blog/coffeehouse/2006/dec/16/flynt_leverett_blasts_white_house_national_security_council_censorship_of_former_white_house_offici
December 18th, 2006 at 4:57 pmHey, he said he’d try to find out, and obviously, he did, in a matter of seconds: that’s how good he is ;)
December 18th, 2006 at 4:57 pmheres the Link to the actual article read it
December 18th, 2006 at 4:58 pmleverett says this in a letter, quoted in the juan cole piece:
for those who perhaps may not recall, eliot abrams is a convicted felon from the daddy bush/iran-contra days… a good quick read on this felonious rodent is here.
December 18th, 2006 at 5:03 pmIt’s a damn good thing Tony Snow isn’t a wooden puppet.
December 18th, 2006 at 5:08 pmHis nose would be getting stuck in elevator doors, presidential rectum, etc.
What you wanna bet both something are lies. In other words, perhaps he does know about the censorship. Asked once – he denied all knowledge. Asked again, he decides this is getting serious so he claims the censorship is not happening. But TONY – it is. Oh yea, we all know Tony Snow is a serial liar so back to some real news.
December 18th, 2006 at 5:09 pmleverett writes:
for those of you who do not recall your iran/contra, daddy bush felons, mr abrams is right on top of the list. please take a look at this brief history.
December 18th, 2006 at 5:15 pm“If I don’t tell several lies a day I get kinda weak and break out in a rash…
…such is the nature of my addiction to power.”
-Tony Snowjob-
December 18th, 2006 at 5:19 pmif i may, this is one of my favorite eliot abrams comments from february 2003:
as you can see, this guy is a genius! just ask the 1.6 million iraqi refugees and the people who used to work for the red crescent in baghdad!
December 18th, 2006 at 5:20 pmIce-T, you should have stuck with the “I don’t know” strategy that has been working so well.
December 18th, 2006 at 5:23 pmSuperChrist you’re a genius!!!
Comment by G.W.SuperChrist — December 18, 2006 @ 4:34 pm
And soooo modest as well : )
December 18th, 2006 at 5:33 pmGood, then they won’t mind him publishing his piece.
Comment by Spudge_Boy — December 18, 2006 @ 4:45 pm
That’s EXACTLY what they are saying. He should publish now and use this as justification for doing so. Just before he disappears of course… along with the several thousand “prisioners of war” from Afghanistan who won’t all fit at Gitmo (it only holds 500).
December 18th, 2006 at 5:36 pmThe comparisons which have been drawn between the Third Reich and the Bush administration are done with good reason.
December 18th, 2006 at 5:50 pmHere is a link from Sharon on an earlier thread from Juan Cole: http://www.juancole.com/2006/12/bush-white-house-censors-op-ed-on-iran.html
December 18th, 2006 at 5:55 pmI wonder at what point the Administration will start qualifying opinion as a terrorist activity and writers will become enemy combatants?
fly-man
that is the question… i think they will first go after the left-wing blogs as being used by the ‘terrasts’ as soon as pre-2008 elections... if gingrich had his way, we would be in guantanamo already….
December 18th, 2006 at 6:06 pmHe didn’t know anything about it before he knew something about it.
December 18th, 2006 at 6:36 pmI’m not sure why the media wastes time on the WH pressers- with the low ratings of this administration there doesn’t seem to be much of an audience for the dogma anymore. It would be fun to see a day when no reporters asked any questions.
December 18th, 2006 at 6:59 pmWhile I enjoy the transcripts for their easily satirized and lampoonable content, I sometimes just fold my arms and slowly walk away.
SuperChrist you’re a genius!!!
Comment by G.W.SuperChrist — December 18, 2006 @ 4:34 pm
And soooo modest as well : )
Comment by unbelievable — December 18, 2006 @ 5:33 pm
Hey – it’s hard to be humble when you’ve just been named person of the year;)
December 18th, 2006 at 7:15 pmIs it time for one last mission yet?
-
December 18th, 2006 at 7:33 pmHey – it’s hard to be humble when you’ve just been named person of the year;)
Comment by G.W.SuperChrist — December 18, 2006 @ 7:15 pm
I thought that’s what you, Christ, were all about – the humility?
So what about the rest of us… Are we supposed to boast as well? ; )
December 18th, 2006 at 8:10 pmTony McSnowjob, the White House spokesliar….at his best at lying just like he is still on FAUX News.
December 18th, 2006 at 8:34 pmI thought that’s what you, Christ, were all about – the humility?
So what about the rest of us… Are we supposed to boast as well? ; )
Comment by unbelievable — December 18, 2006 @ 8:10 pm
Super Christ believes in flaunting it if you’ve got it… and he suggests that you do the same=)
December 18th, 2006 at 8:48 pmSuper Christ believes in flaunting it if you’ve got it… and he suggests that you do the same=)
Comment by G.W.SuperChrist — December 18, 2006 @ 8:48 pm
Doesn’t seem to work as well for me as it does you. :)
December 18th, 2006 at 8:54 pmSnowflake,
Your pants are on fire — again.
December 18th, 2006 at 10:52 pmAt least Scottie was sweaty enough not to have to worry about his fiery pants.
December 18th, 2006 at 11:38 pmhave i mentioned lately how much i hate iran/contra felons that get pardoned and then end up in the bush crime family for a second bite of the apple!!!!
eliot abrams, you filthy felonious fisting fiend!
December 18th, 2006 at 11:42 pmSnowflake a liar?
December 19th, 2006 at 8:49 amSay it isn’t so!
Maybe he misplaced his bong right before the press conference.