Tony Snow, House Sergeant At Arms Rebut Right-Wing Attacks On Pelosi
Tony Snow, House Sergeant At Arms Rebut Right-Wing Attacks On Pelosi
You know the right wing has gone off the ledge when even Tony Snow can’t stand by their attacks.
During today’s White House press briefing, Snow beat back the false claim that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) wants to misuse government resources. Snow called the conservative attacks a “silly story,” arguing that it is “important for the Speaker to have this kind of protection and travel.”
SNOW: I’ll just repeat our position, which is, as Speaker of the House, she is entitled to military transport, and that the arrangements, the proper arrangements are being made between the Sergeant of Arms office in the House of Representatives and the U.S. Department of Defense. We think it’s appropriate, and so, again, I think this is much ado about not a whole lot. It is important for the Speaker to have this kind of protection and travel. It was certainly appropriate for Speaker Hastert. So we trust that all sides will get this worked out.
Also today, House Sergeant at Arms Bill Livingood released a new statement emphasizing that it was he — not Pelosi — who requested she use an aircraft capable of flying non-stop to her district in California to “ensure communications capabilities and also enhance security.”
In a post 9/11 threat environment, it is reasonable and prudent to provide military aircraft to the Speaker for official travel between Washington and her district. … The fact that Speaker Pelosi lives in California compelled me to request an aircraft that is capable of making non-stop flights for security purposes, unless such an aircraft is unavailable. This will ensure communications capabilities and also enhance security. … I regret that an issue that is exclusively considered and decided in a security context has evolved into a political issue.
UPDATE: Watch Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN) using Snow’s words to squash the plane story on the House floor.
Read the full Sergeant at Arms statement:
Statement of the House Sergeant at Arms
As the Sergeant at Arms, I have the responsibility to ensure the security of the members of the House of Representatives, to include the Speaker of the House. The Speaker requires additional precautions due to her responsibilities as the leader of the House and her Constitutional position as second in the line of succession to the presidency.
In a post 9/11 threat environment, it is reasonable and prudent to provide military aircraft to the Speaker for official travel between Washington and her district. The practice began with Speaker Hastert and I have recommended that it continue with Speaker Pelosi. The fact that Speaker Pelosi lives in California compelled me to request an aircraft that is capable of making non-stop flights for security purposes, unless such an aircraft is unavailable. This will ensure communications capabilities and also enhance security. I made the recommendation to use military aircraft based upon the need to provide necessary levels of security for ranking national leaders, such as the Speaker. I regret that an issue that is exclusively considered and decided in a security context has evolved into a political issue.
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52 Responses to “Tony Snow, House Sergeant At Arms Rebut Right-Wing Attacks On Pelosi”
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OT… But its going to be a Friday release
Pentagon Inspector General to release investigation into secretive pre-war Iraq intelligence group
http://www.rawstory.com/ news/ 2007/ Pentagon_Inspector_General_to_release_investigation_0207.html
February 8th, 2007 at 6:05 pmSure protect Pelosi so Americans don’t find out that Hastert transported kids for Finger Foley and most likely much more. Are people that dumb that they don’t realize Pelosi lives a longer distance then Hastert from DC. I guess it better to keep talking about dumb stuff then to deal with our troops being killed like sitting ducks. Americans are really more interest in Pelosi’s plane problem then the troops.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:06 pmYou know the right wing has gone off the ledge
No further explanation necessary.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:07 pmTony Snow has a shred of integrity?
THE RAPTURE! THE RAPTURE! PRAY FOR YOUR SOULS!
February 8th, 2007 at 6:08 pmTony Snow? The voice of reason?
February 8th, 2007 at 6:08 pmThey are freaking out because she’s a woman. Don’t try to deny it, well, I guess when the boys can’t even consciously see that, how could they admit it.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:08 pmFirst Obama, then Edwards, and now Pelosi…….
Who’s next in line for an unsubstanciated attack from the RW
…hmmm Hilary
February 8th, 2007 at 6:08 pmAre people that dumb that they don’t realize Pelosi lives a longer distance then Hastert from DC.
Comment by Jackie Rawlings — February 8, 2007 @ 6:06 pm
Yes.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:09 pmThey are freaking out because she’s a woman. Don’t try to deny it, well, I guess when the boys can’t even consciously see that, how could they admit it.
Comment by ForTruth — February 8, 2007 @ 6:08 pm
They’re freaking out because she’s a Democrat and she’s smart (and no, the two don’t usually go together). Her being a woman makes her an easier target. They wouldn’t be getting worked up about that.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:12 pmI find about 14 holes in this article.
Post or direct me to a FULL TRANSCRIPT or it did not happen as you would like.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:14 pmRemember to forward this info to Lou Dobbs. We’ll see if he wants to keep on lying after this.
Copy Wolf Blitzer and CBS News on it, too.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:16 pmOFF TOPIC - but i just heard something cool on rachel maddow…
CLINT EASTWOOD on cavuto - CLINT ripped into the wingnuts today…
gotta find a clip of that one! … CLINT!… ROWDY!!! …
February 8th, 2007 at 6:16 pm…
Who’s next in line for an unsubstanciated attack from the RW
Comment by lib4
You are until you learn how to spell
unsubstanciated?
No more needs said really.
Nuff said.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:17 pm#10 urban crawl
I find about 14 holes in this article.
Feel free to list them.
Post or direct me to a FULL TRANSCRIPT or it did not happen as you would like.
TP, Talking Points Memo, and Raw Story all posted the same letter from Livingood. Look around and see if you don’t find it anywhere else. Until you come up with some evidence to prove it wrong, this one stands.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:20 pmand so, again, I think this is much ado about not a whole lot.
no, tony - it IS much ado-ooooo about SOMEthing…
it is about HYPOCRISY and LIES and your RESPONSIBILITY to shut this story down, NOW…
your attitude in PATRONIZING and CONDESCENDING.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:25 pm.
So the first lady gets to ride in her own private C-22, but not the elected speaker of the house and second in line behind the president?
Wow, these republicans sure have their priorities straight!!!! The again, considering Laura’s driving record, maybe it’s best they don’t let her behind a wheel!!! ;)
February 8th, 2007 at 6:25 pmJackie,
the republicans are more interested in Pelosi’s plane problem. I doubt the American public gives two shits.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:27 pmI love how a post supporting the use of jets to transport certain individuals around follows a post about global warming. Air Force 1, a 747, uses an immense amount of fuel just to shuttle Dubya around.
Alas, though, there may be no alternative.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:27 pmA simple question…
February 8th, 2007 at 6:27 pmHow many roundtrip flights from DC to San Francisco can Ms. Pelosi take before it equals the cost of a single day for the ‘war on terror’?
In case anyone forgot, the war, by conservative measures is costing $25 miilion/day. This is why Snow isn’t complaining.
It’s typical. They fling some red meat to the right wing propaganda machine, let it rot and fester for about a week, then issue a correction that the 30 percenters will never hear.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:28 pmDid anyone here see Lou Dobbs comment on this tonight? He is indignant that he was criticized; he stands by his assertions; he is outraged that Murtha has requested DOD flight records and allowances for the past two years; he claims there is no reason for the plane she asks for - he ignored the Sargeant at Arms involvement; he ignores all the arguments that oppose the rant he has been on for 7 days. He remains defiant.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:31 pmThe leader suggests that Mr. Snow disagrees with the shout media campaign to label Speaker Pelosi self-serving and greedy for wanting an aircraft that can transport her and her staff as readily to Northern California as the aircraft that transported Mr. Hastert to Illinois. He seems more interested in simply not taking credit for it.
Apparently, the Air Force thinks it’s obligated to provide transport only east of the Rockies, and has the authority to dictate ethics issues to the 110th Congress it readily ignored when transporting the 109th.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:35 pmDon’t fall for it.
The smear is coming from the White House.
Tony Snow is playing good cop.
The White House Office of Management and Administration controls use of the VIP airplanes. That office reports to Joe Hagin or Karl Rove. They leaked the memo - they’re the bad cop.
And DOD, AGAIN, comes off looking like it’s snubbing Congress.
It was a WH smear, again.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:36 pmTony’s speaking out one side of his mouth, instead of two. I’m glad he got that problem looked at, finally. Now, if we can just get Rumsfeld out of that Pentagon office, where he has been hiding.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:40 pmTony didn’t loose his corporate sponsored jet because of new house ethics rules.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:49 pmThr RW are corrsct in their objections. If they did not fight for protecrion for the blackhawk contractors , qhy should they protect Pelosi…
Grow up children the parties almost over
February 8th, 2007 at 7:02 pmIt was a WH smear, again.
Comment by pity the fool
Proof or you are full of shit.
I thought so.
No more needs said really.
February 8th, 2007 at 7:07 pmNuff said.
Typical Democrat. Win one battle and like a schoolchild thinking ALL the toys are for them only at xmas, gets the smack down. Comment by Pelosi, Go Gas Up Your Broom — February 8, 2007 @ 7:03 pm
Typical Republican. Lose one battle, and like a schoolchild thinking tha ALL the toys are for them only at xmas, tries to deprive others of their perks.
Funny how that works isn’t it?
Why should she ride in luxury and at all that expense!
The plane could fit every member of the House for Christ sakes! Comment by Pelosi, Go Gas Up Your Broom — February 8, 2007 @ 7:03 pm
Because in the twisted world of the Republican, security, and riding in luxury only matters when the house speaker looks like fat b*stard and won’t fit in an airplane seat.
No Pelosi! >smack on your tiny little clenched fists> You cannot have it all the political war hasn`t even begun yet and you think the spoils of war actually belong to you. Comment by Pelosi, Go Gas Up Your Broom — February 8, 2007 @ 7:03 pm
Did you look in the mirror when you clenched your tiny fists?
You republicans are such a sad, and pathetic example of the child that won’t grow up.
What a presumptuos little trot you are. Go shine your wicked witch of the west boots. And by the way, gas up your broom, you have responsibility now remember? Comment by Pelosi, Go Gas Up Your Broom — February 8, 2007 @ 7:03 pm
What a disrespectful, stupid and childish post.
Take a cab you old washed up dyke. Comment by Pelosi, Go Gas Up Your Broom — February 8, 2007 @ 7:03 pm
Then we have the women hating, clear example of hate speech blaring out from the he-man woman hater’s club.
What a sad little child. You sound like that loser Hendler. Just think, if she were black, you could exhibit all of your bigotry in one childish little rant!!!!
February 8th, 2007 at 7:17 pmProof or you are full of shit. — corporate greed
Back at ya, santo/rachel/IDIOT
Prove your claimed L33T hacker skills and tell me or ForTruth what OS we are running, you sad lil troll
You can change names constantly but your idiocy always shines through.
February 8th, 2007 at 7:28 pm#23 pity
Don’t fall for it.
The smear is coming from the White House.
Tony Snow is playing good cop.
“By, Jove! I think you’ve got it!!”
February 8th, 2007 at 8:00 pmMakes you wonder what poobah at the Pentagon is losing his ride to the Speaker. The leaker is probably the put-out party. humph.
February 8th, 2007 at 8:02 pmSnowjob knows that the longer these lies are perpetuated which highlight the sheer hypocrisy of the GOP (Denny Boy flying damage control people on his military plane for the Foley pedophile case), the greater the damage overall to Rethugs nationally as well as further squelching ANY chance that a Rethug will take the presidency in 08.
I say: Let them put nails in their own coffins which they seem to be doing, quite handily, each day. Between the outing of the lies leading us to war aka Libby’s trial and Cheney’s involvement (and Bush’s??) to the never-ending daily litany of lies, coverups, and fraud of this GOP over the past 6 years and there will be no one left in the Republican Party come 08!
The longer they look like hypocrites, the more ground the Dems will gain between now and the election. So, I say….”let ‘er rip” and let them continue to be hoist on their own pitard.
February 8th, 2007 at 8:09 pmTony….Snow….sounds…..reasonable….can’t….compute….error…..error….error…FZZZZZZT!!!! (Universal sound for brain circuitry overload)
February 8th, 2007 at 8:10 pmYep…..
February 8th, 2007 at 8:11 pmSnowjob is the circus “barker” - trying to polish the turd! All smoke ‘n mirrors when one of these frauds begins to appear to have a conscience. Good cop ’tis! Nice try, WH and Snowjob but the people are onto ya’ - big time.
It would seem to me that, at this point, there’s no escaping the daily damage to this GOP - which comes from 6 years of cavalier criminal misdeeds. They try to smear Pelosi which then happens to remind the american public about how Hastert was so worried that he flew in Shittkus to do some immediate “damage control” for his enabling of Foley…..so now the whole disgusting, amoral situation with Hastert/Foley/Boehner is front and center…..which is worse??? They thought they were smearing Pelosi but end up with all the manure on their own faces - AGAIN! It’s clear that they are running out of ways/means to continue this fraud any longer. Time to roll over and clear the way…
February 8th, 2007 at 8:14 pmIt is important for the Speaker to have this kind of protection and travel. It was certainly appropriate for Speaker Hastert.
In other words, if it was good for the goose…
It’s almost hard to believe, but next to the scandal pushers Snow actually sounds sane, and reasonable.
I hope the plane scandal pimps like crow.
In a post 9/11 threat environment […]
I love it when the talking points can be thrown back at the Republicans in Congress; “this is the post-9/11 world”, “things changed after 9/11″ -I got sick of hearing that as an excuse for the Bush administration excesses.
Now that the tables have turned, Republicans are finding out their once-beloved “post 9/11 world” is not as snug when they’re not in control…
February 8th, 2007 at 8:23 pmIt’s easy to see that the Pentagon is behind this smear - it’s ‘Feith/Rumsfelds-revenge’. It’s even more poorly executed than the Iraq policy though - schmucks.
February 8th, 2007 at 8:25 pm#13 No more needs said really.
Try using correct punctuation when dressing someone down for poor spelling.
February 8th, 2007 at 8:31 pm#13 Proper grammar would work, too.
February 8th, 2007 at 8:33 pmBush loses $9 billion in Iraq and that’s okay. But Pelosi would like to use a military plane for security purposes, and suddenly that’s an abuse of gov’t.
Yeah, right.
Get back to me when Pelosi loses that much money and we’ll talk.
February 8th, 2007 at 9:16 pm#41 One of those righty admin officials said…”Does it really matter?” Yeah, I think it does. At least to those who have kids who have to pay for that 9 bil.
February 8th, 2007 at 9:20 pm(The Right in best whiny voice): “but, but it isn’t okay if your a Democrat!”
(stomps feet, throws self to ground, attempts to hold breath to blue in face)
February 8th, 2007 at 11:14 pmLet’s get past the flight issue. Senators and Representatives all get ‘perks’ that everyone has overlooked for years from special flights to free postage. (Personally, I think as much as they are getting paid and thier retirement/voted-out-of-office benefits they should be flying their own plane.) I’m more interested in the Minimum wage issue–Why is one small island, Samilia, excluded from the wage hike in the bill that is before the House? Things that make you go “hmmmmm”.
(Just read the Terms of Use Agreement for this blog. Would like to know who is monitoring your site? From what I have read just tonight, there is a lot of policical bashing going on. I read, I listen, I learn. I speak)
February 8th, 2007 at 11:39 pmSnow said “Much to do about not very much.” when the quote is “Much to do about nothing.” and the commotion is about exactly that. Nothing! By saying “not very much” he’s really leaving the door open to the notion that there may be something there. With Hastert’s situation, there really is something there.
February 9th, 2007 at 1:28 amPelosi is smart? Was she smart to tout “San Fransisco Morals” while the mayor was having an affair with this best friend/chief of staff’s wife?
February 9th, 2007 at 2:07 amMy post was deleted somehow or it messed up. Oh well.
Anyway, this is what it said: “Tony Snow actually said something sensible for a change? Cool! Keep it up (Doubt it though).”
February 9th, 2007 at 8:27 amQueen Nan deserves everything she’s getting over the “Imperial Taxpayer Paid Jetliner” scandal.
She rode traitorMurtha into office on a pledge of being different than the GOP Congressional leaders and operating a clean, ethical Congress. Within moments out of the block, she helps ChuckieRangel take over new palatial digs in the Capitol, she tries to get one of the longest standing corrupt politicos in DC the #2 job on her team (AbScamMurtha), she agrees to unfair distribution of committee seats to the Democrat Party, and now she’s got a tit in the ringer because she was caught acting just like the former Congressional leaders.
Sorry, no tears here. And for you hardcore partisan Democrat water-carriers here, the WH spokesman Tony Snow did what was professionally prudent… do nothing to tick off Queen Nan or she’ll start screwing the pooch on Iraq just out of spite… instead of misguided policy. Or maybe she’d get that traitorMurtha to threaten Tony to a Rose Garden fistfight?
What a spiteful, mean group of “leaders” the Democrats have chosen to elevate. Thank God it’s only 2 years til the American voters can correct the mistake.
February 9th, 2007 at 11:33 amHey Michigan Matt, It’s Michigan Karen: Why don’t you comment on President Bush a couple of weeks ago flying his Air Force One Jet (a 747 no less) a whole 98 miles from Washington DC to Baltimore (?) to deliver a speech on — Energy Conservation.
February 9th, 2007 at 12:07 pmSo Snow has a brain after all.
February 9th, 2007 at 4:26 pmEver notice that when men get scared they attack…..
with words, with guns, with bombs, with lies!
Move over boys, the women are going to showyou all how to run a house, if you want to argue… go ask you mothers!
February 9th, 2007 at 4:57 pmWell, Shet Ma Mouth an’ Call Me Dumbfounded! I NEVER thought I would see something reasonable and good come out of Tony Snow’s maw beside the usual psychobabble gobbledygook and Bushland Uber Allies doubletalk that he spews out on a regular basis! It seems that the white house and CHIMPya are on a “Kiss Up to the Democrats” campaign to try and catch the Democrats off guard by making “Nice-Nice”–AIN’T GONNA WORK!!!!! We Americans know bullcrap when we see and smell it, and no amount of feelgood lying tactics is going to disguise it–RETRIBUTION TIME is in the works, and no amount of ass-kissing brown-nosing is going to assuage it!!!!!
February 9th, 2007 at 7:23 pmTesting…
March 6th, 2007 at 12:07 pm