Perino On CIA Tapes: ‘Nothing I Have Said Has Been Contradictory’ — Just Evasive
Perino On CIA Tapes: ‘Nothing I Have Said Has Been Contradictory’ — Just Evasive
After the White House complained about a “subheadline” in today’s New York Times — which read “White House Role Was Wider Than It Said” — Dana Perino announced that the paper would “retract that headline, and they are going to run a correction tomorrow.”
At today’s press briefing, the White House press corps bombarded Perino with at least 20 questions on the issue of whether the White House had previously acknowledged the involvement of other staffers in the destruction of the CIA tapes. Perino argued the Times story was “saying that I had misled the American public on this. And I have not. There is nothing I have said that has been contradictory.” Watch it:
Perino may not have been contradictory, but she has been evasive, repeatedly refusing to address the White House’s role. For example, when asked on Dec. 7 whether there was “any White House involvement in approving or commenting upon” the tapes destruction, Perino responded that she “couldn’t answer”:
Q: Was there any White House involvement in approving or commenting upon their destruction?
MS. PERINO: As I said, the President has no recollection knowing about the tapes or about their destruction, and so I can’t answer the follow-up.
In today’s briefing, CNN’s Ed Henry pointed out that the White House has privately been telling reporters that it was urging the CIA not to destroy the tapes:
In fact, right after the story first broke, people within the administration did say privately that, in fact, Harriet Miers had told the CIA not to destroy the tapes, and that that suggested that the White House, in fact, was saying, Don’t destroy. Now, this New York Times story is saying four people in the president’s or vice president’s inner circle actually talked to the CIA about it. So that does suggest a wider role.
Perino countered that she is “not accountable for all the anonymous sources that you turn up.” And yet, the media pursues anonymous sources because Perino continues to be evasive about the role of White House staffers in the destruction of the tapes.
UPDATE: Steve Benen writes that the White House response is missing the big picture: “After we learned about the torture tapes, the official White House line was that Bush’s lawyers urged the CIA not to destroy the videos. … And now the NYT has spoken to some officials who insist Bush’s lawyers actually did the opposite.”
UPDATE II: Dan Froomkin suggests, “The best indicator of how seriously this White House is involved in a political scandal may be how emphatically it refuses to comment.”
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December 19th, 2007 at 3:32 pmI would love to see Maureen Dowd walk in and pull her hair on camera. The shit will sell some newspapers.
December 19th, 2007 at 3:33 pmGreat. Another ‘clarification’ from little Miss Information.
December 19th, 2007 at 3:36 pmPerino countered that she is “not accountable
Says it all.
No one in this maladministration considers them accountable. For anything.
December 19th, 2007 at 3:36 pmShe’s lying. She repeatedly suggests that the CIA consulted its own counsel and only its own counsel in determining whether to destroy the tapes.
From December 7, 2007 press conference:
“Q And if it’s so defensible, then why destroy any part of it?
MS. PERINO: Again, I’m not going to comment on that. The CIA has made its comment. They’ve said that they — that the agency made its decision, and it was based — and it was done in consultation with their legal counsel. And let’s let the CIA Director gather those facts, and we’ll see what they come up — what they say after that.”
The CIA legal counsel wasn’t the only counsel consulted. So, what exactly was wrong with the NYT’s headline, sub-headline? Administration caught telling half-truths again better?
From other parts of the briefing:
“Q Can you elaborate on what the role of the White House Counsel’s Office is in this?
MS. PERINO: Well, they’re the appropriate — the CIA General Counsel’s Office is the one that is helping to gather the facts for General Hayden. And so it’s appropriate that our Counsel’s Office be the ones that are communicating with them.
Q So just a — you’re saying it’s just a legal liaison between here and there, or is the White House Counsel’s Office helping the CIA get its story together on this?
MS. PERINO: They’re helping them gather facts. We said we would support them in that.”
Earlier in the conference she stated:
“Q Dana, a follow-up to that, was anyone else in the White House notified about the existence of the tapes, aware of the existence, aware that they were going to be destroyed, that they were destroyed? The Vice President? Anyone else in the White House –
MS. PERINO: As I said — I already said that I asked about the President — look, if we can get you answers on other people, I will. The Vice President’s office has a press office and you can contact them.”
And the last question asked:
“Q Back to this tape story. The CIA says the tapes were part of an internal check that they put in place after the President authorized this questioning technique. So what’s the ramification of the destruction of that record that they instituted to –
MS. PERINO: I think this goes back to the question regarding the legal advice that the CIA got from their counsel, and I don’t have — again, I don’t have the facts on it, and I don’t have any reason to question their legal advice. But that, obviously, will be a part of what the CIA general looks at.”
December 19th, 2007 at 3:39 pmIt’s astounding that they object to the charge that “it is wider than they said” by essentially saying, “we never said it wasn’t that wide”.
So, how wide is the White House’s involvement in the illegal destruction of evidence? – Answer: They won’t say.
December 19th, 2007 at 3:39 pm“So, how wide is the White House’s involvement in the illegal destruction of evidence? – Answer: They won’t say.”
So let presume its as bad as bad can be (cuz it’s likely a whole lot worse), hold the hearings and then quickly and all move on with our lives with President Pelosi in office for whatever remains of ‘08.
At some point, even the GOP has to get tired of smelling the sh@tpile Cheney has created and little-Mr.-not-curious allowed.
December 19th, 2007 at 3:41 pmIsn’t it a shame that the reporters have never heard of Lexis/Nexis (or even YouTube) and therefore can’t find a documented source of what was said last week ????
NARF!
December 19th, 2007 at 3:43 pmI agree, good-golly,
I find the phrase “White House sources” itself an indication of zero credibility. If they had a shred of credibility anymore, they couldn’t be working in this White House. I find the whole concept of having a White House Press Conference absurd; why give them so many opportunities to lie to us all the time. Lord knows, there is nothing they could say that I would believe at this point.
December 19th, 2007 at 3:44 pmOperation Pass the Buck is underway again.
Ah remember the good old days when the Bushistas claimed that the ‘adults were in charge now’?
Funny stuff.
-GSD
December 19th, 2007 at 3:44 pmPerino and the WH want it both ways: First they immediately proclaim that Bush’s hatchet-lady Harriet Miers told the CIA NOT to destroy the tapes which definitely implies white house involvement from the outset.
Now we learn that 3 additional white house attorneys have also been involved. This White House is the biggest gang of liars and thugs in this nation’s history. They lie every day to the american people and somehow, amazingly, they are not impeached for this stonewalling, vaguery, and intentionally misleading the public. They do not deserve to have the respect of the people nor do they deserve to remain in office.
Join Wexler’s move to impeach Cheney today! Once he’s gone, then he can go after Top Fat Cat.
December 19th, 2007 at 3:51 pmAs a Democrat I think that the tapes should have been made public then we could have known the phone numbers of the al Qaeda guys
Comment by Billy Hill — December 19, 2007 @ 3:42 pm
Yeah. That’s the primary question they ask during an interrogation. What’s your phone #? You have got to be the dumbest troll ever. Can’t you just date convicts sitting on death row like your other buddies?
December 19th, 2007 at 3:52 pmGOOD….LET THE NY TIMES PRINT THE STORY 100 TIMES MORE
IT ONLY SERVES TO SHOW BUSH IS WAR CRIMINAL.
SUBMIT YOUR CRIMINALS TO THE HAGUE
December 19th, 2007 at 3:52 pmThis daily onslaught of lies in the faces of americans is doing more to erode and destroy our american spirit than anything else going on. Most americans can’t tolerate watching these fools any longer.
December 19th, 2007 at 3:52 pmOn topic, however, I see nothing evasive or misleading about her answers. What is misleading is the constant quoting of so-called “anonymous†sources with no accountability or credibility.
Comment by good_golly — December 19, 2007 @ 3:38 pm
Ok then. I assume that if you see those kind of answers in 2009 when a Dem is President you’ll be equally satisfied. I won’t.
December 19th, 2007 at 3:53 pmGreat. Another ‘clarification’ from little Miss Information.
Comment by Peter C
Didn’t you mean to say “little miss dis-information”?
December 19th, 2007 at 3:53 pmHow many more times are we going to accept this clear “obstruction of justice” by those in our highest offices? We had a belly full of it with the outing of Valerie Plame which everyone knows was done with the blessings (and instigation) of Bush & Co. And now this? Intentional destruction of justice simply to cover Bush’s a$$ for war crimes. This country is going down the abyss quickly.
December 19th, 2007 at 3:54 pmI don’t know about you but I’m getting pretty sick of seeing this airhead pretending to be knowledgeable and continuing to dish out vague, misleading information every day of the week. Can someone give her the hook already?
December 19th, 2007 at 3:55 pmOn topic, however, I see nothing evasive or misleading about her answers. What is misleading is the constant quoting of so-called “anonymous†sources with no accountability or credibility.
Comment by good_golly
I, for one, am very glad for the “anonymous” sources. If they weren’t allowed to be anonymous they probably would not speak out for fear of retaliation by the Bushies.
BTW, do you want to point out any subject that has been reported based on “anonymous” sources that has proved not to be true.
BTW, it’s too bad that your moniker CHL got banned. I just wish that UP would ban based on IP address, then we wouldn’t have to suffer with your idiocy under another moniker.
December 19th, 2007 at 3:55 pmThese daily press briefings have come to be known as Bush’s Flea Circus and the GOP Dog ‘n Pony Show.
December 19th, 2007 at 3:56 pmBilbo: So that’s why we haven’t had our threads pigged out by CHL any more. That makes perfect sense. Now on to banning his IP as well and that would mean something.
As for the anonymity factor, it’s essential in this administration since they clearly take retribution on people who speak against their heinous crimes.
December 19th, 2007 at 3:57 pmwhat a wasted 7 or 8 years
1980: Bush VP, 1984: Bush VP, 1988: Bush, 1992: Clinton, 1996: Clinton, 2000: Bush, 2004: Bush, 2008: Clinton, 2012: Clinton?
OR EVEN 34 Years
its like Vote for the crook or the crazy
December 19th, 2007 at 3:58 pmAs a Democrat ….
Comment by Billy Hill
Hillbilly – why do you start every post with “as a Democrat”. Everyone here knows that you certainly are not a Democrat. If you tried to register in the Democratic Party, they would throw you out in a heartbeat.
Flag this idiot, please.
December 19th, 2007 at 3:59 pmThis twat hopes to stay relevant.Just like her retarded boss.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:00 pmNothing evasive about her answers? Really, when the story broke she said she’d spoken to W and he didn’t recollect begin told about them before the day before when he was briefed. She then passed all the blame on the CIA’s counsel’s office and suggested that someone speak to the VP’s office because in this administration the VP has his own agenda, separate and apart from that of W.
What she didn’t say that day was that 4 White House attorneys were involved in discussions with the CIA attorneys. Nope, not evasive at all.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:00 pmPerino is like a hog farmer throwing slop to the pigs.
I am tired of her Tokyo Rose shtick.
-GSD
December 19th, 2007 at 4:01 pmShe’s doing her job and doing it well.
She’s hiding non-answers and non-denials in so much sloppy rhetoric and half-baked suppositions that the logical mind has no recourse but to mentally gag and throw the metaphorical BS Flag.
And we get so worked up by what she’s saying (or not saying) and start hurling invective at her, that we forget the true crime and the true target.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:06 pmIt’s time for the Press Corps to boycott WH press conferences.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:06 pmKind of like foreign-born, dumb rednecks, huh?
December 19th, 2007 at 4:10 pm“There is nothing I have said that has been contradictory.â€
———————————————-
This explains why Blondie Peroxide seems to have difficulty giving straight answers– or answers at all. As long as she doesn’t actually say anything, she can’t be accused of saying anything contradictory.
Sort of like Bill Clinton stopping short of penile/vaginal intercourse with Monica Lewinsky so he could “truthfully” say he didn’t have sex with her.
WHY do these people think we’re idiots?
December 19th, 2007 at 4:10 pm“She’s doing her job and doing it well.”
Amazing outlook. She’s a paid public servant whose job is suppose to be answering questions put to her by the press regarding what the Unitary Executive is or is not doing.
The idea that she, as the spokesperson for the Unitary Executive, can pass the buck by simply saying go ask someone else makes a mockery of her job — providing the taxpayers, general public, nation and world at large, with actual information — and exemplifies the childlike word games this administration plays.
If the executive is truly unitary, then she and her boss need to go out and find the answers to the questions people are asking. If she or they can’t provide answers to simple questions on the most important matters of the day, then why pay her salary?
December 19th, 2007 at 4:13 pmBilbo @ 18,
You know:
Miss Information
Miss Appropriation
Miss Perception
Miss Demeanor
Miss Apprehension
Miss Communication
Miss Conception
Miss Direction
on and on and on.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:13 pmI agree that this administration is misusing the WH press gaggle as they do everything else. Although things have improved a little on the questioning side, there still needs to be more reporters with the balls to pursue with followup questions.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:15 pmPerino needs to be skewered time and again from multiple directions until she is in a corner with no way to turn. The WH press corp lets her (and did TS) get away with too many evasions.
Well, alrighty then, Ms. Pernino – and I’m the Pope.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:16 pmFascist Barbie summons the spirit of the Gipper: “the President has no recollection knowing about the tapes or about their destruction.” Shades of Iran-Contra…
Incompetent or Corrupt. There’s little middle ground here.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:17 pmWHY do these people think we’re idiots?
because they can brainwash the majority into voting democrat or republican when in actual fact they are both as bad as each other
These people operate in spite of elections and democracy
the only way out is too have a third party ( a true Liberal one)
December 19th, 2007 at 4:19 pm“After we learned about the torture tapes, the official White House line was that Bush’s lawyers urged the CIA not to destroy the videos. … And now the NYT has spoken to some officials who insist Bush’s lawyers actually did the opposite.â€
Indeed, the urgent command of “Burn it, QUICK!” may be connected with the fire in the Eisenhower building today.
/snark off
Hoooray for Pope Annie the First!
December 19th, 2007 at 4:20 pmBetween Perino – who, like her predecessors, says nothing of substance, and the WH Press Corps (other than Helen Thomas) – who, since the middle of the Clinton Administration, has reported nothing of substance, how much money and manpower is being wasted in continuing this charade?
These people and this process have become worthless. The lot of them should be picking up trash along the highways (except for Helen, who should front the new WH Investigative Corps).
Who is paying for this fu(kery?
December 19th, 2007 at 4:21 pmDana Perino-Braun.
-GSD
December 19th, 2007 at 4:23 pmYou can’t contradict yourself if you never say anything.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:26 pmMs Perino, Does the president have any recall of any event occuring during his presidency?
December 19th, 2007 at 4:27 pmAbu Zubaydah provided a private home number and a cell phone number from memory while being tortured and it was on the tapes, please try to keep up -Billy Hill
And where did that number connect to?
December 19th, 2007 at 4:29 pmWHY do these people think we’re idiots?
Comment by missmolly — December 19, 2007 @ 4:10 pm
We are. Well, 62 million people were in 2004.
Not counting the votes stolen in Ohio
December 19th, 2007 at 4:32 pmWhen someone writes ‘IT’ that means Dana?
December 19th, 2007 at 4:35 pm“Abu Zubaydah provided a private home number and a cell phone number from memory while being tortured and it was on the tapes, please try to keep up -Billy Hill”
Really, says who? A phone number form memory. That’s pretty amazing in the digital age.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:35 pmThe presumption, based on their past behavior, favors them being involved no matter what they say–they’re talking? They’re prevaricating.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:36 pmAbu Zubaydah provided a private home number and a cell phone number from memory while being tortured and it was on the tapes, please try to keep up. If they were to have been made public you would have been one of the first to claim there “rights†had been violated and private information had been made public.
Comment by Billy Hill — December 19, 2007 @ 4:25 pm
His human rights were violated when he was tortured. It doesn’t matter whether he’s a suspected terrorist or not – torture is illegal, immoral, and makes us no better than the terrorists we’re allegedly fighting.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:37 pmOh, those phone numbers. YOu should have said. Seems those phone numbers were thrown out early. Before the “enhanced interrogation techniques” (off topic, but has anyone noticed how PC the Right is when talking about TORTURE? Suddenly it becomes EIT). So, sorry, the tapes wouldn’t have shown much of anything, other than Torture which is and remains a crime.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:37 pmWorthless tool. Maybe she can get a job on Fox when Bush is finally gone.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:37 pmIs it my imagination or is Perino stuttering over her words more and more? Her tripping over her lies is becoming more obvious.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:38 pmNow hold on there Billy Goat, you say that Abu was tortured?
As in…. tortured?
But, but, but, the smirking POS says we don’t torture. Who is the fcking liar here Billy, you or Boy George or both?
December 19th, 2007 at 4:38 pmhttp://frum.nationalreview.com/ post/ ?q=MzRmMjdiODg3OWMyMzFkZTYwMmJjNWI2MGJhOTZmMzY=
I only do this for fellow Progressives.
Comment by Billy Hill — December 19, 2007 @ 4:34 pm
That’s an interesting take. From Frum’s article, it doesn’t seem like he was tortured, however. It sounds like he was trying to pull rank on his interrogators by getting a few Saudi princes involved.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:44 pmThat was an interesting diversionary tactic put out there by Billy Hill @42.
“If they were to have been made public you would have been one of the first to claim there “rights†had been violated and private information had been made public.”
But, no one is suggesting that the tapes be made public, just that they be preserved as evidence. There are all sorts of ways to present them in court or in Congress without divulging sensitive information. But, burning them is obstruction of justice.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:47 pmAn AQ guy having the phone numbers from those who fund the operation ain’t such a bad idea if you’re looking to get out of jail free under the W administration. His incestuous relations with Prince Bandar and his traitorous actions in favor of the House of Saud and against this nation are too numerous to mention. But, guess that little fact is lost on Billy Goat. The Sauds are to Al Q as Bush is to unlawful activity. Wherever they go, it follows.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:49 pmOh, I’m saying the tapes should be made public. And the CIA officers and high government officials present at the torture sessions should be held accountable. Just following orders has not been a defense since WWII.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:50 pmBut the question Billy Goat was, which of the two of you (or both is an acceptable answer) is the fcking liar? Boy George says we don’t torture and you are saying in bold and caps lock that we do.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:53 pmNo tapes, no evidence, therefore no crime.
No body, no evidence, therefore no crime. Sorry about your daughter Mrs. Holloway.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:58 pmIt dont matter of the tapes are destroyed or not
The FBI was there ask them
The CIA was there ask them
The victim was there ask him
somebody seen the tapes ask them
then write it down
December 19th, 2007 at 4:58 pmAsk the Victim he was there, ask him what happened , bet you get an honest answer
December 19th, 2007 at 5:00 pmthen write it down
Comment by Bush Cover Ups — December 19, 2007 @ 4:58 pm
And make a copy before you leave the transcript in the Old Executive Office Building.
December 19th, 2007 at 5:01 pmOK, I watched it and laughed at parts. But Billy, that hits too close to home to be funny. This administration is a travesty in my opinion, and in the opinion of 75% of Americans.
It isn’t funny.
December 19th, 2007 at 5:10 pmYou know there may or may no longer be any tapes in existence, I have a feeling that someone somewhere in the administration has copies. Anyhow regardless of the existence of the tapes there are still transcripts of the interrogations and logs and descriptions of what they did during the interrogations. So perhaps congress might subpoena those…or did they get destroyed in a fire maybe?
How does billyboy know what was said during the interrogations? Is he divulging national secrets? Is he taking the information from the press (traitors all of them of course) and acting as though it is factual? Please explain billy.
December 19th, 2007 at 5:19 pmI just know jacksh!t.
Comment by Billy Hill — December 19, 2007 @ 5:22 pm
Fixed it for you.
December 19th, 2007 at 5:28 pmDana, what was the ‘Bay of Pigs?’……no, not a Jimmy Dean property.
December 19th, 2007 at 5:49 pmDana Peroxide = Scotty McClellan with a bad wig.
December 19th, 2007 at 6:08 pmI just know stuff.
Comment by Billy Hill
Translation:
I just blow huff.
December 19th, 2007 at 7:03 pm
BIMBO PERINO HAS MISLEAD THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE WORLD COMMUNITY. THE WAR CRIMINAL, G. WC. BUSH HAS LIED, IS LYING RIGHT NOW AND WILL CONTINUE TO LIE. PERINO BIMBO WORKS FOR WAR CRIMINAL WHO LIE. PERINO BIMBO, WHEN WILL YOU START TELLING THE TRUTH TO THE TAX PAYERS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA?
December 19th, 2007 at 9:24 pmi SAID :TAX PAYERS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES PAYING FOR THE CRIMINAL STTTING IN THE OVAL OFFICE, AND YOU! THEY DESERVE BETTER THAN THAT! SOMEONE WITH INTEGRITY, SOMETHING YOU HAVE NONE! YOUR BODY LANGUAGE SAYS IT ALL, YOU ARE LYING AND COVERING WC. BUSH’S ASS! SHAME ON YOU!
December 19th, 2007 at 9:27 pmAttractive on the outside, with all that putrid maggoty goodness on the inside.
December 19th, 2007 at 10:01 pm“As a Democrat I think that the tapes should have been made public then we could have known the phone numbers of the al Qaeda guys
Comment by Billy Hill — December 19, 2007 @ 3:42 pm”
Bud, just stop saying “As a Democrat” or “As a liberal”. Nobody but the youngest, most naive, nay, most retarded, posters believe you.
December 20th, 2007 at 12:35 am“Abu Zubaydah provided a private home number and a cell phone number from memory while being tortured and it was on the tapes, ”
Now, how the f^ck do you know that? The tapes were destroyed?
December 20th, 2007 at 12:40 am“http://frum.nationalreview.com/ post/ ?q=MzRmMjdiODg3OWMyMzFkZTYwMmJjNWI2MGJhOTZmMzY=
I only do this for fellow Progressives.”
Weird, I don’t know ANY liberals that link to the fricking National Review. They are not exactly believable. Don’t you think, fellow progressive?
December 20th, 2007 at 12:42 am“My Birkenstock’s are a couple of sizes larger than yours.”
You must have a Porsche.
December 20th, 2007 at 12:44 am“I just know stuff.
Comment by Billy Hill — December 19, 2007 @ 5:22 pm”
I strongly disagree with that statement.
December 20th, 2007 at 12:45 amAs a conservative, I would like to lick Bush’s balls and torture people just in case they are guilty. I would also like to kill Jews and black people and illegal immigrants and gays and a whole host of other people. See, Billy, I can pull that sh!t too.
December 20th, 2007 at 1:02 am.
And remember, she doesn’t know facts about the Bay of Pigs…
.
December 20th, 2007 at 1:31 amMax, she apparently knew about the Bay of Pigs. She had no clue what the Cuban Missle Crisis was, though.
December 20th, 2007 at 2:22 amThese press meetings are totally useless and have been for all of the Bush Presidency – it doesn’t matter who they send out – information is always slighted to the point of being suspect and useless – go somewhere else to get info – you won’t get it at these press outings
December 20th, 2007 at 5:44 amThe fire in the Eisenhower building?
December 20th, 2007 at 8:48 amHow convenient could that be?
The demand for information is at an all time high, anyone want to guess what was destroyed yesterday?
I am shocked it didn’t ‘pancake’ and look like a controlled demolition.