During a heated interview over the Iraq war on Thursday’s "The Situation Room" with substitute host Suzanne Malveaux, White House press secretary Tony Snow went on the offensive against the mainstream media. In response to a question from Malveaux about how President Bush could "regain credibility" with the American people about the success of the troop surge in Iraq, Snow replied, "Well, you know what Suzanne, your credibility rating -- journalists’ credibility ratings are lower than the President’s."
The most heated exchange came in the last three minutes of the 5pm EDT hour interview. Malveaux brought up the results of a recent New York Times/CBS News poll that found that 71% of those polled disapproved of the way President Bush is handling the situation with Iraq.
Video clip (1:35): Real (2.8 MB) or Windows Media (3.1 MB), plus MP3 audio (550 KB).
Snow appeared as part of the lead-up to President Bush’s address from the Oval Office on Iraq. The seven-and-a-half minute interview started on a confrontation note. Malveaux asked Snow about the recent assassination of a Sunni tribal leader in the Anbar province of Iraq. "If the U.S. could not protect this key figure, how do you expect that they’re going to protect the other Iraqis who might want to join in the effort?" Snow reminded the response from the other tribal leaders was to reaffirm their commitment to the fight against al Qaeda, who is the primary suspect in the assassination.
A transcript of the heated exchange over poll numbers and whether Bush or the media have less public respect:
MALVEAUX: Let's talk about his [President Bush's] speech a little bit. For better or for worse, no matter what President Bush says today, the latest polls, and I want you to take a listen to this CBS News/New York Times poll, really showing that the problem the President faces here is whether or not anybody is going to believe him or listen to him. It says, in terms of whether or not they approve or disapprove of the way he's handling the situation in Iraq, 71% disapprove of the execution of the war and what he is doing here. So, why should the American people listen to him in the first place tonight?
SNOW: Well, first, Suzanne, you might want to read the poll a little more fully, because it also says that most Americans think the surge is working. They're going to believe him.
MALVEAUX: It says 26% approve of the way he's handling it, 71% disapprove, and 3% unsure.
(CROSSTALK)
SNOW: I know. I know. But you know what, they also have even higher disapproval rates for Congress. People here are tired of the atmosphere in Washington.
(CROSSTALK)
MALVEAUX: Let's talk about the president.
SNOW: Ok, but Suzanne, I'm talking to you about the facts on the ground. The President's going to talk about the surge, and I've told you, what you've done is you've selected a popularity number. What I've done is taken something a lot more precise, which is, is the surge working?
(CROSSTALK)
MALVEAUX: How does the President regain the credibility that he needs to convince the American people that that's true, Tony?
SNOW: Well, you know what Suzanne, your credibility rating – journalists’ credibility ratings are lower than the President’s...
(CROSSTALK)
MALVEAUX: We're not talking about journalists. We're talking about the President here. How does he turn it around in his 16 months?
SNOW: First thing you do is you get journalists to read their own polls. Because the issue here is, is the surge working? Americans believe that it is working. The President is going to say the surge is working. We need to pursue success. You know what? Americans hate the war. The President understands that. And the President wishes we didn't have to have a war. Well, what's going on right now is on the key issue, does the issue of the day, the surge, your own poll indicates that Americans do have faith that it's working. And therefore, what the President is going to lay out is a way to have continued success so we can bring Americans home. But we can bring Americans home under conditions where we celebrate their achievements, where we say, 'These people did the right thing. They adjusted in tough times. They succeeded on the battlefield, but more importantly, they succeeded in the battle of hearts and minds.'
It should be clarified that the specific poll question (question number 65) in the CBS News/NY Times poll asked, "Would you say this troop increase is making the situation in Iraq better, making it worse, or is it having no impact on the situation in Iraq so far?" 35% of those polled thought the situation is better, 12% say it’s worse, 45% say no impact, and 7% either don’t know or didn’t give an answer.
Malveaux concluded her interview with a bit of a snarky statement: "Tomorrow’s your last day, you know, perhaps fighting and spinning to the very end. We will really appreciate you being on ‘The Situation Room.’"
—Matthew Balan is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.
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Game, set, match, Tony
September 13, 2007 - 19:44 ET by HypocriteHaterGame, set, match, Tony Snow!
I'm gonna miss your smackdowns of the smugs in the media.
We are going to miss you
September 13, 2007 - 19:46 ET by USA4freedomWe are going to miss you Tony!
These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc.
Ronald Reagan- 40th Anniversary of D-Day
Give that man a medal !
September 13, 2007 - 23:57 ET by SportPoliticsOh that was great, just the simplest of logic and he laid the lib whiner msm lady out, fillet anyone ?
That's what is so insidious about the msm bias, at first glance it doesn't seem like anything is wrong, but if someone can think on their feet like Tony, the stark, raving, glaring trick trying to be pulled becomes absolutely evident.
That needs a hall of fame archiving. Press is lower, dems are lower, read your own polls, and the American people believe the surge is working. She got nailed, " I wanna talk about the President" "We're not talking about the media..."
Oh man, they NEED to be nailed like that, over and over and over, we conservatives need a training school to get around their bias. It's subtle and wily and treacherous and sneaky.
I bet they just HATE those FoxNews anchors that are trained and understand their massive lies.
LOL - FoxNews has injured their propaganda machine.
Snow has set the bar for
September 14, 2007 - 08:09 ET by CapitalismRulesSnow has set the bar for White House spokespeople. The media never knew what hit them with this guy. He will be missed.
Tony The Tiger! Suzanne,
September 13, 2007 - 19:55 ET by drillanwrTony The Tiger!
Suzanne, please pick up your fat head from the CNN floor before somebody trips over it and gets hurt ...
I actually heard a woman journalist/reporter claim, a couple years ago, that the news media polices the government/politicians ... When asked who polices the MSM, she retorted that they police themselves ....
<PWWWAAAAAAHAAAAAAA!!!!>
They police themselves...
September 14, 2007 - 06:54 ET by HelenS"When asked who polices the MSM, she retorted that they police themselves .... "
That reminded me of a latin quote that I like: Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? (Who watches the watchers?)
...just seemed appropriate...
"Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war" - Shakespeare
""Tomorrow’s your last
September 13, 2007 - 20:06 ET by Sonny Lykos""Tomorrow’s your last day, you know, perhaps fighting and spinning to the very end. We will really appreciate you being on ‘The Situation Room.’""
The woman has bigger cahones than Wolf. I caught her interviewing Michael Ware from Iraq, and noticed that no matter how hard she tried, she just could not get him to condemn the surge, Bush, the war, or anything else. He consistently registered an up beat attitude.
Mmmm. Bad day for her.
Yaaay, Tony!
September 13, 2007 - 21:07 ET by motherbeltYaaay, Tony!
Get in that last jab at the final bell!
When I read the synopsis at the top, I thought, Oh, she probably came back with something really brilliant like "we're talking about the President, not journalists."
And guess what her reply was????????????????????
They are soooooooooo predictable.
Shooting fish in a barrel.
Women with Bill Shatner's Big Butt
September 13, 2007 - 21:13 ET by Lame CherryWomen like Suz Malveaux with hind quarters as big as Bill Shatner's should shoot the producer who shows them from behind in heated exchanges, because just like when a woman cries no one hears anything else..........everyone watching this stopped listening and all they saw was grinning Tony Snow and that humungous rear end showcased in big as a blue sky suit..........and everyone was thinking, "Man that woman has a big hind end."
Oprah got the point early in no back shots........Suz needs to figure it out unless she is auditioning for the NFL as nose tackle.
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS
Suzanne is in trouble
September 13, 2007 - 21:17 ET by Mica the MagnificentSuzanne must know that Move-on.org will not be pleased with her performance.
It's slowly becoming like displeasing the Mafia in the old days.
On Tony Snow.....and I'll apologize in advance.
September 13, 2007 - 22:33 ET by Dave R***Warning****
I am about to make some of you less-than-happy here. So be it.
First of all, I am glad that Tony Snow is leaving the Bush White House. If you ask me, he should never have taken the job in the first place.
I once had a great deal of respect for the man, but no more. His standing up there in front of God and everybody and defending the Scamnesty Bill was more than I could stomach. What turned me for good was his appearance on the Sean Hannity radio show, in which he defended this hideous piece of America-killing legislation to the point where it became utterly nauseating.
Now, I know it can be argued that he was just doing the bidding of his employer, but what about his personal integrity? I would have resigned before defending that piece of garbage.
I am sorry, but my support for Mr. Bush ended some time ago, as I truly feel his presidency has been a disaster. Perhaps not a calamity that rises to the level of tragedy that the presidency of Jihad Jimmuh reached, but it is not far behind.
I will never forgive George W. Bush for his attempted betrayal of this nation's sovereignty, nor shall I ever forgive Tony Snow for his duplicity in trying to force that BS upon all of us.
Good-bye, Tony, and good riddance.
"I WANT MY COUNTRY BACK!”- Rick Roberts
Dave
September 13, 2007 - 22:44 ET byhe should not have taken the job he never would have defended Scamnesty on his radio show
but did have a job to do
Support our Troops
2 Questions
September 13, 2007 - 23:02 ET by Del DolemonteDo tell us how you feel about Tony's colon cancer. When it was announced, DailyKos and ZsaZsa/Eva Gabor Post both had multiple posts wishing him a swift death. Defend that, please. (sound of crickets)
By the way, I saw Rick Roberts open for the Mahavishnu Orchestra in Boston in 1973. When Rick announced he was doing his final song, the audience gave him a standing ovation.
Del,
September 13, 2007 - 23:02 ET by Dave RWhile I am truly sorry that Tony has had a couple of bouts with colon cancer, that does not excuse his duplicity in what I mentioned above.
That hideous piece of legislation pushed by Mr. Bush was one of the most dangerous pieces of legislation to come down the pike since Social Security. If I had been in Tony's shoes, I would have resigned rather than promote and then defend it.
Of course, there have been many other rather egregious miss-steps on the part of Mr. Bush, but, as I see it, this was by far the worst.
"I WANT MY COUNTRY BACK!”- Rick Roberts
I notice you can't defend
September 13, 2007 - 23:14 ET by Del DolemonteSo what about all of those DailyKos and Huffington Post members who greeted the news of Snow's colon cancer with unbridled glee?
http://www.huffingto...
The very first comment:
"Good Riddance to another piece of shit LIAR."
More:
"i should show compassion to a propagandist who supports a war that has killed six times as many people as Saddam has? for spinning Katrina that killed an entire city? i’m glad he’s dying of cancer and i hope it is painful and that there’s a hell. eternal rape room for tony snow."
"you took the words right out of my mouth!! Snowjob has been LYING thru his teeth EVERY SINGLE DAY to cover-up all the criminal activity of the Bu$h/Halliburton Cheney Regime for years! All the stress from LYING is more than likely what caused his cancer. I say good riddance to the co-conspirator and propaganda spewing asshole! "
"I had cancer too. But if I pray for tony snow it would be for him to go to hell and take bush and comp with him"
"The celebration of Tony Snowjob's departure is not a bad thing. While he'll be replaced with another conscience-free liar, he's still the latest in a series of rats who are deserting that sinking ship, the SS Heil Bushler"
"........one more rat overboard! One less lying sack of shit to listen to........
BUH BYE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"As sad as I feel for his having a public bout with cancer, to be honest, all I see is that BushCo loses a craftier liar.
And what about Tony Snow's reason for leaving...to make even more money! Wow, if that doesn't tell you all you need to know about the people associated with this administration, nothing does. "
"Tony, you will have some explaining to do when you meet your maker. Make your amends now. Undo this devilish lie by telling the truth to the camera"
"Who gives a damn? $168,000 per year to Cover Bush LIES!
"Hope he makes it thru another 2 weeks, he looks really bad.I do not want to wish anyone ill but perhaps he should ask W to say a pray for him.
C'mon, people, look at him in the photo, he's very sick, possibly dying, for pity's sake. Show some class. Yeah, he's served as the face of a criminally corrupt administration, and for that he deserves condemnation, but please, show some measure of perspective. That being said, if it was Cheney, or Junior soon to be facing oblivion eternal, I'd walk to my local, ask for a shot of the most expensive single malt on hand, and drink to their demise."
And that's only page one of 6 pages of comments
Case closed.
Del,
September 13, 2007 - 23:31 ET by Dave RSorry, pal, but I do not wish Tony Snow dead. Yet, while I sympathize with his plight, that does not mean I am willing to overlook his short comings, as I preceive them, anyway.
Had the Scamnesty Bill passed, its ill tidings would have resonated long after he is gone. Hell, long after I am gone, as well.
The "conservative" Bush Administration in six and 1/2 years has presided over the largest increase in the size and scope of the federal government than has ever occurred during the same time period in the history of this great nation-more so than even Lyndon Johnson could have ever hoped to. Even more so than Roosevelt did in gearing this nation up for WW II.
"I WANT MY COUNTRY BACK!”- Rick Roberts
Disagreement is one thing
September 13, 2007 - 23:48 ET by KC MulvilleI strongly disagree with the immigration bill also. I don't like the spending. What's been done with the power grid? I have all kinds of questions and disagreements with the administration -- but that doesn't mean disrespect. People who disagree with me, even on issues of deep moral significance, aren't necessarily evil because of that. My wife and kids disagree with me all the time, that doesn't make them evil. I'm even willing to respect most liberals and even a few Democrats, so long as they play the game fairly, and argue honestly.
It's the distortion that angers me. It's when they hear the other side, and all they can think of is how to destroy the speaker. It's ad hominem, all the time, that bothers me. I don't mind Mario Cuomo when he talks about how Americans should be generous; I find some of his speeches about his neighborhood and growing up to be inspiring. Did you hear Cuomo and Gingrich at the Cooper Union? If you asked me to vote for Cuomo five minutes after that appearance, I'd have happily agreed. Cuomo was an honorable thinker there. But if you put him in a four-minute soundbyte on a network news segment, he falls back on every slogan and cartoon available. You want to strangle the guy. Clinton was that way. One minute you admire him, but as soon as the cameras roll, he becomes the human slime machine. For me, that's why NewsBusters is important. The media creates an unfair and distorted environment that rewards people only when they attack and distort and lie.
I disagreed with Snow about the immigration bill, and strongly. But you have to separate that from respecting the man. I don't think he distorted anything (that I remember). The fact that he argued for the bill just means he was wrong. I'll still have a lot of respect for Snow.
Very well stated, KC.
September 14, 2007 - 13:48 ET by Senior ChiefVery well stated, KC. Our pastor once said, "If you find a perfect church, come tell me that I might joined them too. There's not such a thing as a perfect church". There's always going to be disagreement, but gave respect to whom it is due, and move on...
Thanks
September 14, 2007 - 15:38 ET by KC MulvilleI also think holds true for the question: why do you want to be president? Instead of pretending that you're the only person on earth who can save the republic, why not admit the obvious?
I'd volunteer for someone who can make that statement. To me, that candidate would truly understand what our country is all about. Have your opinions, express them strongly and as persuasively as you can ... and let the people pick who they want.
I agree. The only reason I
September 13, 2007 - 23:02 ET by mostlymoderateI agree. The only reason I can't call myself "mostlyconservative" anymore is because, I too, have been quite dissatisfied with G. W. Bush since he supported the scamnesty bill. That is why my choice now is Thompson. Bottom line, Bush has done some great things; however, the immigration problem is the one issue that is most important to me (since I live in California that is overwhelmed with illegals). In regards to immigration, the present administration let me down.
I don't agree Dave.Tony
September 14, 2007 - 04:59 ET by Jack BauerI don't agree Dave.
Tony Snow took a job after careful consideration and a realization that it will be his job to present the President's decisions in the best light possible to the world. Even those with which he personally disagreed.
You seem to be asking for a ludicrous and absurd criteria for anyone to be the press secretary for the White House.
That is: the President has to promise that he will only make decision with which Tony Snow and any press secretary can agree. Otherwise he will storm out and leave the President high and dry.
I'm sorry, and I happen to agree with your disappointment with the Administration on many issues, but there is such a thing as duty to your President whatever you think of his positions.
I am sure given Tony's experience he had input into the President on any issue. But the price for that is when the President makes HIS decision (good, bad, ugly) whether you agree or not, you SUPPORT your President in public as a member of his staff.
I really don't see how any administration could operate otherwise; with many competing voices some are bound to win and some are bound to lose. That's politics.
That was Tony Snow's job, and he had to suck it up and make the best of it.
Right on Jack
September 14, 2007 - 05:48 ET by kdoliverJack you are absolutely right. The one thing I have learned in the military is that it is ok to argue against points you disagree with your boss behind closed doors, but once the BIG man makes his decision you support him. We are never going to agree with someone 100% of the time and if we do then are we really thinking.
One of the things that makes conservatives better, IMHO, is that we do disagree on things. We look for that person that supports our view of the important things to us and we agree with 80% of the time. That shows intellence AND the ability to think for ourselves.
http://thelazytriathlete.blogspot.com/
kd -- thanks. Nice personal
September 14, 2007 - 10:33 ET by Jack Bauerkd -- thanks. Nice personal support there as well.
Expanding those thoughts... the administration is littered with careerists who can't be fired, and who spend their whole life sabotaging the President by leaking against him, and against national security.
Because THEY don't agree with him. It's disgusting.
So I'm happy to give Tony Snow a break for doing his job professionally and to the best of his ability whatever his personal disagreements may, or may not, have been.
Also -- read your US Virgin island piece. Last year I woerked on some PR writing for the British Virgin Islands!
Guys, I did not mean to imply total disrespect for Mr. Snow, but
September 14, 2007 - 11:03 ET by Dave RI am looking fifteen or twenty years down the road and the sort of country my nieces and nephew are going to be residing in.
The prescription drug plan is, according to what I am hearing, going to wind up a trillion dollar program. I'll bet the cost is going far higher before very long. SS is headed for the ash heap, as there aren't going to be enough workers out there to keep it going. The republicans had an excellent opportunity to address this, butchose to maintain the status quo.
In my mind, except in the area of national defense, the republicans aren't all that much different than the dems, really. In some ways, they are worse.
The republicans have squandered the opportunity they were handed back in '94. At the moment, I see no reason why they sould be rewarded in '08 by being returned to office.
As for Tony, I wish him well, but for me, his credibility is shot.
"I WANT MY COUNTRY BACK!”- Rick Roberts
Talk about spinning to the end!
September 13, 2007 - 23:17 ET by KC MulvilleMalveaux needs a little mental agility here. She asked a question based on a premise (Bush has no credibility). Snow refused to accept the premise. Boom - Malveaux didn't know what to do.
Did you notice how that stopped her? She didn't know how to continue. So she tried to restate the premise -- the poll, the poll says he has no credibility -- and when Snow wouldn't accept the premise again, she was completely lost and frustrated. Meredith Vieira asked the same question earlier to Chuck Hagel, but lucky for her, Hagel agreed with the premise. She would have been as helpless as Malveaux.
71%
September 14, 2007 - 04:42 ET by old croWhat they don't say in their poll is that probably half of the 71% that
disapprove of the way President Bush is handling Iraq want him to be more aggressive
and send in more troops! I know I do!
Regarding Tony Snow's defense of the administration
over immigration, I too was disappointed, but over the entire premise of the
situation. I still hold my respect for the man himself (the President and
Tony), and can forgive their alignment on this matter. BTW, it bought out the
conservative voices that were quiet since the 2006 election and that is not a
bad thing, as you see them straining to be heard louder every news cycle, especially
lately concerning Iraq, General Petraeus and the traitors and socialists of the
democrat party.
"Faith crosses every border and touches every heart in every nation."
- President George W. Bush
More troops
September 14, 2007 - 06:01 ET by NortoBeliever
old cro, you nailed it.
These polls only seem to ask half the question that will give the results the left wants. Probably they all do, but a follow-up poll or an open forum space so that the polled person could explain why we disagree with the POTUS would be good. They only want to be able to say we disagree with his handling of an issue and NOT WHY!
Well said, old cro.
This poll......
September 14, 2007 - 12:04 ET by ForeverOnTheRightis worth nothing. Not only did it inadequately ask the needed questions to get the whole story, but it came from two of the most biased news sources out their NYT and SeeBS.
I'm going to miss Tony Snow.
September 14, 2007 - 08:39 ET by LilyPearlI'm going to miss Tony Snow.
Tony Snow
September 14, 2007 - 11:37 ET by tymanHey Del, you liberal idiot, why don't you quit beating around the bush and tell us what you really think? It must really suck being you with all that ignorance and anger.
God Bless President Bush, Tony Snow, the USA and you too Del.
"...perhaps fighting and spinning to the very end."
September 14, 2007 - 13:37 ET by fitzfongMalveaux and her ignorant ilk will fight hammer and tongs to claim that they are objective journalists...but they simply can't help themselves. She's so eager to get her DNC-talking point shot in at the end that she unwittingly exposes her blatant left-wing bias. She has NO credibility.