Scott McClellan upbraiding the press for being unchallenging certainly doesn't match the record of combative exchanges we recall. Here are a few eyebrow-raising examples of McClellan being pounded by the network stars from our Notable Quotables newsletter:
1. Won't Bush bury Saddam's sons with respect, according to the rites of the religion they held dear?
"Article 17 of the Geneva Conventions requires countries at war to, quote, ‘ensure that the dead are honorably interred, if possible, according to the rites of the religion to which they belong.’ Does the President, as Commander-in-Chief, believe that the United States is bound by that, when it comes to the bodies of Uday and Qusay Hussein?" – ABC’s Terry Moran questioning new White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan at the July 23, 2003 briefing.
2. What would you have the media do? How dare you answer my question by suggesting what you would have the media do?
ABC White House correspondent Terry Moran: "Scott, you said that the retraction by Newsweek magazine of its [phony Koran-in-the-toilet] story is a good first step. What else does the President want this American magazine to do?"
Press Secretary Scott McClellan: "...We would encourage Newsweek to do all that they can to help repair the damage that has been done, particularly in the region. And I think Newsweek can do that by talking about the way they got this wrong, and pointing out what the policies and practices of the United States military are when it comes to the handling of the Holy Koran. The military put in place policies and procedures to make sure that the Koran...is handled with the utmost care and respect...."
Moran: "With respect, who made you the editor of Newsweek? Do you think it’s appropriate for you, at that podium, speaking with the authority of the President...to tell an American magazine what they should print?" — Exchange at the May 17, 2005 White House news briefing.
3. Who told you that you had the right to use discretion as to which parts of a leak prosecution to comment on?
NBC’s David Gregory: "Scott, I mean, just — I mean, this is ridiculous. The notion that you’re going to stand before us after having commented with that level of detail and tell people watching this that somehow you decided not to talk. You’ve got a public record out there. Do you stand by your remarks from that podium, or not?...Why are you choosing when it’s appropriate and when it’s inappropriate [to comment on the leak investigation]?"
Press Secretary Scott McClellan: "If you’ll let me finish-"
Gregory: "No, you’re not finishing — you’re not saying anything!" — Exchange at a July 11, 2005 White House news briefing.
