Monday, August 09, 2004
Thank God For Helen Thomas
Taken straight from today's press briefing:
Helen Thomas has more balls than all of the men in the room put together. With more people like her in the media we might not be in the shit-hole in which we currently find ourselves.
- MR. McCLELLAN: Let me start by saying that the President looks forward to welcoming Prime Minister Belka of Poland to the White House this afternoon. The United States and Poland have a strong strategic alliance that is rooted in our shared values, and a common struggle for freedom. Poland is a vital partner in the international efforts to help the Iraqi people build a free and peaceful future. And today's meeting is an opportunity for the two leaders to continue discussing the war on terrorism, Afghanistan and Iraq, and our bilateral economic relations, and the NATO and E.U. agendas. And you will hear more from the President following that meeting.
And with that, I'll be glad to go to your questions. Go ahead, Helen.
HELEN THOMAS: The President said at the community college that the people who we're fighting are cruel, have no conscience, and kill innocent people. And my question is, during our two wars in the last three years, have we killed any innocent people?
MR. McCLELLAN: The United States military goes to great lengths to make sure that we minimize any loss of innocent human life, and they go out of their way to make sure that that happens. This administration is strongly committed to making sure we do everything we can to minimize the loss of innocent human life.
HELEN THOMAS: I didn't ask you that. I asked you if we have killed any innocent people.
MR. McCLELLAN: And I would point out that this -- that the war in Iraq was one where we were able to target and remove a brutal regime from power while minimizing any collateral damage --
HELEN THOMAS: Did we kill any innocent people?
MR. McCLELLAN: -- or loss of innocent human life. We certainly do not target innocent human civilians. And there are terrorists and others in Iraq, former regime elements who do target innocent civilians, innocent Iraqis. They are enemies of freedom and peace. What we have done --
HELEN THOMAS: Seventy thousand tons of bombs --
MR. McCLELLAN: -- is liberated the Iraqi people and provided hope for innocent Iraqis.
HELEN THOMAS: How about the people who are dead?
MR. McCLELLAN: Go ahead. (Moving to the next question)
Helen Thomas has more balls than all of the men in the room put together. With more people like her in the media we might not be in the shit-hole in which we currently find ourselves.
