Posted on May 31st, 2005 by admin


Now as far as my getting baptized, as I've stated several times now, why would
ye olde lorde care if my head has been dunked in water or not??  What if I
got a corporate batism, like being baptized in Diet Caffeine free Pepsi? would
that be the same thing? Probably be bubbly (just dont' get it in my
eyes!!)  Or what about coffee?? Or Bong water? Holy bong water! or What if
I took a bong rip and used holy water? Wouldn't that be better??? Better than
dunking? I've been in water before, also, like bathtubs, oceans, seas, hot springs, showers,
pools, lakes, rivers, creeks, streams, hot tubs, jacuzzis, saunas, etc. Isn't
that good enough?  I'm not sure if I've ever bathed with any holy men,
either, not sure I want to bathe with a Cathloic priest, even if it's in just
regular old diet pepsi.  Hmm.. Anyway seems like I'm gonna need a bit more
convincing before you get me into a bathtub  with a cathloic priest, and
expect me to believe that I'm going to come out of it going to heaven..

=-mike-= (baptism contains phenylketonurics)

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McCLELLAN on newsweek 5/17/05

Posted on May 26th, 2005 by admin

Q Scott, you said that the retraction by Newsweek magazine of its story is a good first step. What else does the President want this American magazine to do?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, it's what I talked about yesterday. This
report, which Newsweek has now retracted and said was wrong, has had
serious consequences. People did lose their lives. The image of the
United States abroad has been damaged; there is lasting damage to our
image because of this report. And 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 was handled — or is handled with the utmost care and
respect. And I think it would help to point that out, because some
have taken this report — those that are opposed to the United States
– some have taken this report and exploited it and used it to incite
violence.

Q 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 of the United States, to tell an American
magazine what they should print?

MR. McCLELLAN: I'm not telling them. I'm saying that we would
encourage them to help –

Q You're pressuring them.

MR. McCLELLAN: No, I'm saying that we would encourage them –

Q It's not pressure?

MR. McCLELLAN: Look, this report caused serious damage to the
image of the United States abroad. And Newsweek has said that they got
it wrong. I think Newsweek recognizes the responsibility they have.
We appreciate the step that they took by retracting the story. Now we
would encourage them to move forward and do all that they can to help
repair the damage that has been done by this report. And that's all
I'm saying. But, no, you're absolutely right, it's not my position to
get into telling people what they can and cannot report.

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press briefing 5/25/05

Posted on May 26th, 2005 by admin

Q Scott, there's an FBI memo that's been released today through
a Freedom of Information request. It dates from August 23, 2002, and
recounts the interrogation — the interview of a detainee at Bagram.
And in this memo, the FBI recounts that this detainee says he had
nothing against the United States, but the guards in his detention
facility do not treat him well, their behavior is bad; about five
months ago, the guards beat the detainees and they flushed a Koran in
the toilet.

Now, there has been some statements coming from some administration
officials since the Newsweek retraction of its story that a Koran was
flushed down the toilet, that the United States government had no
knowledge of any such allegation.

MR. McCLELLAN: This is referring to a detainee, right?

Q Correct.

MR. McCLELLAN: No, I think what the Department of Defense has said
is that they have found nothing to substantiate any such allegation.

Q At one point I believe Mr. DiRita said that there was no such
allegation.

MR. McCLELLAN: You can check with the Department of Defense on his
words, but I know that they have publicly said that they have found
nothing to substantiate any such allegations. There have been
allegations made by detainees. We know that members of al Qaeda are
trained to mislead and to provide false reports. We know that's one of
their tactics that they use. And so I think you have to keep that in
mind, as well.

Q For sure. How important is it –

MR. McCLELLAN: But in terms — I mean in terms of if there's any
abuse of detainees, we take any such allegations very seriously. And
if there is abuse of detainees, we hold people to account — you
mentioned mistreatment of a detainee — and we have done that, and we
also take steps to correct any problems. And we have done that, as
well.

Q Are you saying that there is no substantiation of any Koran
desecration at all at Bagram or Guantanamo Bay?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, if you look back, I think the Department of
Defense briefed last week, and they talked about the specific
allegation that you're bringing up, and they have found nothing to
substantiate any such allegation. In terms of the handling of the
Koran, that's a different matter, and they have talked about that, so
you might want to look back at what they've said.

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McCLELLAN on newsweek 5/23/05

Posted on May 26th, 2005 by admin

Q One other question. Karzai was quite definite in saying that
he didn't believe that the violence in Afghanistan was directly tied to
the Newsweek article about Koran desecration. Yet, from this podium,
you have made that link. So –

MR. McCLELLAN: Actually, I don't think you're actually
characterizing what was said accurately.

Q By whom?

MR. McCLELLAN: As I said last week, and as President Karzai said
today, and as General Myers had said previously, the protest may well
have been pre-staged. The discredited report was damaging. It was
used to incite violence. But those who espouse an ideology of hatred
and oppression and murder don't need an excuse to incite violence. But
the reports from the region showed how this story was used to incite
violence.

Q But Karzai seemed to think that that wasn't what led to the
violence, that it was –

MR. McCLELLAN: That's right, he actually — he talked about –
President Karzai spoke about how the demonstrations were aimed at
undercutting the progress being made toward democracy in Afghanistan,
and the progress on elections. They have elections coming up soon.
And I spoke about that, as well, last week.

Q So could it be said that the Newsweek article played a role,
but was not –

MR. McCLELLAN: John, I think we've made our views known when it
comes to the discredited report. There are some that want to continue
to defend what is a discredited report that has been disavowed by
Newsweek, and that's their business. We're perfectly willing to trust
the American people to make their own judgment about it.

Q Who's doing that, exactly?

MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry?

Q Who wants to defend it?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, you can see in the media coverage, there are
some that want to continue to do that.

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