Oct 14, 2003
Mokhiber: Scott, a couple things.
Pat Robertson said this weekend that he wanted to nuke the State Department. The direct quote is, "If I could just get a nuclear device inside Foggy Bottom, I think that's the answer. You've got to blow that thing up." Does the President have any reaction to that?
Scott McClellan: Yes. I think that, one, he has since said that he should not have said that and changed what he said. But I do not view those as helpful comments. And it was wrong for him to say that.
David Gregory NBC: That's it? Wait, wait.
Scott McClellan: No, no, those were harmful comments. He has now since said that he should not have said that.
Mokhiber: Second question.
In the past seven months, 11 soldiers and three Marines have committed suicide in Iraq. About a dozen more Army deaths are being investigated as suicides. According to a front page USA Today article yesterday, these numbers suggest a rate in Iraq of suicide above normal. Does the President have any thoughts about why this is happening?
Scott McClellan: I haven't seen the specific reports, but you were talking about who?
Mokhiber: U.S. Army and Marine suicides in Iraq.
Scott McClellan: I think you need to direct those questions to the Pentagon.
David Gregory NBC: : Can I follow up on Pat Robertson?
Scott McClellan: Go ahead.
David Gregory NBC: : Will the President -- besides not finding those comments helpful, I wonder if the President feels that he should have no involvement with Pat Robertson, whatever, going forward, and that Pat Robertson should not play any role in any kind of unofficial way in helping him in reelection, in any kind of supportive role.
Scott McClellan: No, again --
David Gregory NBC: : Would the President like Robertson to keep his distance?
Scott McClellan: Again, I think that those comments were harmful. And he, himself, said that he should not have said that. I think the comments were wrong, and he has since said so.
David Gregory NBC: : So it's all forgiven?
An Unconstitutional Rampage
Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next. It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk. Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Russell Mokhiber
Russell Mokhiber is editor of the Washington, D.C.-based Corporate Crime Reporter. He is also founder of singlepayeraction.org, and editor of the website Morgan County USA.
Mokhiber: Scott, a couple things.
Pat Robertson said this weekend that he wanted to nuke the State Department. The direct quote is, "If I could just get a nuclear device inside Foggy Bottom, I think that's the answer. You've got to blow that thing up." Does the President have any reaction to that?
Scott McClellan: Yes. I think that, one, he has since said that he should not have said that and changed what he said. But I do not view those as helpful comments. And it was wrong for him to say that.
David Gregory NBC: That's it? Wait, wait.
Scott McClellan: No, no, those were harmful comments. He has now since said that he should not have said that.
Mokhiber: Second question.
In the past seven months, 11 soldiers and three Marines have committed suicide in Iraq. About a dozen more Army deaths are being investigated as suicides. According to a front page USA Today article yesterday, these numbers suggest a rate in Iraq of suicide above normal. Does the President have any thoughts about why this is happening?
Scott McClellan: I haven't seen the specific reports, but you were talking about who?
Mokhiber: U.S. Army and Marine suicides in Iraq.
Scott McClellan: I think you need to direct those questions to the Pentagon.
David Gregory NBC: : Can I follow up on Pat Robertson?
Scott McClellan: Go ahead.
David Gregory NBC: : Will the President -- besides not finding those comments helpful, I wonder if the President feels that he should have no involvement with Pat Robertson, whatever, going forward, and that Pat Robertson should not play any role in any kind of unofficial way in helping him in reelection, in any kind of supportive role.
Scott McClellan: No, again --
David Gregory NBC: : Would the President like Robertson to keep his distance?
Scott McClellan: Again, I think that those comments were harmful. And he, himself, said that he should not have said that. I think the comments were wrong, and he has since said so.
David Gregory NBC: : So it's all forgiven?
Russell Mokhiber
Russell Mokhiber is editor of the Washington, D.C.-based Corporate Crime Reporter. He is also founder of singlepayeraction.org, and editor of the website Morgan County USA.
Mokhiber: Scott, a couple things.
Pat Robertson said this weekend that he wanted to nuke the State Department. The direct quote is, "If I could just get a nuclear device inside Foggy Bottom, I think that's the answer. You've got to blow that thing up." Does the President have any reaction to that?
Scott McClellan: Yes. I think that, one, he has since said that he should not have said that and changed what he said. But I do not view those as helpful comments. And it was wrong for him to say that.
David Gregory NBC: That's it? Wait, wait.
Scott McClellan: No, no, those were harmful comments. He has now since said that he should not have said that.
Mokhiber: Second question.
In the past seven months, 11 soldiers and three Marines have committed suicide in Iraq. About a dozen more Army deaths are being investigated as suicides. According to a front page USA Today article yesterday, these numbers suggest a rate in Iraq of suicide above normal. Does the President have any thoughts about why this is happening?
Scott McClellan: I haven't seen the specific reports, but you were talking about who?
Mokhiber: U.S. Army and Marine suicides in Iraq.
Scott McClellan: I think you need to direct those questions to the Pentagon.
David Gregory NBC: : Can I follow up on Pat Robertson?
Scott McClellan: Go ahead.
David Gregory NBC: : Will the President -- besides not finding those comments helpful, I wonder if the President feels that he should have no involvement with Pat Robertson, whatever, going forward, and that Pat Robertson should not play any role in any kind of unofficial way in helping him in reelection, in any kind of supportive role.
Scott McClellan: No, again --
David Gregory NBC: : Would the President like Robertson to keep his distance?
Scott McClellan: Again, I think that those comments were harmful. And he, himself, said that he should not have said that. I think the comments were wrong, and he has since said so.
David Gregory NBC: : So it's all forgiven?
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.