I think Fleischer should keep quiet. He comes off as being another sell-out. There are already enough RINO sell-outs.
Ari is basing he standard for speed of reply based on the quickness he displayed in discussing Valarie Plame with reporters.
Could the VP's office had the news release Sat night instead of Sun morning? What was the real impact? Is this story more important than Iraq, Iran, Korea, cartoon rioters????
On the other hand, it's such a trivial point that it's laughable.
"What did the President know, and when did he know it?"
No, actually Ari sounds like we should have never lost him.
It was just damn stupid to hold out on this story.
Oh, come on. Fleischer's right; I don't even know who Cheney's friggin' press secretary is.
McClellan shouldn't have to take the heat for this. It's beginning to look as if Cheney doesn't give a damn about how this is reflecting on Bush.
Not good.
I'm firmly in the Bush camp ... however, when it comes to PR the Bushies are clueless ... McClellan, their press secretary is the sorriest excuse imaginable. It started with Katrina and now this ... the Bush gang just don't get it. The Clintonistas were scum but they knew how to spin ...
I think if you you actually read what he says, He says that sure, in hindsight it could have been handled differently.
And then he blasts the press.
Of course, the headline is all about gratuitous backside covering for the press.
Evidently......no comment.......is too much to expect from those no longer on the stage!
And Fleischer is right.
Why not report as soon as possible, afterall it's not as if the shooting was intentional. They were, afterall, friends. These things don't happen among friends.
I would imagine that Ari Fleischer was contacted for his opinion considering his prior position with the Bush administration. That's what newsies do. Surely he was asked specific questions. Don't think for a minute that he called them. Seems to me he gave an honest, straightforward answer that, in writing, can come off quite a bit different than how it actually went down.
We all know how it would've been portrayed if he was asked questions and said "No comment." in response. With the MSM, they always find a way to cast a negative light.
If you are saying that Peggy Noonan, Charles Krauthammmer, Michelle Malkin, Ann Coulter and hundreds of other conservative commentators are "sell-outs" because, e.g., they RIGHTFULLY criticized the Harriet Miers lunatic pick by Bush then you are so off target you are off the radar scope.
Criticism of Republicans is needed because that is the only way we can keep them in line. Whenever we don't criticize them, they act like RATs fiscally, etc.
I am not commenting on the Cheney shooting incident, but you and your type who complain about conservatives voicing disagreement with Bush or the GOP do the conservative cause more harm than good.
Vicious criticism of the GOP/Bush by conservatives has gained the conservative cause MAJOR victories, the Sam Alito placement on SCOTUS being the prime example.
If it were up to you with your thinking, Harriet Miers would have been welcomed as a member of SCOTUS with the red carpet treatment.
We NEED criticism of the GOP by conservatives. It helps the conservative cause when we do. We need more Tom Tancredos and less Arlen Sphincters.
Fleischer bailed out on the president. Fine. But now he's nobody, and who cares what he thinks.
What did he say that was so bad? He said it would have been better if he came out sooner. You disagree?
The RINOs are the ones who take the party over the values it stands for...not someone speaking the truth.
Ari is a great guy. He would not have spoken this if he did not think it had to be said.
He would not betray the president.
He is what he is
Totally agree with you....Ari should have just kept quiet...I'll say one thing about the dems....they always have their people in lock step mode when it comes to having the spotlight on their scandals...