Question:
Do you want to retract your statement that Rove -- Karl Rove was not
involved in the Valerie Plame expose? -- involved?
McClellan:
This is -- no, I appreciate the question. This is an ongoing investigation
at this point. The President directed the White House to cooperate
fully with the investigation, and as part of cooperating fully with
the investigation, that means we're not going to be commenting on
it while it is ongoing.
Question:
But Rove has apparently commented, through his lawyer, that he was
definitely involved.
McClellan:
You're asking me to comment on an ongoing investigation.
Question:
I'm saying, why did you stand there and say he was not involved?
McClellan:
Again, while there is an ongoing investigation, I'm not going to be
commenting on it, nor is --
Question:
-- any remorse?
McClellan:
-- nor is the White House, because the President wanted us to cooperate
fully with the investigation, and that's what we're doing.
Question:
That's not an answer.
Question:
It's not an answer. And you were perfectly willing to comment from
that podium while the investigation was going on, and try to clear
Karl Rove. Why the double standard? Why were you willing to say Karl
Rove was not involved when -- and talk at length about it, when the
investigation was going on, and now that he's been caught red-handed,
all of a sudden you've got a new line?
McClellan:
No, I don't think it is the way you characterize it, as new, because
I have said for quite some time that this is an ongoing investigation,
and we're not going to get into discussing it while it's an ongoing
investigation. I've really said all I'm going to say on it.
Question:
But you did -- you did discuss it while it was an ongoing investigation.
You stood there and told the American people Karl Rove wasn't involved.
McClellan:
I've said all I'm going to say on it. Go ahead, April.
[...]
Question:
Scott, is the President aware of Karl Rove's role in leaking information
about Joe Wilson's wife?
McClellan:
Again, this is a Question relating to an ongoing investigation, and
you have my response.
Question:
Scott, without commenting on the investigation, you said in September
of '03, if anyone in this administration was involved in it, they
would no longer be in this administration. Does that standard still
hold?
McClellan:
Again, I appreciate all these questions. They are questions relating
to an ongoing investigation, and the President directed us to cooperate
fully with that investigation. No one wants to get to the bottom of
it more than he does and --
Question:
-- the standard then still apply?
McClellan:
The investigation is ongoing, Peter, and we're just not going to --
we're not going to --
Question:
Did the President set a timetable --
Question:
It's not about the investigation, it's about the White House decision--
McClellan:
We're not going to talk about it further from this podium.
[...]
Q: Scott,
can I ask you this: Did Karl Rove commit a crime?
McClellan:
Again, David [Gregory of NBC], this is a question relating to a ongoing
investigation, and you have my response related to the investigation.
And I don't think you should read anything into it other than: We're
going to continue not to comment on it while it's ongoing.
Question:
Do you stand by your statement from the fall of 2003, when you were
asked specifically about Karl and Elliot Abrams and Scooter Libby,
and you said, "I've gone to each of those gentlemen, and they
have told me they are not involved in this"?
McClellan:
And if you will recall, I said that, as part of helping the investigators
move forward on the investigation, we're not going to get into commenting
on it. That was something I stated back near that time as well.
Question:
Scott, 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've decided not to talk. You've got
a public record out there. Do you stand by your remarks from that
podium or not?
McClellan:
I'm well aware, like you, of what was previously said. And I will
be glad to talk about it at the appropriate time. The appropriate
time is when the investigation...
Question:
(inaudible) when it's appropriate and when it's inappropriate?
McClellan:
If you'll let me finish.
Question:
No, you're not finishing. You're not saying anything. You stood at
that podium and said that Karl Rove was not involved. And now we find
out that he spoke about Joseph Wilson's wife. So don't you owe the
American public a fuller explanation. Was he involved or was he not?
Because contrary to what you told the American people, he did indeed
talk about his wife, didn't he?
MCCLELLAN:
There will be a time to talk about this, but now is not the time to
talk about it.
