Helen Thomas apparently tore into White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan today and challenged him on his claims that the United States is in Afghanistan and Iraq by invitation.
(Was that with an RSVP?)
From today's Press Briefing by Scott McClellan
March 25, 2005
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/05/20050525-3.html
First question after he opened the floor for questions:
Q The other day -- in fact, this week, you said that we, the United States, is in Afghanistan and Iraq by invitation. Would you like to correct that incredible distortion of American history --
MR. McCLELLAN: No, we are -- that's where we currently --
Q -- in view of your credibility is already mired? How can you say that?
MR. McCLELLAN: Helen, I think everyone in this room knows that you're taking that comment out of context. There are two democratically-elected governments in Iraq and --
Q Were we invited into Iraq?
MR. McCLELLAN: There are two democratically-elected governments now in Iraq and Afghanistan, and we are there at their invitation. They are sovereign governments, and we are there today --
Q You mean if they had asked us out, that we would have left?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, Helen, I'm talking about today. We are there at their invitation. They are sovereign governments -- Q I'm talking about today, too.
MR. McCLELLAN: -- and we are doing all we can to train and equip their security forces so that they can provide for their own security as they move forward on a free and democratic future. Q Did we invade those countries?
MR. McCLELLAN: Go ahead, Steve.
Don't you know Scotty was wishing and hoping for his buddy Guckert to be there.
How much longer can this guy survive in that job?