Last Friday, Nicolle Wallace, Bush’s communications director, was asked on the Today Show if it was appropriate for the White House to argue that Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) has endorsed the “policy positions of Michael Moore and the liberal wing of the Democratic Party.” Wallace said:
“Well, we can’t shy away from having a very honest debate about the policies.”
It was an odd thing for the White House communications director to say. By equating Murtha with Moore, the Bush gang was avoiding a policy debate, not engaging in one. And considering the Bush gang’s mendacity, hearing Wallace talk about “a very honest debate” might have been hilarious if it weren’t so sad.
To his enormous credit, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer did some follow-up work with Wallace yesterday. Blitzer isn’t known for being too aggressive with administration officials, but he made it pretty clear yesterday that “a very honest debate” is perhaps the last thing Wallace wants (via Dan Froomkin).
Wallace: [C]ertainly the policies that Congressman Murtha advocated are not debatable. He was very clear. He advocated an immediate withdrawal from the battle space in Iraq.
Blitzer: He didn’t advocate an immediate withdrawal. He said over the next six months, and then to keep the troops in neighboring states like Kuwait, Qatar, over the horizon, to go back in if necessary.
Wallace: Well, look, you’ve had him on your air for a lot of the last five days and I think he’s probably articulated his position much more clearly than I can do. We disagree with the…
Blitzer: That’s what he articulated the first day when he made his long statement.
Wallace: Well, I’m not sure what you want to debate me on, Wolf.
Blitzer: I’m not debating. I’m just saying he didn’t call for an immediate withdrawal.
Wallace: Well, what he is advocating differs from current White House policy. And, frankly, I only saw two other Democrats, Democratic colleagues of Congressman Murtha’s side with his position. But this is a healthy debate to have.
Blitzer: I want to be precise on this, Nicolle, because words matter.
Wallace: Absolutely.
Blitzer: The resolution that was in the Congress used the words “immediate withdrawal.” And there were three Democrats who voted for that. Congressman Murtha talks about a six-month phased withdrawal and then keeping troops in the region, which is significantly different.
Wallace: We still oppose anything other than a conditions-based withdrawal from Iraq.
In effect, the White House communications director was afraid to concede that she was badly mischaracterizing what Murtha said, so in effect she concluded, “Whatever it is we think of Murtha’s plan, we’re against it.”
Kudos to Blitzer for conducting an interview the way it’s supposed to be done.