It seemed to start as a routine gathering of the scribes.
Press Briefing by Dana Perino
White House Conference Center Briefing Room
1:26 P.M. EDT
MS. PERINO: Happy Friday. One quick announcement. Today the governor of Wyoming appointed John Barrasso to fill the vacancy caused by the unfortunate death of U.S. Senator Craig Thomas. The President looks forward to working with Mr. Barrasso as he begins his work on behalf of our nation and the people of Wyoming. I should say Senator Barrasso. If there is more to update on that later, we’ll get it to you.
Q Does the President think that the Information Security Oversight Office should be abolished?
From there forward, it was a bad Friday for Ms. Perino. Some White House Press Corpse people seemed to be feeling their oats. Ms Perino came out armed with her talking points and scripted jabs. However, they didn’t seem to take this time. I found this exchange particularly amusing and informing.
In case you don’t know, EO is WashSpeak for “executive order”. The ISOO (ironically pronounced eye-sue) is the Information Security Oversight Office of the National Archives, which was created by the EO.
MS. PERINO: There’s no question that he is in compliance, in terms of the meat of the issue, which is classified — the handling of classified documents. It’s just simply a matter of a small portion of an executive order regarding reporting requirements, of which he is not subject to, and — the interpretation of the EO.
Q But if he’s not monitored, we don’t know that —
Q Why isn’t he subject to this?
MS. PERINO: Because the President gets to decide whether or not he should be treated separately, and he’s decided that he should.
Q Why did the President decide that he shouldn’t be subjected to this?
MS. PERINO: And if you look at the EO, throughout the Vice President’s office is called out on many other issues, and making sure that they are complying, just as with any other agency. But in this regard, it’s different.
Q But if he’s not monitored, how do we know that, that he’s in compliance?
MS. PERINO: I think there are many other ways — I’m not a lawyer, but —
Q How? Because it’s not as though —
MS. PERINO: Well, Victoria, maybe we can let you in there and you can have an interview and check out his classified materials.
Q The office is not giving away information.
MS. PERINO: Right, they’re not giving away classified information, either.
Q Who is making sure they’re in compliance?
MS. PERINO: That’s a good question. I’m not positive.
Q But you can stand up there and say they’re in compliance, but you don’t know why or how or who is checking on it.
MS. PERINO: What I said is that the Vice President’s office says that they are in compliance, and I can tell you on behalf of the President that we are in compliance with all matters regarding classified materials.
Q And it’s just them saying we’re in compliance?
MS. PERINO: I’ll see if there’s any other ways. The ISOO is not the only — I would believe that ISOO is not the only agency that can check that.
However, it did not end there. I invite you to read the whole thing. It includes this gem on the official White House reaction to Cheney’s reading of the Constitution and the branches of government.
Q Do you agree with the contention that the Office of the Vice President is not part of the executive branch?
MS. PERINO: What I know — and I am not a lawyer; and this is an interesting constitutional question that legal scholars can debate and I’m sure you’ll find plenty of them inside the beltway — is that the Vice President has a unique role in our United States government. He is not only the Vice President of the United States, but in that role he is also the President of the Senate. I will let him go ahead and —
Q So there’s a fourth branch of government.
MS. PERINO: — I will let that debate be held.
Bloody nice of you, sport. After more than 200 years, we just now are realizing we’ve all been reading this wrong. Wow!
Speaking of debate, how about those comments on stem cell research?
Q Thank you, Dana. Two questions. In his statement, “all human life is
sacred,” the President deplored what he termed, “the deliberate destruction
of human embryos.” And my question: If a pregnant woman is medically
diagnosed as facing death, unless she has a therapeutic abortion, does the
President believe it is wrong to destroy the fetus to save the life of the
mother?
MS. PERINO: I think that we’ve made public comments on this before
regarding the health of the mother. And you’re raising complex ethical
questions, which I’d refer you to the NIH to ask.
Q Well, all right. Is the President opposed to the destruction of any
embryo resulting from gang rape or incest?
MS. PERINO: I think we’ve made comments on that, too, Les. We’ll get you
those from before.
Q He’s made them before?
MS. PERINO: Yes, I’ll get those for you. Go ahead.
And I’m not even touching GITMO, which is not facing “imminent” closure, but is going to be closed as soon as possible and that new prison in Afghanistan is not a new GITMO away from Cuban soil. We won’t be transferring those guys from Cuba soil to U.S. soil, at least I don’t think so and we probably won’t, but we’ll get back to you on that. Finally, the meeting scheduled today to discuss Guantanamo as cancelled and it was cancelled after the AP story about the meeting came out but I can’t say if it was because of the story and no decision was to be made at the meeting which was cancelled after the story of the meeting came out and no decision was going to be made, especially after the meeting was cancelled.
Oh, and about the president’s remarks on the sanctity of life? Could we get some clarification? Of course, Ms. Perino will get back to you.
The biggest hoot of the day? President Boy George Bush and Vietnam President Triet sitting down and discussing “human rights”.
“You really messed up our country. Send us some money, Bush.”
“Don’t look at me! I was hiding under the bed. How much money you want? No problem. Oh, and by the way, clean up your act on human rights.”
No, problem, W . . . hee hee . . . You crack me up.”
“heh heh heh heh heh heh heh. You got beer there in Veetnam? Laura bring us a couple of cold ones!”
Powered by ScribeFire.
Buddy, can you spare a cup? Buy this guy a coffee! To donate, click here. Thanks! 
