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Is Bush's man losing the plot?
04/10/2002 12:30 - (SA)
Washington - Attack of the killer potatoes? What a strange week it's been for President George W Bush's spokesperson, capped by his sputtering over spuds.
Ari Fleischer, the cautious and calibrated press secretary, has
had a run of fumbles and dodges in the hothouse atmosphere of a
city readying for war, soaked in election-season politics and edgy over domestic security.
For starters, he acknowledged shooting himself in the foot when
he snapped that "one bullet" in Saddam Hussein's head would be
cheaper than a war.
He backtracked while his White House colleagues recoiled.
Involvement in the assassination of foreign leaders is forbidden
under US policy, however relieved American officials would be if
Iraqis shot their president.
Fleischer tripped over other issues as well in recent days. He
contended the House and Senate had agreed to an Iraqi war
resolution when only the House leaders had done so.
He steadfastly, although uncomfortably, refused to acknowledge
what White House officials admitted privately - that his boss
misspoke when he asserted that the Senate did not care about
national security.
Bush's intended message in response to balking lawmakers was
that Senate Democrats care more about special interests than
national security. He did not mean to say the Democrats care
nothing for national security - a distinction that in Washington
eyes is a big difference.
Goofs gave way to goofy Thursday.
Fleischer defended Bush's plan to deny normal collective
bargaining and other employee rights to workers at the proposed
Homeland Security Department by noting that presidents have long
had the authority to suspend such rights in a national emergency.
Senate opponents would stop Bush from using powers he already
has in other departments, he contended.
"If he declared that there was an emergency, he could stop
collective bargaining at the Department of Agriculture," Fleischer said. "So under what the Senate is proposing, the president will have more authority to help protect the homeland if potatoes attacked America in the Department of Agriculture than he would if terrorists did."
Long week.
Last month, Fleischer fumbled on the whereabouts of the vice
president. Asked why Dick Cheney did not attend a September 11
anniversary event, Fleischer said the vice president was at a
meeting of Bush's top aides.
When it was pointed out to him that Bush's top aides were at the
anniversary event, Fleischer stammered.
It turned out Cheney had been spirited away to a secret location
because of the same potential threats to the country that prompted the government to heighten the public terrorist alert soon after.
Fleischer's meatless pronouncements on Bush policy are generally
in keeping with a White House that keeps a tight lid on
information. He often professes ignorance about details.
When he was challenged on the administration's claim that
al-Qaida terrorists had taken refuge in Iraq, he refused to
acknowledge the distinction between parts of the country controlled by Saddam and Kurdish-controlled territory outside his reach.
"Iraq is Iraq," Fleischer insisted.
To say any more than that, he went on, he'd have to look at a
map and get briefed on co-ordinates.
US intelligence sources say al-Qaida operatives appear to be
limited mainly to Kurdish lands.
Fleischer caused a flap in March when he appeared to blame
former President Clinton for stirring more bloodshed in the Middle East. "In an attempt to shoot the moon and get nothing, more violence resulted," he said in looking back at the Clinton years.
He issued a retraction later in the day, after what several
White House advisers said was a mild admonishment by Bush and other superiors, and their firm insistence that he take it back. - Sapa-AP
- SAPA
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