White House Press Corps.org: Press Briefing by Tony Snow 12/8/06 (Topic: Iraq)

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Press Briefing by Tony Snow 12/8/06 (Topic: Iraq)
— Saturday, December 09, 2006 —

Victoria.

Q When I was talking with a radio talk show host this morning, it was said to me that it was inappropriate of the President yesterday to laugh after he said that it was bad in Iraq. Could you speak to that please?

MR. SNOW: No. I mean, I don't remember it, and we appreciate the -- look, the fact is, here's a President, if by this -- actually, maybe you can help me, because what I have is a statement of people's emotional reaction. What exactly -- to what did they take umbrage, and what did they think it implied? Did they say?

Q They took umbrage to the fact that a question was asked by the reporter from the BBC that the President had said that it was unsettling. And the President replied that it's bad in Iraq, and then he laughed. They thought that that lent an air of levity to the proceedings that they didn't think was appropriate.

MR. SNOW: I see. The BBC question, I think, was in fact -- he was parsing and bantering a bit with the President.

Q The bantering hadn't happened at that point.

MR. SNOW: No, I think if you go back and look at it -- in any event, let me put it this way -- let me try to soothe the anxieties. Anybody who doubts the President's seriousness hasn't been looking or listening, period. This is something where, again, he signs letters of condolence to every family that's lost a loved one. He is briefed on it on a daily basis. He understands the national security is at stake here. He not only hears about this, but he gets regular briefings on intelligence about ongoing terror efforts to kill American citizens.

After September 11th, it's a different world. And it is a world where, I guarantee you, the terror organizations are looking for any possible way to do two things: number one, to kill Americans; and number two, to divide the American public. So if, in fact, there is a desire on the part of the radio talk show hosts to reach an Iraq where human dignity once again has an opportunity to express itself within the context of a free and democratic society, and if they want to be helpful, we're open to all suggestions and support, because it is a time for people maybe to stop looking for offense and start looking for ways to be constructive and helpful.

It's a real moment of opportunity when it comes to these things. And that is the approach the President is taking. Certainly, if people tried to draw from that that there is an air of levity when it comes to the human toll or the difficulty of the challenge ahead, I assure you, there is none.

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