White House Press Corps.org: Press Briefing by Tony Fratto 02/23/07 (Topic: Iraq)

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Press Briefing by Tony Fratto 02/23/07 (Topic: Iraq)
— Friday, February 23, 2007 —

Q Do Vice President Cheney's comments about Nancy Pelosi undermine the President's attempts to work cooperatively with Congress on Iraq?

MR. FRATTO: You know, Vice President Cheney didn't make comments about Nancy Pelosi -- Speaker Pelosi. He made comments about the strategy that Speaker Pelosi and Representative Murtha are advocating. And clearly that's within bounds -- your question was, did it --

Q The President wants to say -- he says he's looking for common ground and wants to work cooperatively, but his Vice President has dismissed her proposals out of hand as those that would aid the enemy, effectively. That's not quite the way you go about having a conversation.

MR. FRATTO: Look, we've having lots of conversations with members of Congress on lots of areas of common ground. In the area of, specifically with Iraq, if we can find a way to have an understanding that we're trying to reach the same goal, then maybe we can get there.

But, look, if the proposal that's being put forth is a pullout of Iraq, and the National Intelligence Estimate says that -- or a pullout of Baghdad, I'm sorry; a pullout of Baghdad -- and the National Intelligence Estimate says that a precipitous pullout of Baghdad would lead to chaos and a humanitarian disaster and threats -- an ongoing threat and the collapse in Iraq, then it's hard to find common ground on that point. We disagree. Our view is that we need to stabilize Baghdad. That's the only way that we're going to bring security to the region, and have a chance to allow this government to have the breathing space to move forward.

Q So is this the tone and the message the President wants communicated?

MR. FRATTO: No, the tone -- the President has -- I'm not sure if there's -- if a President has spent more time talking about bipartisanship and common ground on --

Q "Talking about it," but the question is engaging in it?

MR. FRATTO: And, in fact, engaging in it. We've seen it on lots of issues. We've seen it on the minimum wage bill. We're finding bipartisan solutions there. We're certainly talking about it on education. We're certainly reaching out on health care in a bipartisan way. These are -- on energy -- these are all areas that I think we're going to be able to find common ground on.

One issue, Iraq, is going to be a little bit tougher. It's going to be a little bit tougher if -- also, if Democrats don't seek the same goal.

Q The President's goal is victory, so you're saying the Democrats' goal is not also victory?

MR. FRATTO: No, the goal is -- the goal, with respect to the strategy that we have outlined, is to bring peace and stability to Iraq, to bring security to Iraq so that this government can proceed.

Q And the Democrats' goal?

MR. FRATTO: Well, I don't see -- you know, when I talked earlier about consequences, what I don't see is any analysis that counters the view of the National Intelligence Estimate that pulling forces out of Baghdad would lead to chaos.

Now, if someone out there is saying that that would not lead to chaos -- there is no independent or expert view that conforms to that. But we do have the National Intelligence Estimate. And I know Democrats are fond of, when they see the National Intelligence Estimate, of throwing it back at us, where it's critical of our conduct or conditions on the ground in Iraq. And that's fine, we accept that, but you can't -- it's not a Chinese menu where you can take from column A and column B. You take it in whole. And in whole, it's very clear. It says that it would lead to chaos.

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Posted by White House Press Corps @ 9:56 PM

1 Comments:

At 2:13 PM, Anonymous said...: Dana: About your press briefing on our intentions in Iran -- don't disrepsect what Seymour Hirsch says as the truth. Do you think we believe what comes out of the White House on this issue?

We count on the press (as opposed to the flaks) for hound-dogging the truth out of the Casa Blanca.
Geez - everyone knows that!
Elisabeth