Video: Dana Perino, Helen Thomas Spar Over Troops, Iraqis ‘Killed’ : Ian Schwartz
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Video: Dana Perino, Helen Thomas Spar Over Troops, Iraqis ‘Killed’

November 30, 2007 @ 7:24 pm

Transcript:

HELEN THOMAS: Does the President want no troops out from Iraq on his watch? I’m talking about all the troops.

MS. PERINO: Well, 5,700 troops will be home by the end of the year, so that is some troops coming home. The President said that troop levels are going to be made by commanders on the ground, and that we’re going to have to talk about –

THOMAS: Why should it be? Why can’t the American people have a say?

MS. PERINO: — return on success. The American people have had a say. They elected a President who is their Commander-in-Chief and is making decisions based on what his commanders on the ground are telling him.

THOMAS: And you think that was the vote of the American people?

MS. PERINO: They elected a Commander-in-Chief, and the President is bringing home 5,700 troops, based on the recommendations of his commanders on the ground and based on return on success. Hopefully in the future we can bring home more, but it’s going to depend on what General Petraeus reports and remember he will come back in March.

THOMAS: Why should we depend on him?

MS. PERINO: Because he is the commander on the ground, Helen. He’s the one who is making sure that the situation is moving –

THOMAS: You mean how many more people we kill?

MS. PERINO: Helen, I find it really unfortunate that you use your front row position, bestowed upon you by your colleagues, to make such statements. This is a — it is an honor and a privilege to be in the briefing room, and to suggest that we, at the United States, are killing innocent people is just absurd and very offensive.

THOMAS: Do you know how many we have since the start of this war?

MS. PERINO: How many — we are going after the enemy, Helen. To the extent that any innocent Iraqis have been killed, we have expressed regret for it.

Q Oh, regret. It doesn’t bring back a life.

MS. PERINO: Helen, we are in a war zone, and our military works extremely hard to make sure that everyone has the opportunity for liberty and freedom and democracy, and that is exactly what they are doing.

I’m going to move on.

Dana Perino 1, Helen Thomas 0.

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Written by Ian · Filed Under Middle  · Email this post

Comments

7 Responses to “Video: Dana Perino, Helen Thomas Spar Over Troops, Iraqis ‘Killed’”

  1. Kevin on November 30th, 2007 8:40 pm

    Your videos no longer show up in firefox browsers :(. It just leaves a blank spot where the video should go.

  2. Ian on November 30th, 2007 8:41 pm

    Really? I’m using FF and it’s working for me .. hm.

  3. red on November 30th, 2007 9:17 pm

    Helen really sounds feeble in this doesn’t she? Congratulations to the Press Corps for foisting this sick joke on us.

  4. Opinionnation on November 30th, 2007 9:41 pm

    Congratulations to the Press Corps for foisting this sick joke on us.

    They can’t help it. Helen represents their views. The views they, themselves wish they could express. Unfortunately, for them, they are restrained from expressing those views because they have to keep up the facade that they are credible journalists.

    btw, IE and FF is working fine for me.

  5. Jason Malcolm, III on November 30th, 2007 9:54 pm

    Why can’t this old bag distinguish between intentionally targeting and killing innocent civilians (what the terrorists do) and trying to protect them which unfortunately sometimes results in innocent civilian deaths unintentionally, and often because the animals hide among the innocent?

    Why does the left think the 2006 vote included a ballot option calling for immediate withdrawal and everyone said yes?

    Helen is the epitome of the flower children of the 60s who are today’s blooming idiots.

  6. Kevin on November 30th, 2007 10:21 pm

    Must be something on my side then. Strange that it’s only happening to ianschwartz.com videos.

  7. Todd Beckett on December 8th, 2007 12:37 pm

    I think Helen actually sounds like a sane person trying to get an answer from a crazy person. The question, “How many innocent civilians have died at the hands of our troops?” is a legitimate. Dana, doesn’t answer. Instead she attacks Helen personally and covers herself in the vale of the dignity of her office. Unfortunately, the Bush administration has show itself to be at least incompitent, and more than likely tresiounsly false in its dealings with the American people.

    Bravo Helen.

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