Robert Gibbs, rattled by Telegraph story, lashes out at British press

[bijou]

It's difficult to know where to start with the extraordinary outburst by Robert Gibbs, White House press secretary, after he was asked about the Telegraph story based on an interview with Maj Gen (Retd) Antonio Taguba, author of a 2004 report into the Abu Ghraib abuse scandal.

Gibbs didn't feel he was on sure enough ground to attack Taguba or deny the Telegraph's story so he attempted to throw up a smokescreen by launching into what Daily Kos called a "cheap hacktastic smear attack on the British Press in general".

Anticipating the question and preparing his attack, Gibbs came up with a plodding (and botched - it's not the Champion's League "Cup") quip about British football (aka soccer):

"I will speak generally about some reports I've witnessed over the past few years in the British media, and in some ways I'm surprised it filtered down.  Let's just say if I wanted to look up -- if I wanted to read a write-up today of how Manchester United fared last night in the Champion's League Cup, I might open up a British newspaper.  If I was looking for something that bordered on truthful news, I'm not entirely sure it would be the first stack of clips I picked up."

Later on, he said:

"Again, I think if you do an even moderate Google search, you're not going to find many of these newspapers and truth within, say, 25 words of each other."

But notice that when Gibbs was asked a direct question, he obfuscated:


Q: So are you saying that the report is completely false?

MR. GIBBS:  I would refer you very closely to the statement that DOD put out that the article is wrong and mischaracterizes the photos that are in question.

Watch it here:

...

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/toby_harnden/blog/2009/05/29/robert_gibbs_rattled_by_telegraph_story_lashes_out_at_british_press

Hmm, when our own home grown political crisis has subsided a bit Obama may find he has fewer foreign friends than he thought.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

How quaint.

Obama has to run from the PR stunt he ginned-up.

[Chris_]

I just find the irony laughable that we have THIS administration with it's collection of "problematic credibility issues", calling out the credibility of anybody else.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

I just find the irony laughable that we have THIS administration with it's collection of "problematic credibility issues", calling out the credibility of anybody else.

I'm confederated with the WH to believe the DT story is NOT credible...

...BUT...

...your point about the WH itself not being credible is salient but it is particularly nettlesome for liberals who WANT the DT story to be true. They are now left with the choice of abandoning their worst fantasies of US troops or abandoning Obama. Dog forbid the photos are as bad as they are described but if they are then Obama just became complicitious in an extremely heinous crime.

I must confess there is a certain deliciousness to it all.

[Chris_]

...your point about the WH itself not being credible is salient but it is particularly nettlesome for liberals who WANT the DT story to be true. They are now left with the choice of abandoning their worst fantasies of US troops or abandoning Obama. Dog forbid the photos are as bad as they are described but if they are then Obama just became complicitious in an extremely heinous crime.

I as well, wish to believe that this is just that - a story.  The credibility gulf that is the White House standing up and refuting the accusations - not with any evidence, mind you, but by calling into question the credibility of the source that published the accusation - if anything, makes it HARDER for me to believe in the immaterial nature of the story in question.

This is a painful position for me to be in, and I dispise the administration all the more for putting me here.

[thundley4]

My only concern is that The Telegraph is being truthful, at least as far as what their source is telling them. I'm sincerely hoping that Maj. Gen. (ret) Taguba is lying.

I've posted many breaking stories on here from The Telegraph, and most of their breaking news beats the stories being reported in the American press. The Telegraph is a far cry from being a tabloid like The Sun is .

[5412]

How quaint.

Obama has to run from the PR stunt he ginned-up.

Hi,

You know who Gibbs reminds me of?  Remember when we went to war against Iraq and their defense minister or someone was interviewed all the time and he talked about how Iraq was winning the war.  No matter how many facts that were thrown at him by the press, he just ignored them and he was such a simpleton that most folks watched him to laugh at him.  When I see Gibbs he really behaves in much the same manner.  Why the press even bothers with him is amazing, he is an idiot.....   And of course he is doing his job because his boss never has to answer questions, can always use the teleprompter and we never see him in front of an audience where he has to speak without help.

regards,
5412

[Chris]

This guy?

[5412]

This guy?

Hi,

Wow, how did you find that?  Yep that is him, Gibbs idol......

regards,
5412

[Chris]

Hi,

Wow, how did you find that?  Yep that is him, Gibbs idol......

regards,
5412

Rush Limbaugh labeled that guy "Baghdad Bob" during the first Gulf War.  It was an easy Google search.

[5412]

Rush Limbaugh labeled that guy "Baghdad Bob" during the first Gulf War.  It was an easy Google search.

Hi,

Maybe we should name Gibbs BO Bob....ya think!

regards,
5412

[AllosaursRus]

Hi,

Maybe we should name Gibbs BO Bob....ya think!

regards,
5412

I vote for Bam Bam Bob!

[5412]

I vote for Bam Bam Bob!

Hi,

In high school we had a kid we names BS Bob....for good reason.  Oddly enough he spent much of his career as a newspaper reporter......  Might be time to brush off that name once again.

regards,
5412