# Scott McClellan Says Helen Thomas Opposes 'War on Terrorism' **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 14, 2005, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240 "2005-10-14T16:39:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/1 "2005-10-14T16:39:09Z")
From [Editor & Publisher](http://editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001305789): Really, I thought we moved past this. Have we gone really back to trying to cow journalists by accusing them of being unpatriotic? As evidenced by Terry Morgan’s follow up, it looks like the press is no longer afeared of being again’ us. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/2 "2005-10-14T16:50:00Z")
It sure is entertaining watching the White House implode. These guys couldn’t organize a two float parade. Browbeating Helen Thomas isn’t going to win any friends. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/3 "2005-10-14T16:59:40Z")
I’m opposed to the war on terrorism, in as much as it appears to be overseen by a squad of psychotic howler monkeys. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/4 "2005-10-14T17:09:17Z")
It is the view of the administration that Iraq is part of “The War on Terror.” Whether you agree or not is irrelevant; it’s their terminology and they have a right to define thier own terms. They have repeatedly made it clear how they see the War in Iraq as addressing the issue of terrorism. Stomping one’s feet and screaming that Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 simply shows that one fails to grasp the claim the other person is making. “The broader war on terrorism” (note the modifier) includes Iraq; Helen Thomas opposes that, just as I oppose the “War on Drugs” as an asinine idea. I don’t worry that people will infer that I support giving children crack, and I don’t think she should worry that people will infer that she supports terrorism. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/5 "2005-10-14T17:19:01Z")
> [@furt](#): > > Whether you agree or not is irrelevant; it’s their terminology and they have a right to define thier own terms. IOW they can keep lying all they want to and you won’t see anything wrong. The rest of us think being in the “reality based community” is actually important. > [@](#): > > “The broader war on terrorism” (note the modifier) includes Iraq Bollocks. You went back to the Kool-Aid table for seconds, didn’t you? > [@](#): > > I don’t think she should worry that people will infer that she supports terrorism. No, she shouldn’t, but not because of a difference in terminology; she needn’t worry about it’s being believed because it’s such a pathetic lie. ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/6 "2005-10-14T17:20:59Z")
> [@furt](#): > > It is the view of the administration that Iraq is part of “The War on Terror.” Then the administration needs glasses. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/7 "2005-10-14T17:27:11Z")
I wager it has been some time since Helen Thomas stomped her feet and I rather doubt she did this time either. The White House says they believe Iraq is part of The War Against Terror. They can say that but it doesn’t make it true. Helen simply called them on a lie and he reacted like a second grader. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/8 "2005-10-14T17:29:05Z")
The White House has asserted that folks who question the war in Iraq are monkey fuckers. Whether you agree or not is irrelevant; it’s their terminology and they have a right to define thier own terms. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/9 "2005-10-14T17:37:49Z")
> [@furt](#): > > It is the view of the administration that Iraq is part of “The War on Terror.” Been following their advertising, have you, **furt**? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/10 "2005-10-14T17:48:33Z")
> [@furt](#): > > “The broader war on terrorism” (note the modifier) includes Iraq; Helen Thomas opposes that, just as I oppose the “War on Drugs” as an asinine idea. Helen Thomas opposes the Iraq war. It’s McClellan’s extrapolation that this means she opposes “the broader war on terrorism.” His job is not to tell anyone what she thinks; he’s just taking a shot at her because Thomas and this administration have never gotten along. I’m glad the other reporter noted that the remark was “odd.” ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/11 "2005-10-14T17:58:49Z")
> [@This Year's Model](#): > > Been following their advertising, have you, **furt**? Kool Aid! Kool Aid! Tastes great! Wish we had some! Can’t wait! ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/12 "2005-10-14T18:05:06Z")
For a long time I didn’t understand why Helen Thomas was tolerated by the Bush administration. Why don’t they just refuse to answer her questions? Why not simply kick her out of the white house press pool and be done with her? I’ve come to hold a theory on this. Having her ask questions of a Republican administration is akin to having Ann Coulter ask questions of a Democratic one. She’s outright hostile and rude towards them. They obviously know this, yet they keep her around. I think it’s because they feel she helps them. She spits out a question that’s obviously baited and filled with hatred that another more reasonable reporter might have asked in a more sensible way. No reasonable, moderate viewer would ever side with her. She makes her side look bad. A reporter asking simliar questions with similar intent would actually be much more effective than her if he just behaved properly. It’s for this reason that I think they keep her around. Even in the transcript. She’s being rude and argumentative with her interuptions of McClellan, yet he remains polite and civil to her. Having her on the attack makes him look good. She adds value for the administration in the same way that Al Sharpton added value to Kerry’s run for the presidency. Oh, and specifically regarding the OP: Thomas is against the war on terror and admits it in the article, so I hardly see what the fuss is to mention it. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/13 "2005-10-14T18:15:41Z")
I can’t get the link to work-- I get a “no data” message. Is there another link to the story? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/14 "2005-10-14T18:23:06Z")
Works fine here, **John**. Ah, well, the words in the press conference are all public domain (I assume), so here’s a cut’n’paste job: > [@](#): > > THOMAS What does the President mean by “total victory” – that we will never leave Iraq until we have “total victory”? What does that mean? > > McCLELLAN: Free and democratic Iraq in the heart of the Middle East, because a free and democratic Iraq in the heart of the Middle East will be a major blow to the ambitions – > > THOMAS If they ask us to leave, then we’ll leave? > > MR. McCLELLAN: I’m trying to respond. A free and democratic Iraq in the heart of the broader Middle East will be a major blow to the ambitions of al Qaeda and their terrorist associates. They want to establish or impose their rule over the broader Middle East – we saw that in the Zawahiri letter that was released earlier this week by the intelligence community. > > THOMAS They also know we invaded Iraq. > > McCLELLAN: Well, Helen, the President recognizes that we are engaged in a global war on terrorism. And when you’re engaged in a war, it’s not always pleasant, and it’s certainly a last resort. But when you engage in a war, you take the fight to the enemy, you go on the offense. And that’s exactly what we are doing. We are fighting them there so that we don’t have to fight them here. September 11th taught us – > > THOMAS It has nothing to do with – Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. > > McCLELLAN: Well, you have a very different view of the war on terrorism, and I’m sure you’re opposed to the broader war on terrorism. The President recognizes this requires a comprehensive strategy, and that this is a broad war, that it is not a law enforcement matter. > > Terry. > > TERRY MORAN On what basis do you say Helen is opposed to the broader war on terrorism? > > McCLELLAN: Well, she certainly expressed her concerns about Afghanistan and Iraq and going into those two countries. I think I can go back and pull up her comments over the course of the past couple of years. > > MORAN And speak for her, which is odd. > > McCLELLAN: No, I said she may be, because certainly if you look at her comments over the course of the past couple of years, she’s expressed her concerns – > > THOMAS I’m opposed to preemptive war, unprovoked preemptive war. > > MR. McCLELLAN: – she’s expressed her concerns. **debaser** , where do you get that she’s opposed to the war on terror, not the war on Iraq? From the same cup of Kool-Aid? ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/15 "2005-10-14T18:33:29Z")
> [@furt](#): > > I don’t think she should worry that people will infer that she supports terrorism. > [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > No, she shouldn’t, but not because of a difference in terminology; she needn’t worry about it’s being believed because it’s such a pathetic lie. A lie that no one has stated. Or did I miss it? What might the “it” in your statement refer to? So, over the past few years we’ve moved from a lie being an an untruth spoken when it is known to be such, to an incorrect statement that is _later_ proved to be false, and now, to a non statement that no one ever said. Now I understand what they mean by a progressive agenda. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/16 "2005-10-14T18:37:57Z")
> [@NurseCarmen](#): > > The White House has asserted that folks who question the war in Iraq are monkey fuckers. Whether you agree or not is irrelevant; it’s their terminology and they have a right to define thier own terms. Lets posit that in the wake of a police-brutality case, there are massive race riots. The president creates a comprehensive race-relations plan and calls it “Healing America.” A major part of that plan involves expanding affirmative action as a means of addressing what they see as the root causes of the riots. Let us further posit that I oppose that plan, in large part because I say the race riots had nothing to do with minorities not getting jobs. The president, IMO, would be entirely correct to say that I oppose “Healing America.” Yes, there is a slight unfairness in the use of the language, in the way it makes it sound like I favor keeping America sick; but that’s politics. It’s the same as “pro-choice,” “pro-life” and all the rest. Or, for that matter, claiming that only those with a specific political affiliation are “reality-based.” The admin has chosen to call their foreign policy a “War on Terror” – the term is often put in capitals or quotes – and Helen Thomas opposes it. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/17 "2005-10-14T18:38:35Z")
The thing that gets me - and why I was moved to post a Pit OP - is that I thought we were through with this whole “if you dare question us, then you’re with the terrorists” bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/18 "2005-10-14T18:38:47Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > A lie that no one has stated. Or did I miss it? What might the “it” in your statement refer to? > [@](#): > > McCLELLAN: Well, you have a very different view of the war on terrorism, and **I’m sure you’re opposed to the broader war on terrorism.** The President recognizes this requires a comprehensive strategy, and that this is a broad war, that it is not a law enforcement matter. The inference is that one who is opposed to the “broader war on terrorism” indeed supports terrorism. This from an administration that says “you’re either on our side or the terrorists’ side.” ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/19 "2005-10-14T18:44:37Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > **debaser** , where do you get that she’s opposed to the war on terror, not the war on Iraq? From the same cup of Kool-Aid? The war in Iraq is a part of the war on terror. It’s funny that some of you guys still don’t get this. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/20 "2005-10-14T18:51:17Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > The war in Iraq is a part of the war on terror. > > It’s funny that some of you guys still don’t get this. It is NOW. But it was only, at most, marginally related to the WoT before we invaded. And I’m being very generous for saying “marginally”. I strong case could be made that it wasn’t the least bit a part of the WoT. Bush needs to get rid of Scotty. That guy reminds me of the dumb guy we all had in class who was always trying to bullshit his way thru things. He just isn’t very bright, and it show. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240.md?page=2)