Demagogue

After President Bush and South Korean President Roh met on Friday morning, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan briefed reporters and got caught in this exchange:

REPORTER: A couple of things on Korea. When [Roh and Bush] first met here in May 2003, they emerged with a common statement that said, "We will not tolerate nuclear weapons in North Korea." That statement was notably absent today. Can you explain why?

McCLELLAN: Everybody said that they want a nuclear-free peninsula.

REPORTER: It's a different thing than, "we will not tolerate nuclear weapons in North Korea."

McCLELLAN: Look, we can get caught up in all the semantics, but let's talk about the issue that is before us. The issue before us is North Korea and their nuclear weapons ambitions. We are seeking to resolve that .....

We "want" versus we "will not tolerate." The fact that the White House views the difference in these phrases as merely semantical is more evidence of the Bushies' propensity for twisting, spinning and manipulating the truth.

Had McClellan been honest in his reply, the transcript would have read something like this:

McCLELLAN: Look, we can get caught up in the obvious difference, but let's talk about something other than the issue that you've raised.