In seven months of televised briefings and interviews, White House press secretary Tony Snow already has used the phrase “I don’t know” more than 400 times. Snow told the Washington Post he says that a lot “because I don’t know all.”
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Registered?
Commenting on WE Blog now requires you to be a Kansas.com member. Use the links above to register, if you haven't already, or to log in.Contact us
Follow us
Daily Archives
-
Recent Comments
- Monkeyhawk on Open thread 11/8
- Daniel on Open thread 11/8
- Boxlock20 on Open thread 11/8
- Daniel on Open thread 11/8
- Boxlock20 on Open thread 11/8
- Monkeyhawk on Open thread 11/8
- Daniel on Open thread 11/8
- Boxlock20 on Open thread 11/8
- Boxlock20 on Open thread 11/8
- Daniel on Open thread 11/8
35 Comments
Well, look at the guy he’s working for. He doesn’t have a clue, either. Enough said.
Well if the press is asking “What did George mean when he said …” I don’t know would be entirely appropriate!
Sometimes that is the answer.You can beat him up if you want to, but “I don’t know” isn’t used enough, IMHO. Of course, I don’t use it. Cause I’m King.
It seems refreshing for someone that is standing before the public to honestly admit when they don’t know.
What sotheysaid said. ;)
I’ve been a fan of Tony Snow’s for many years – back when he woul pinch-hit for Rush on the Radio occasionally.
He’s bright, a quick thinker, insightful, witty and funny.
Sometimes “I don’t know” is appropriate. The fact that some service would take the time to count how many times he said it, is hilarious.
7 months – that’s about 200 press briefings. Twice per meeting. Heck, most libs say “I don’t know” 3 times before breakfast.
“I don’t know” CAN be honest humility.
For a press secretary of the United States? It should also be a prompt to do some learning and finding out!
See because “I don’t know” is also an excuse, or a dodge, or an outright lie, or maybe any number of things.
I am reminded of when that bastard Reagan (and I DID vote for him once) used to cup his hand to his ear and then PRETEND not to hear questions shouted to him.
No thinking person takes Snow seriously. A former anchor of Fox news? Sit in for that pig Rush? Snow is no more than the Josef Goebels of the modern day.
“Josef Goebels of the modern day.”
Probably the most idiotic statement of the day.
“I don’t know” is a good PARTIAL answer in many cases. The rest of the answer, however, should be “I will find out and give you the answer by 5PM today”. That is the part that is lacking with Snow.
Exactly, Ben. Tony Snow is young, good looking, and articulate — perfect attributes for a media “talking head”. So, the “Peter Principle”, at it’s finest. He was good at what he did and knew how to do, so let’s take him out of there and into a position where he’s “Fish out of water”! In a few years, I think Tony will really question whether this was a “good career move”. I think not.
rj,JR sets that standard most every day.
Tony Snow is nothing but a mouthpiece for the Bush Administration and then you wonder why the man says ‘I don’t know’? What else can the man say – the truth is – the Bush people really don’t know.
I never cared for Tony Snow when he was on television. There’s just something about him that smells fishy and he looks too pretty.
rm – it will be a good career move for Snow. He can easily transition to talk radio from there.
Sometimes, I wonder if the “I don’t know” answers, truthful though they may be, are not a part of the “plausible deniability” approach I recall hearing about in other administrations. To amplify a bit: Mr. Snow needs to have at least some credibility with the media he briefs daily. This is in the best interest of the administration for which he works, as well as himself. If he is deliberately not fully informed on some issues likely to be addressed by members of the media, he is able to say “I don’t know” honestly, and thereby deflect unwanted follow up questions thereon. This can result in speculation, etc., which then can cause more media damage to the administration; but Mr. Snow can go forward in his relationship with the members of the media, which, when there is something critical to announce, he can be seen to be believeale, because of his honesty in saying “I don’t know” in other matters.
With that said, I agree with Ben and rm, too; it would seem his employer’s position would be enhanced by the “I’ll find out” response that seems lacking.
Speaking of Mr. Snow; did anyone else see his apology to the NBC reporter yesterday? That was, to put it mildly, unusual, and reflects well on Mr. Snow, whether the same was heartfelt and true, or was in recognition of the fact that he had to limit the damage done by his “partisan question” remark last week.
C’mon folks. He’s a press secretary. He SUPPOSED to be a spokesman. He doesn’t make policy or decisions, he attempts to explain them. And “I don’t know” is a perfectly acceptable answer when you don’t know.
As to his career afterward, I note that Stephanopolis, an operative in the previous administration, didn’t have any trouble making the transition to “journalist” (using the term loosely). And there was no whining from the MSM about how he couldn’t be “unbiased” given his past.
On the other hand, you can bet that Snow, if he re-enters the press ranks, will get exactly that criticism. But that’s OK, I understand how the game is played; there’s two sets of rules, one for the left, another for the right.
And yes, JR, the Goebbels line was an idiotic statement. The more telling one is previous to it, however:
“No thinking person takes Snow seriously.”
Meaning: No thinking person disagrees with JR; ergo, if you disagree with JR, you’re an idiot.
How dismissive, and narrow, and convenient. It avoids having to actually think about alternative points of view if one can simply dismiss them as not worthy of a “thinking person.”
JR’s not alone in that kind of response, unfortunately.
There are not 2 sets of rules for the Left and Right. But both fringe fanatics will play the victim card when appropriate.
But lately it has been the Religious Right playing the victim card about how persecuted they are. Perhaps that is why people are tired of hearing the whining and moaning?
Maybe Tony Snow can take over Rush Limbaugh’s spot when Rush finally gets his karma returned to him ten-fold?
I figure in about 2 years, Rush will have something else to go to rehab for and maybe this time, he will not get off with just a slap on the wrist.
GMC
An anchor with FAUX news and you don’t see the problem with him being press Secretary to the President of the United States?
Yes well….
Stephanopolous does not represent himself as any sort of impartial news anchor; rather he is a commentator. Snow was supposedly “fair and balanced” as an anchor.
I never expect any straight answers from Snowjob. However, it was actually nice to hear someone from the Bush administration admit to being wrong. Snow apologized to the reporter he gave hell to the other day. But then again, probably only because he looked so stupid afterwards.
And JR is always right. I love his comments.
Snow mostly likely says that because he doesn’t know and won’t make a b.s. statement in which the pack of wolf reporters will come back on him to say, “Well you said this and it was wrong!”
It’s annoying to watch a press conference with Snow because some of the reporters that “ask” questions end making a political statement and one of condemnation.
Hey reporters! Just ask the questions and leave that other crap out of there! You know, report, you are reporters after all.
Umm…
Tony Snow was never a news anchor at Fox. He was a politcal columnist and commentary.
He also worked for President Bush (41) as chief speechwriter and Deputy Assistant of Media Affairs. So, what? You think the President should pick a LIBERAL to be his Press Secretary?
I’m not sure if you simpletons are aware…but…Fox has both Conservative and liberal commentators/columnists. Hannity/Colmes, Hume/Van Susteren, Gibson/Estrich. And how about Juan Williams, Mara Liasson, Flavia Colgan? They’re all liberals.
And…Katrina vanden Heuvel, David Corn, and Eric Alterman…hell, the entire staff of “The Nation” is on Fox just about every day.
If I turn on Fox at any random time, I am FAR more likely to see Barbara Boxer, Nancy Pelosi or Joe Biden than I am to see Bill Frist, Dennis Hastert or Ann Coulter.
Ben:
Stephanopolis is ABC’s WHITE HOUSE correspondent; hardly a place for a commentator.
In his role on “this week” he’s a commentator of sorts; moderator might be a better term. And frankly he’s done a better job than I would have expected in that role.
Just as an exercise: imagine the reaction among the MSM if Snow took a position similar to Steph’s with any of the major broadcast networks. Ya think there would be major handwringing and flagellation about his “objectivity?” (as if there IS any such thing).
And JR’s simply dismissive of anyone who disagrees with him. Again. That’s not argument, JR, it’s conclusion.
Now that is utterly BS, everytime I’m flipping past that damn channel I see Coulter.
GMC – sorry; I guess I ahd only seen him on the Sunday shows. Correspondent; I’m not really sure how that would work. Obviously he would know the ins and outs of the place.
One good thing about both Steph and Snow is that we know who they are and where they would be coming from. Perhaps an interesting turn of events would be for them to become a team “co-correspondents”
“‘I don’t know’ is a good PARTIAL answer in many cases. The rest of the answer, however, should be ‘I will find out and give you the answer by 5PM today’. That is the part that is lacking with Snow.”
Agree with Ben and Vaughn on the follow-up point. Scott McClellan would say this all the time.
McClellan had a good relationship with the press, because most of them recognized that he was an okay person, just in a bad spot by having to defend the defenseless sometimes.
Of the three, Bush’s best Press Secretary was McClellan.
“undefendable” instead of “defenseless” (though Bush may qualify fot that, too)
What happened to the other two Presidential spokesmen?
Lie burnout.
They disgraced themselves and were forever destroyed.
That seems to happen a lot to people surrounding President Catastrophe.
Political mom
Your confidence in me is inspiring! I shall try to be worthy of it!
GMC?
I’M dismissive? Hey if I or anyone else gets you to go more than 2 rounds you invariably declare “Im through with you.” and quit the field.
Heh heh
Snow probably got the job because bush saw him on Fox news. Which as we know is the ONLY source he and Cheney get their news from.
I guess we should feel lucky he didn’t choose Yertle the turtle or some other cartoon character.
Oh wait he did.
The slag heap of historical failures–
Colin Powell, once a real presidental contenter, his performance at the UN arguing for WMD’s branded him forever as a liar, and, what’s unforgivable, a really bad liar
Donald Rumsfeld, “the war might last six days, six weeks . . . I doubt six months”
John Bolton, bolted from the UN
Jim Ryun, was cursed with a visit from Worst President Ever just days before his election
Kenny Boy Lay–Bush’s denial of ever knowing him could not save him from the cold hand of retribution
“HeckofaJob” Brownie–was more concerned about the straightness of his tie than drowning victims in New Orleans. Hey, that’s a CONservative!
Christine Todd Whitman–forgot that the EPA was actually supposed to, you know, PROTECT the environment. She thought it was the Environmental Sell Off to the Biggest Bribe Agency. Coulda happened to anybody . . .
Pat “Ol’ Rubberstamp” Roberts–tried to dodge his fate by resigning the chair of the Senate Intel Committee that “saw nothing, we see nothing” . . . hehehe, fat chance, Baldy. Looks like Cue Ball is behind the Eight Ball. He can run but he can’t hide.
Snow is okay. Just okay.This is one of those jobs where you’re gonna’ be hated, regardless of what you do or say.He’s a running screen for his numbnuts boss, that’s what they pay him for.Let him do his job.There’s never gonna’ be a white house spokesperson who cuts through the BS and gets right to the ice cream.It’s a game as old as democracy, if not older.
Anyone who’s interested in examples of Snow’s lack of credibility should read http://mediamatters.org/issues_topics/people/tonysnow
A compilation at ‘The many falsehoods of Tony Snow’ link.
Hechuva Snowjob, Tony
I have a problem with the stuff the Snow states he knows….it’s all political spin. I wish he said he didn’t know even more.The guy is a filthy liar. Just look at him…he represents a man who has no other position than static restraint.
“Colin Powell, once a real presidental contenter, his performance at the UN arguing for WMD’s branded him forever as a liar, and, what’s unforgivable, a really bad liar.”
I know I’ve posted this before, but I distinctly recall looking forward to Powell’s presentation to he U.N. – my thinking was “now we’ll get the truth.”
I recall artist conceptions of what a mobile bio-lab would/should look like. Then there was the “damning” tape of one Iraqi saying to another “heads up Abul, the boss is coming.” It was huge disappointment to say the least.
I hope to someday understand why Powell would agree to do this to himself and his career. He knew what Bush and the rest of the administration was about. I just still don’t get it.
I always suspected it had a lot to do with his son getting the ftc job. Didn’t keep it long after Collin wiped the shit from his lips.