The White House has taken notice of the fact that Tom Daschle is trying to have it both ways on the Iraq war. Jeff Gannon, resident DC expert on South Dakota politics, asked White House press secretary Scott McClellan about it during a press conference yesterday:
Q This is on Iraq. Last week, Senator Tom Daschle told an audience in South Dakota, "I give the overall effort real credit," in talking about the war in Iraq.MR. McCLELLAN: Right, I saw those remarks.
Q Would you interpret his statement as a significant endorsement of administration policy, considering his own party and most of the media coverage says that the war in Iraq is going so badly?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think there is a growing recognition that a free and peaceful Iraq is vital to our nation's interests. A free and peaceful Iraq will help bring about stability and peace in a very volatile region of the world. This is a generational commitment the President is making to the Middle East, and Iraq can be an important step in moving toward freedom and democracy throughout the greater Middle East. And the President is strongly committed to making sure that we stay the course and finish the job in Iraq, for that very reason.
Q Don't you think Daschle's breaking ranks with his own party to essentially praise the war effort in Iraq is significant?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, again, I don't want to interpret everybody's remarks, but I did see those remarks. We are making important progress in Iraq. It's very work that we are -- have undertaken. We are working closely with the Iraqi people and leaders in Iraq to bring about a peaceful, democratic and free Iraq.
Also, George W. Bush's official blog comments on the story.
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