By Brad Friedman on 11/2/2005, 5:12pm PT  

Once again, blogger/White House correspondent, Eric Brewer, holds feet to fire. Read the below, from his questions at today's WH Press Gaggle, and ask yourself if it sounds like McClellan is dodging anything. Anything at all...

Q After his meeting with the President on Monday, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was asked whether the Italian government had provided the United States with intelligence on alleged Iraqi purchases of uranium ore from Niger. Berlusconi replied, “Bush, himself, confirmed to me that the U.S.A. did not have any information from Italian agencies.” Does the White House stand by that statement?

MR. McCLELLAN: Stand by what — say the statement again.

Q Berlusconi replied — he replied in Italian, this is a translation, “Bush, himself, confirmed to me that the U.S.A. did not have any information from Italian agencies.”

MR. McCLELLAN: I think I addressed that question yesterday. I responded to that. You've got to go back and look at exactly what I said.

Q So your answer is, “yes”?

MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry? I addressed that question yesterday. I responded to it.

Q So the answer is, “yes”?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, if you're talking about — because there have been some Italian reports about a meeting that took place here at the White House, and I pointed out yesterday that there were no documents provided relating to Niger and uranium at that meeting, much less –

Q Not just –

MR. McCLELLAN: — much less was it even discussed.

Q — no, not just at the meeting –

MR. McCLELLAN: And in terms of going back to the issue of Niger and uranium, I mean, we briefed on that and we talked about the basis for the statement in the remarks. And it was based on the National Intelligence Estimates and the British intelligence.

Brewer has much more, including background on the forged Iraq/Niger documents hoax (which is quickly where this thing may well be going) and his questioning about it today as well to National Security Advisor, Stephen Hadley.

Keep up the good work, Eric!

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