White House Gaggle

By Jay Tamboli
President’s Schedule:

The President began the day with his usual briefings. He met with the
Secretary of Defense. At 10:40 he will meet with President Uribe of
Columbia. They will discuss fighting drug traffickers and expanding trade

in the hemisphere. At 11:25, the President will meet with the Prime
Minister of Pakistan. They will discuss the war on terrorism, especially
along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, as well as regional issues including
Kashmir and a need for dialog between Pakistan and India. At 2:10, the
President will sign the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill at the
Department of Homeland Security after being briefed there. He will then
make remarks. At 3:25 the President will have a photo opportunity with the
crew of the International Space Station Expedition 6.

Leak investigation:

Press Secretary McClellan was questioned about efforts by White House staff
to preserve documents relating to the leak of the name of a CIA undercover
agent. He said he did not know what the standards currently are regarding
how long phone logs, email, and notes are kept, but he said the only request
the White House has received from the Justice Department regarding this
investigation is to preserve any such documents, and the White House is
complying. McClellan emphasized repeatedly that both he and the President
have said that anyone having information about the source of the leak should
report it immediately to the Justice Department. McClellan did not know if
any staff had made such a report, and he suggested the press direct
questions to the Justice Department. McClellan said that to his knowledge
no members of the staff had retained personal attorneys. McClellan was
pressed about the extent of the President’s command to his staff that they
cooperate fully: McClellan dismissed as hypotheticals questions about
whether that command would prevent staff from claiming 5th Amendment
protection, but McClellan repeated that the White House would "cooperate
fully" with the investigation. On the question of a Special Counsel
investigation, McClellan said that that was a decision to be made by the
Attorney General, and that the Department of Justice has not yet ruled out
that possibility. The Department of Justice has said its investigation
started Friday, but McClellan says the first knowledge the White House
received of the investigation was when the Justice Department contacted the
counsel’s office Monday evening.

President’s knowledge of the leak:

McClellan could not give details about when the President first was made
aware of the leak, how he was informed, or what his reaction was, but
McClellan said he would look into it. Asked why the President did not react
for two and a half months after the information was leaked, McClellan
pointed to the number of anonymous sources quoted in the media. He
returned, "Every time there’s an allegation in the paper, are we supposed to
go pursue that throughout the administration?"

When a reporter asked, "Ambassador Wilson is meeting with Democratic leaders
today?" McClellan responded by saying, "I can’t speculate on his motives.
I’ve seen some of the statements he made, and that he has now backed away
from, but I can’t speculate on his motives."