White House Gaggle

By Rhianna Fischer-Ortiz
President’s Schedule
The President began his day with his usual briefings. At 11:25 he will meet with Secretary General Anon to discuss a range of issues, including Iraq. McClellan said that the United States "remains committed to working closely with the United Nations on a number of issues." The President will have lunch with Secretary General Anon. At 2:00 he will meet with twenty five Iraqi Fulbright Scholars, "the future of Iraq." At 3:00 the President will visit with the families of the space shuttle Columbia crew. Yesterday, the President awarded the crew the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. McClellan will brief again at 12:45.

Commission to Investigate Weapons of Mass Destruction Intelligence
When repeatedly questioned why the President should be the only one to appoint members of the commission, McClellan said that the commission is a "bipartisan group" and pointed out that the CIA and Congress are already "looking into the intelligence" themselves. McClellan emphasized that when the commission is announced later this week, it will be composed of "people of integrity who have experience in public service and expertise in intelligence." McClellan also reiterated that the commission "will have the independence it needs to do its job." This assertion was met with much doubt by the press members in attendance. When questioned why it will take the U.S. commission until after November to complete its investigation while Britain hopes to complete its investigation by July, McClellan said that the time was needed to make a "broad assessment" and "be able to do a thorough job." When asked who would decide when to report the findings of the commission, the President or the commission itself, McClellan said that an executive order will set a timetable for the commission. McClellan said that this investigation is too important to allow partisan politics to get in the way of conducting a thorough investigation.

Iraq
McClellan maintained that, regardless of the question over the validity of intelligence information, "it was the right decision to go to war." McClellan said that "Saddam was a gathering threat" and that he had and used weapons of mass destruction, in violation of Security Council Resolution 1441.

President’s Military Service
McClellan said that the claims that the President did not fulfill his duties to the country are "outrageous and baseless" and "represent the worst of election year politics." McClellan pointed to the fact that the President was honorably discharged as proof of the President’s service.

Ricin
McClellan said that the White House, the Department of Health and Human Services, the CDC, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security are looking into the scare over the possibility of ricin being found in one of the Senate office buildings.