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Rummy fields Woodward qestions - gets laughs from press
excerpt from press briefing - Rumsfeld and Pete PaceQ Do you remember saying, "You can take it to the bank. This is going to happen." SEC. RUMSFELD: I donât remember saying it, to be perfectly honest. But I have said that, that phrase, in my life. But I could have said it about a dozen different things. In other words, it may have been about some discussion weâd had about an interaction with another country, a third country. It may have been about a comment that in the event the president did make such a decision, that the action would be followed through sufficiently that the regime would in fact be changed. As opposed to the implication from your question -- which I have not read the book -- that the statement might have been made in connection with a decision having been made by the president. But my best recollection -- and I hate to use the word "certain" because no oneâs memory is perfect, but I canât believe the decision had been made by the president during that period. If it had been, I didnât know it had been. Therefore, I would never have said what you said somebody said I said -- Q Well -- (laughter) -- SEC. RUMSFELD: -- with respect to that aspect of it, a decision having been made. Q Mr. Woodward says that youâre on the record on this point, and that he has mentioned several times that the Pentagon transcripts that are posted on the Pentagonâs website will back him up. Now, I have checked those transcripts and I see no reference to this incident. However, there are two transcripts posted. Did you meet with him more than twice, do you recall? SEC. RUMSFELD: No, I didnât. Q You only met with him twice? SEC. RUMSFELD: I think thatâs correct. Q So those transcripts are the complete record of what you told him? SEC. RUMSFELD: Except for where I said "ah" or "uh" or something like that -- (laughter) -- and some person transcribing might have taken that out, or where the transcription was in error. But I just -- here I am in a meeting in the vice presidentâs office. It is certainly not for me to communicate to someone from another country a decision by the president of the United States. That just doesnât compute. -snip- later in the Q&A Iâve just been passed a note via my friend, General Pace, that goes back to the question I answered on the Woodward transcripts, where I said something to the effect that the ahs and uhs were probably deleted, and Iâm advised now there is some banter -- not quite sure what that means, but -- and some discussion about a totally unrelated topic, and some items that were agreed between us to not be in there. But I can say -- that were off the record -- but I can say of certain knowledge that nothing was taken out that would naysay what I just indicated in my response to the question. Q No 18-minute gap? SEC. RUMSFELD: I beg your pardon. Q No 18-minute gap? (Laughter.) SEC. RUMSFELD: And you can take that to the bank. (Laughter.) Thank you very much. Iâll be here throughout the administration. Try the veal. Posted by: Super Hose 2004-04-21 |
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