From Holden:
So many good questions:
On the CBS documents
Q Does the White House believe that taxpayers’ money should be spent looking into those documents?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, again, that’s a decision that you should address — a question that you should address to Congress. That’s a decision that the Congress made.
Q You don’t care how the taxpayers’ money is spent?
MR. McCLELLAN: Like I said, these are serious questions. They ought to be looked into fully, and most news organizations are taking a look at those questions.
On the preznit’s record
Q Let me ask you about the Detroit Economic Club speech that John Kerry gave. Why should the voters not blame this President for the loss of nearly a million jobs on his watch, when previous Presidents have faced bigger wars and deeper recessions?
MR. McCLELLAN: [non-answer]
Q But referring to my question, though, has this President faced greater challenges than the eleven previous ones?
MR. McCLELLAN: Oh, I think September 11th is not a challenge a number of those Presidents faced that you’re referring to.
Q Does that alone justify —
MR. McCLELLAN: There have been great challenges we faced in the past — [Scottie bilge edited for truthfulness.]
Q Just to complete my question, though, the President does not — his economic policies bear no responsibility for what’s taken place?
On the preznit’s record, again
Q Domestic policy question. With respect to the cost of the Kerry policies versus the President’s — as you know, the President has been repeatedly assailing Senator Kerry for spending costs of upwards of $2.3 trillion over 10 years and questioning how that would be —
MR. McCLELLAN: I’d say probably at least that.
Q — but —
MR. McCLELLAN: That’s right, he has not specified a plan or presented a detailed budget to pay for it.
Q But if I recall, nor has the President for the amount he has outlined. And the estimates are that just two of them alone — making tax cuts permanent and establishing Social Security retirement spending counts — would cost upwards of $4 trillion over 10 years. And I’d like to know how the administration plans to pay for this?