[theknife]

the White House still cannot make a coherent comment on the Valerie Plame affair - today's press gaggle with Stonewall Scott:

"Q Kind of a housekeeping question. You repeatedly say that you've been instructed not to comment on the CIA leaks case, because there's an ongoing investigation. Can we infer from that that when Fitzgerald announces his investigation is completed you will be in a position to comment?

"MR. McCLELLAN: I said I'd be glad to talk more about it after it's come to a conclusion.

"Q Well, would that mark the conclusion?

"MR. McCLELLAN: Would what?

"Q The end of the Fitzgerald investigation.

"MR. McCLELLAN: Well, there's an investigation and legal proceeding. And the comments I make --

"Q So now you're adding court cases.

"MR. McCLELLAN: Well, Bob, I think any time there's been a legal matter going on, we've said, that's a legal matter.

"Q No, what you said is, you can't comment on an ongoing investigation.

"MR. McCLELLAN: No, I think what I said last -- and look what I said --

"Q So you've added the words, 'legal proceeding.'

"MR. McCLELLAN: Well, now there is a legal proceeding.

"Q So you're adding the words, 'legal proceeding,' to the formulation.

"MR. McCLELLAN: That's not -- any time there is a legal proceeding such as that, we don't discuss it. I mean, I think you can look back at --

"Q Because --

"MR. McCLELLAN: Because it's a legal matter, and it's before the courts.

"Q The world is crawling with legal matters that the White House comments on all the time. What sets this apart?

"MR. McCLELLAN: No, there are legal matters that occur all the time that we do not comment on, because they're ongoing legal matters that are before the courts. Remember, numerous times we've referred stuff to the Justice Department because it's an ongoing legal proceeding."

Scott is also unwilling to clariify the question of who was actually lying when he told the press that Rove and Libby had personally assured him they were not involved. you'd think the Prez might want to try and turn this thing around with a little housecleaning, but Bush continues to bet on his Nixon-like, hunker-down-and-ride-it-out strategy. this doesn't appear to be working out too well for him, as new polls indicate: some 86% surveyed consider the Valerie Plame affair of some or great importance, while his approval rating has fallen to a record low, in the Nixon-like neigborhood of the 30%'s.