There is a scene in the 1978 movie F.I.S.T in which a corrupt union official being interrogated by the members of a Senate subcommittee pleads the fifth throughout his testimony. The Senate subcommittee is investigating mob infiltration of the union.
The official (I remember him for some reason as being portrayed by Jerry Stiller, but according to IMDB, Stiller is not in the film. Anyhoo.) pleads the fifth to every single question. He won't even answer the question "what is your name?" Finally, one of the senators throws up his hands and says, "you disgust me, sir!"
I could not help but think of that scene as I read the transcript of the slow, relentless beating that Scott McClellan took today in the White House press briefing room. Reporters grilled him, at long last, on Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove's role in the outing of Valerie Plame. He asserted again and again and again that he could not now comment on the case because it is an "ongoing criminal investigation."
To be sure, McClellan was in a hell of his own design and construction. He has evaded, obfuscated, misdirected and outright lied on behalf of his master from the day he took over the job of press secretary from Ari Fleischer. But, that doesn't mean today's trainwreck was any less painful to watch. Or, to read. It was like watching a newscast fall apart on live television.
The White House press corps came at McClellan with knives. Why, they wanted to know, did he stand at the podium in 2003 and declare unequivocally that Karl Rove was not involved in the Plame leak. Did he stand by his and the president's assertions that anybody involved in the leak would be fired? When did the president learn that Rove had talked with a reporter about Plame? Which officials running the investigation have, as McClellan asserts, asked the White House to refrain from commenting on the case?
McClellan gave some variation of his stock answer, or simply refused to respond, to practically every question about the Plame leak.
"I think your question is being asked relating to some reports that are in reference to an ongoing criminal investigation. The criminal investigation that you reference is something that continues at this point. And as I've previously stated, while that investigation is ongoing, the White House is not going to comment on it."
"Yes, but this question is coming up in the context of this ongoing investigation, and that's why I said that our policy continues to be that we're not going to get into commenting on an ongoing criminal investigation from this podium."
"No one wants to get to the bottom of it more than the President of the United States. And I think the way to be most helpful is to not get into commenting on it while it is an ongoing investigation."
"Well, I think maybe you missed what I was saying in reference to Terry's question at the beginning. There came a point when the investigation got underway when those overseeing the investigation asked that it would be their -- or said that it would be their preference that we not get into discussing it while it is ongoing."
"Again, David, this is a question relating to an ongoing investigation, and you have my response related to the investigation."
"And if you will recall, I said that as part of helping the investigators move forward on the investigation we're not going to get into commenting on it."
"And again, David, I'm well aware, like you, of what was previously said, and I will be glad to talk about it at the appropriate time. The appropriate time is when the investigation --"
"Again, I've responded to the question."
"I am well aware of what was said previously. I remember well what was said previously. And at some point, I look forward to talking about it. But until the investigation is complete, I'm just not going to do that."
"Again, you're continuing to ask questions relating to an ongoing criminal investigation, and I'm just not going to respond any further."
"John, I appreciate your questions. You can keep asking them, but you have my response."
"I've responded to the questions."
"I've responded to the questions, Dick."
"Again, after the investigation is complete, I will be glad to talk about it at that point."
"Well, those overseeing the investigation expressed a preference to us that we not get into commenting on the investigation while it's ongoing. And that was what they requested of the White House. And so I think in order to be helpful to that investigation, we are following their direction."
"Again, these are all questions coming up in the context of an ongoing criminal investigation. And you've heard my response on this."
"Carl, you're asking this question in the context of an ongoing investigation. And I would not read anything into it other than I'm simply not going to comment on an ongoing -- investigation."
"Again, you have my response to these questions."
"This continues to be an ongoing criminal investigation. No one wants to get to the bottom of it more than the President of the United States. And we're just not going to have more to say on it until that investigation is complete."
"Again, you're asking questions relating to an ongoing investigation, and I think I've responded to it."
"This is still coming at the same question relating to reports about an ongoing investigation, and I think I've responded to it."
"I appreciate the question, April. I think I've responded."
"But I will be glad to talk about this at the appropriate time, and that's once the investigation is complete."
"Again, you're still trying to come at this from a different angle, and I've responded to it."
"You've heard my response."
"Again, this is an ongoing matter; I'm just not going to get into commenting on it further at this time. At the appropriate time, when it's complete, then I'll be glad to talk about it at that point."
"It's the same type of question. You're asking me to comment on an ongoing investigation, and I'm not going to do that."
"Again, I've already responded."
"The President wants to see the prosecutors get to the bottom of this matter. And the way to help them do that is to not get into commenting on it while it is ongoing."
"I already responded to these questions."
"Again, I'm just not going to say anything further. I expressed all I'm going to say on this matter from this podium."
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