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Christian Grantham was a student activist in the late 90s and later was a consultant to domestic policy forums for the Clinton Administration as well as events for HRC and GLAAD.
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September 21, 2004

Take a look at White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan dodging questions on Republican criticisms over President Bush's miscalculations on the war in Iraq.

QUESTION: How do you respond to some Republican lawmakers, like Senator Hagel, who are starting to have some doubts about the direction of -- the way things are going there?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, Prime Minister Allawi, as you're aware, is coming to the United States. The President will be meeting with him. And the Iraqi people, the coalition and the American people I think recognize how high the stakes are in Iraq. The stakes are very high in Iraq. It's important that we show strength and resolve and not show weakness or waver in the face of the terrorists and Saddam loyalists who seek to derail the transition to democracy.

Prime Minister Allawi is moving forward on a plan to build a free, democratic and peaceful Iraq for the Iraqi people. We're there to support him in that critical mission. It's important that we complete the mission and it's important that we don't send mixed signals, because mixed signals are the wrong signals to send to our troops, to our allies, to the Iraqi people and to the enemy. We will defeat the enemy in Iraq.

QUESTION: Scott, are you saying, then, that we shouldn't send mixed signals? Are you saying, then to Senators Lugar and Hagel they shouldn't be saying what they're saying in their criticism?

MR. McCLELLAN: -- Senator Kerry's comments today and over the course of the last year or --

QUESTION: But what about the Republican criticism, itself, then?

MR. McCLELLAN: -- or two years. That's what I was pointing to Prime Minister Allawi's plan for building a democratic and peaceful Iraq. And we're making significant progress on the five-point plan that the President outlined for success in Iraq. You have a sovereign government, you have an interim leader in Prime Minister Allawi who is strong and determined to complete the mission in Iraq. He is coming to the United States to talk about the progress that has been made.

But it is hard work transitioning from a brutal dictatorship to a democratic Iraq. There are ongoing security challenges that we face and Prime Minister Allawi is determined to address those ongoing security threats. And we're there to partner with him in those efforts. We're beefing up Iraqi security forces. Prime Minister Allawi has made important progress in Najaf and Kufa and Samaraa. There are some other areas where he is working to address those, as well. And you heard from him this weekend, talking about that.

QUESTION: Well, do you think that Hagel and Lugar are sending mixed signals, McCain, when they criticize the President, talk about incompetence?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think that was directed to some of the reconstruction money. And Secretary Powell directed a review of that reconstruction money so that we would make sure that those resources are being used in the most effective way and at the right time for the right projects. And that's why he asked for some of those resources to be shifted to certain areas.

QUESTION: But does that come under your heading of "mixed signals"?

MR. McCLELLAN: Oh, I think Senator Kerry is the one who has sent mixed signals repeatedly over the course of his campaign.

QUESTION: So that's "no," then?
[White House Press Briefing - 09-20-04]