Jason Linkins

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Jason Linkins

The Huffington Post

The Gift That Keeps On Giving: No Press Secretary Left Behind

December 9, 2007 03:57 PM


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Like Dana Perino, I was seven years old during the Carter administration. And back then, I hardly had an encyclopedic knowledge of world history. Frankly, I don't now. But, I know a little bit, and one of the things I know is that if you were seven during the Carter administration, and are currently serving as White House Press Secretary, it should not be possible for you to tell the story Perino told on this weekend's episode of "Wait...Wait...Don't Tell Me" on NPR.

I had a situation the other day when they said President Putin said that our missile defense program was like the Cuban Missile Crisis. And so I got asked about the Cuban Missile Crisis and I was panicked a little bit because I really know nothing about the Cuban Missile Crisis...I came home and I asked my husband...wasn't that like, the Bay Of Pigs thing? And he said, "Oh, Dana."

Rarely is it asked, "Is our press secretary learning?" Probably because we don't want to know the answer.

To hear Perino in the segment entitled "Not My Job," click here.

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If she (the press secretary) is always lying and they (the press) keep showing up, what does that make them?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:22 PM on 12/11/2007

The closest usa ever came ww3,an she didn't know.
This just proves school system is not working,
Or even money can't buy you an education(ask Bush jr.).
P.S.
What happen to no child left behind?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:10 PM on 12/11/2007

The closest usa ever came ww3,an she didn't know.
This just proves school system is not working,
Or even money can't buy you an education(ask Bush jr.).
P.S.
What happen to no child left behind?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:09 PM on 12/11/2007

Folks, please remember that the Press Officer is merely the public end of a pipeline that originates in the Oval Office. They cannot say anything that contradicts the input or they will be busy updating their resumes pronto. If the P.O. seems a bit evasive, artificial or downright uninformed, remember they are paraphrasing input from the man in the 10 gallon hat with a 2 quart brain. For these hapless souls, garbage in, garbage out.
Reply | posted 11:11 pm on 12/10/2007

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:12 PM on 12/10/2007

Folks, please remember that the Press Officer is merely the public end of a pipeline that originates in the Oval Office. They cannot say anything that contradicts the input or they will be busy updating their resumes pronto. If the P.O. seems a bit evasive, artificial or downright uninformed, remember they are paraphrasing input from the man in the 10 gallon hat with a 2 quart brain. For these hapless souls, garbage in, garbage out.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:11 PM on 12/10/2007

Checquoline asks, what is a white house press conference?? Answer: a joke every day. DP is perfect for the job

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:50 PM on 12/10/2007


Question: What is "Creditable Deniability"?

Answer: Get an Ari Fleisher, Scottie McClellan, Toni Snow or Dana Perino to speak for you. Then when things go 'Tango-Uniform' the President can say It's not my fault.

Seems like wishfull thinking the US will ever again see a President that will face the press and answer questions personally.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:35 PM on 12/10/2007

What is a white house press conference?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:00 PM on 12/10/2007

Oh my God!! How could she NOT know that the cuban missle crisis occurred during the John Quincy Adams Administration right after Lincoln freed all the hobbits from Darth Vader?! Sheesh! I thought everybody knew that.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:00 PM on 12/10/2007

I think Jason is referring to the fact that they are the same age, and could be expected to have a similar knowledge of history. I don't think he's implying that the CMC happened during the Carter administration. Trust me, as one who went through bomb drills at school herself, and who had dog tags provided to her, one doesn't forget it.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:58 PM on 12/10/2007

Their charades cannot continue without a peanut gallery; only fools and supporters of traitors will continue to attend W.H. "press conferences" which, as political theater, limelight the (press's) unjustifiable tolerance and undeserved respect you "truthseekers" fawn and droll out on cue- just say no- boycott them- let them dangle from their own petards and lies. It is, after all, Not Our Government. Play not their game, and we may become Free of the chains of their lies, the blood of their wars, and the theft of all that humanity holds dear.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:23 PM on 12/10/2007

Intelligence is the antithesis of neocondomism. They have their jim bob billy boys to lead. They do quite well, sorrily.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:46 AM on 12/10/2007

I really hate to pick nits, but the Cuban Missile Crises happened long before the Carter Administration. Jason, do you perhaps refer to the Iranian Revolution?

If one is going to mock others for ignorance (and by all means, do!), one should perhaps get their own facts straight. That is all, carry on with the well-deserved mocking.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:40 AM on 12/10/2007

Between the post itself and the comments left behind, I'm not sure which is more disappointing and more embarrassing. Here we've got people dogging someone for making a mistake, calling her all sorts of horrible names and done with misspellings, ridiculous punctuation, improper word usage. On top of that, the level of hate and bile dripping off these comments is far more indicative of the Republican base than it should be for progressives. AND the poster's referencing the Carter administration as having anything to do with the CMC, well now if that's not justice for arrogance, I don't know what is.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:38 AM on 12/10/2007

Cuba eh? How about a question on the penal colony at Gitmo. Red in the face, maybe, her answer might be something like, "What a disgusting implication. Sex offenders are not sent to penal colonies. And besides, we are not a colonial power nor will we ever be one. Just absurd! Let's move on..."

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:36 AM on 12/10/2007

Dana Perino is a corporate salesperson. She's doing just fine. When your job is to sell poison, style is much more important than substance.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:17 AM on 12/10/2007

Dana Perino gives microphones a bad name.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:05 AM on 12/10/2007


The Cuban Missile Crisis happened in 1962 when John Kennedy was president.

My impression is that Jason Linkins, and several of the posters here, know nothing about the Cuban Missile Crisis. He seems to think it has something to do with the Carter administration when he was seven years old.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:51 AM on 12/10/2007

Does Bush know anything about the Cuban missile crisis?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:51 AM on 12/10/2007

Her excuse is she works for the dumbest President ever, and unless someone else prepared some talking points for him he probably couldn't tell you about the Cuban missle crisis.

Remember, GW Bush's readings are pretty much limited to books such as "My Pet Goat".

JOHN EDWARDS IN '08 (the republiCONS worst nightmare)

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:15 AM on 12/10/2007

Inasmuch as the Cuban Missile Crisis nearly put an end to life as we know you would think that she'd know something about it. The level of "excellence" of this administration is such that "excellence" is never much mentioned when discussing appointments of this administration. Jesus H. Christ!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:10 AM on 12/10/2007

Had to ask her hubby .....dont they have google and the internets at the white house? A perfect example of what American education has become.....do your homework dont cuss the teacher pass the test go through the motions like a good little drone dont make waves.....who cares if you actually learn anything?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:39 AM on 12/10/2007

Her excuse is that she is a blonde bimbo repuke!! she had to go home and ask her husband like any good repuke stepford wife because THE BIMBO CANT THINK FOR HERSELF!!

Thats how she wound up as press secretary for the dumbest prez the usa has ever had!! Thinking nor required for the job; just the ability to lie with a straight face!

When dana the dumb blonde cant take any more and resigns so that she can "spend more time with her family", her replacement will probably be another blonde bimbo, elizabeth hasselbeck.

As for her condescending comments to Helen Thomas; why didnt Helen's so-called colleagues call the bimbo on it?? They should have all stood up and walked out. Shame on them for being such cowards and pussies!!!!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:53 AM on 12/10/2007

Where was HELEN THOMAS when the Cuban missile crisis happened? AND Dana Perino (or is it Perrino?) has the nerve to tell helen that she is sitting in the front row because her colleagues have given her a seat of honor in the front row and then go on to belittle Helen because she is asking the questions that need to be asked?
oh puhleeeze Dana Perrino ... Helen Thomas is seated in the front row because her hard work earned her that place and her colleagues recognize it... AND !!!!!! Helen Thomas could teach you a thing or two. Next time you need to ask a question, ask her. She could really teach you some of the things you are needed to know!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:23 AM on 12/10/2007

A perfect conservative Republican female. Cute in a blondish, brittle kind of way, not too well-informed, not too curious and definitely not too independent.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:32 AM on 12/10/2007
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Jason Linkins is a Political Reporter at the Huffington Post, covering media and politics. He's based in Washington, DC. Previously, he wrote for HuffPo's Eat The Press, and has also contributed to DCist and Wonkette.
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