corrente

Yesterday (back), Condi told us it was OK that the administration outed a mole in AQ, because his name was revealed "on background." Well, now she's had a little time to think, and of course the story has changed:

Blitzer asserted: ''He was disclosed in Washington on background."

Rice replied: ''On background. And the problem is that when you're trying to strike a balance between giving enough information to the public so they know that you're dealing with a specific, credible, different kind of threat than you've dealt with in the past, you're always weighing that against operational considerations. We've tried to strike a balance."

Later in the show, Blitzer said this exchange meant Rice had confirmed that the administration released Khan's name to a reporter on background -- an interpretation repeated in later news accounts. But Sean McCormack, a National Security Council spokesman, said yesterday that Rice did not say the leak came from American officials.

[Condi]''was in the middle of making a point and he interrupted her, and she reflexively repeated 'on background,' but she was not confirming it and went on to complete her thought," McCormack said.
(via The love-that-dirty-water BostonGlob)

Oooh. "Reflexively repeated." Great line, I'll have to use it. "No, I didn't really supersize my Happy Meal, I just 'reflexively repeated' 'Supersize that!' So you'll just charge me for the regular size, right?"

Sheesh. You know, first people start apologizing for Bush because he "panicked" (back), and now Condi "Stepford Wife" Rice starts acting like she's in a hypnotic trance, or something. If I didn't know better, I'd say it was flop-sweat time in the WhiteWash House....