Scott McClellan hearings, liveblog: Part 8

By GottaLaff

Betty Sutton: Did the war become inevitable?

Scott: Yes, because Bush left himself no wiggle room.

Betty: In reacting to Larry Lindsey and his estimate for the cost of war at 1-2 billion dollars... you said, We were in campaign mode now...Are you aware of any cost/loss of life discussions that would be unacceptable?

Scott: No direct knowledge. .. Lindsey's comments, yes. ...

Betty: Was it contemplated what would be unacceptable, did you hear those discussions?

Scott: No, I was Deputy Press Secretary.

Betty: Did you become aware of them? Concern expressed for loss of life?

Scott: Larry Lindsey's comments, but otherwise, no. ... no direct convos on that.

Betty: Cheney and oil reserves... Washington Post reports on oil firms signing with Iraq, today.

Scott: It's hard to know what his intentions were... but if Iraq didn't have oil, it wouldn't have been on the radar screen of this administration... White House is never out of campaign mode, they still are.

Brad Sherman: Focus on why Plame was exposed. To discredit Wilson, by discrediting how he was selected.. or punish him by imperiling her career. Did anyone say either?

Scott: It was to undermine his credibility.

Brad: Nov. 2004, Gitmo detainees were treated humanely, you said. When did you find out otherwise?

Scott: I used their talking points, only heard about it when it came out publicly. I got assurances from the Pentagon and White House.

Artur Davis: Re: Karl Rove... you say he encouraged you to repeat a lie... We've invited him to appear under oath... Rove has not surprisingly declined. Then said he'd talk if there is no oath, no cameras, no notes made.. surprised at that?

Scott: No. It's part of an effort to stonewall the whole process.

Davis: Would you trust him not under oath?

Scott: No.

Davis: If under oath?

Scott: I'd hope he would, but he's not willing, but I have concerns about that.

Davis: He was only concerned about legal action and protecting himself... is he capable of lying to protect himself from legal jeopardy?

Scott: Yes...

Davis: Administration War strategy, not being candid... things you wrote about... firing of U.S. Attorneys... Is the Bush admin. capable of lying about the U.S. attorneys?

Scott: I have no direct knowledge, don't want to answer that.

Davis: If they'd come up with a cover story to conceal motives, have they done that before?

Scott: In the Plame leak, it's clear that they were more interested in stonewalling.

Davis: Rove, allegations that he tried to influence the Siegelman prosecution... how long have you known Rove?

Scott: Since 1991 or so. He views the other side as the enemy...

Davis: Capable of influencing the prosecution?

Scott: Don't want to speculate.

Davis: Tell R's that there's a tradition, other than being cutthroat, of Teddy Roosevelt... thank you.