Bush aide in screaming match with congressman over Iraq meeting leak

posted at 5:43 pm on May 11, 2007 by Allahpundit

Rich, nougaty irony: the report of the shouting match was itself leaked by legislators who happened to be there yesterday at the White House when it all went down.

Reps. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) attracted the ire of White House officials for allegedly speaking to reporters about a Tuesday meeting between Bush and centrist Republicans on the Iraq war. Details of the contentious meeting first emerged Wednesday evening and attracted Page 1 headlines yesterday.

Sources said that Dan Meyer, Bush’s liaison to the House, confronted LaHood while White House political strategist Karl Rove rebuked Kirk. It is unclear if LaHood or Kirk were the originial sources for the stories, but LaHood was quoted in one of the articles.

Regardless, LaHood and Meyer got into a shouting match as emotions ran high and voices were raised yesterday morning in the White House while lawmakers were waiting to meet with first lady Laura Bush, according to two legislators who witnessed the exchange.

They went there for a full and frank exchange of views, then emerged to publicly congratulate themselves about just how fully and frankly they had taken it to the Chimperor. Hope they enjoyed the meeting; they won’t be getting another one until 2009.

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Sources said that Dan Meyer, Bush’s liaison to the House, confronted LaHood while White House political strategist Karl Rove rebuked Kirk.

I wonder if Lord Rove used the force on LaHood.

Rick on May 11, 2007 at 5:53 PM

Sorry, on Kirk.

Rick on May 11, 2007 at 5:54 PM

Someone put immaturity pills in the water in Illinois?

infidel4life on May 11, 2007 at 6:02 PM

In 2009, neither of them will be in any need of a meeting with the White House. The President may well be a Dem, and they will be retired former Representatives…

Jaibones on May 11, 2007 at 6:08 PM

I wonder if there was any break dancing?

Speakup on May 11, 2007 at 6:12 PM

Centrist Republicans? More like RINO’s to me.

Gutless republican representatives. I guess this is what the cut-and-run republicans voted for in the last election.

DannoJyd on May 11, 2007 at 6:18 PM

Democrap want-a-be’s?

Zorro on May 11, 2007 at 6:32 PM

Big deal. I yell at my kids all the time…..

Tru2my2 on May 11, 2007 at 6:46 PM

When HA first posted the thread about the meeting I was more infuriated at the media-leaking, than at what they’d told the President, allegedly.

Kindergarten in Washington, from both sides, at the cost of the country.

Entelechy on May 11, 2007 at 6:57 PM

Hope they enjoyed the meeting; they won’t be getting another one until 2009.

They won’t get one then. Hillary will never meet with a bunch of low-level GOP House hacks.

BacaDog on May 11, 2007 at 10:32 PM

Kirk and LaHood squeaked by last November. That’s the reason for undercutting the President. They have put retaining their seats above the national security of the nation.

Well, too bad. They took an oath to uphold and defend the CONSTITUTION, against ALL ENEMIES, domestic and foreign. As this country is at war, facing an external enemy that wishes to destroy us all, as well as people of the opposition party that are directly aiding and abetting Al Qaeda, they should be supporting the military goals of this country, because THAT IS WHAT AN ELECTED CONGRESSMAN IS SUPPOSED TO DO during a time of war!

If their “conscience” does not allow them to support THEIR COUNTRY DURING A TIME OF WAR, then they should resign immediately, and go back to Illinois.

georgej on May 12, 2007 at 3:53 AM

They have put retaining their seats above the national security of the nation.

Yeah, that was the first thing I thought when I’d heard they told Bush he was hurting the Republican party. I’m thinking: What in the world does that have to do with anything?

Unfortunately, I also think the Democrats were willing to do anything to get back into power, including if it hurt our country as a whole.

eforhan on May 12, 2007 at 10:15 AM

Hey, people should talk. I’m all for that. (Even though the content of their message in the meeting seemed to be “Wah! We’re going to lose this sweet gig because of you!”)

But, then to turn around and leak it like that — what worms! They probably had no interest in exchanging ideas with the President. But, the meeting would allow them to get into the news. I’d like to scream at these dirt bags too.

kace on May 13, 2007 at 1:23 AM