Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 20:21:25 -0500
From: danceswithcarp <dcombs-AT-bloomington.in.us>
Subject: 


Date: 25 Nov 2001 19:53:37 -0800

WHITE HOUSE INSTALLS ANTI-QUESTION SHIELD AROUND ARI FLEISCHER
Fearing a barrage of press corps questions that the White House does not want
to answer, the Bush Administration has installed a high-tech anti-question
shield to protect Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, sources confirmed today.
The multi-billion dollar shield is designed to shoot down questions that could
address what the White House feels is classified or sensitive information. The
first test of the new shield was successfully employed today during a press
briefing, intercepting and destroying a question related to what constituted
classified or sensitive information.

"This is a huge step forward in the White House communications defense 
system,"
said an administration source who explained that the system automatically
responds to questions that attempt to penetrate the shield by launching a
series of pat, repetitive and purposefully vague responses.

The defense shield can respond immediately to any question fired off by
reporters by launching standard, defensive non-answers, such as "I believe the
president has made himself clear on that issue," "You'd have to talk to the 
DOD
(Department of Defense)," or "I'm not going to talk about operational 
matters."
Critics maintain that the shield may not be foolproof and that some tough
questions could get through.

  Asked whether President Bush had concerns that a
serious question could penetrate the shield, Fleischer said, "I believe the
president has made himself clear on that issue."