At today's White House news briefing, WND asked presidential press secretary Scott McClellan about Bush's recognition of Kwanzaa and the Israeli attack on the USS Liberty during the Six Day War.

WND: The president, on Christmas Eve, greeted those who celebrate Kwanzaa, which the Washington Post two days later reported "was created by a California educator and activist in 1966." But the Post failed to report that five years after Ron Karenga invented Kwanzaa, he was sent to prison for torturing two black women while his gang killed two Black Panthers. And my question, first of two –

McCLELLAN: Is it a question or a statement, Les?

WND: No, no, it's a question. Why did the president, who opposes terrorism, salute anything invented by such a criminal as Karenga?

McCLELLAN: I think for the reason stated in the proclamation, as he did with other religions – with other religions.

WND: Scott, does the president fault Israel for the attack on the USS Liberty?

McCLELLAN: Les, I think this has come up before, and it's been addressed previously by this administration. Go ahead.

WND: When did they address it? What did they say, Scott? Can you clarify?

McCLELLAN: Les, we've been through this before.

Israeli forces attacked the USS Liberty during the Six Day War in 1967 and later said the action was an accident.

Related columns:

The USS Liberty incident

A new agenda for Israel

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