Presidential press secretary Scott McClellan today deflected a question about President Bush's reaction to former President Jimmy Carter's remarks yesterday that the new Hamas-led government in the Middle East should be given international financial aid.

"You can ask President Carter about his remarks," McClellan responded to WND's question. "But we've made our views very clear."

WND had asked the spokesman if the White House thought Carter's plea for helping Hamas were any different from a hypothetical request for supporting the Mafia.

"I think the president made his views pretty clear yesterday that you can't be a partner in peace if you have as part of your platform the destruction of Israel," McClellan said. "The president wants peace. I think the Palestinian people want peace. And that's what we're committed to. We're committed to the vision that the president outlined. And many others are, as well, and that's where we are."

WND also asked the spokesman:

"On the day after the imperial Japanese at Pearl Harbor killed a smaller number of Americans than were killed on 9-11, the 1941 Republican leadership came as a group to the White House to pledge support in wartime to Democrat President Roosevelt. And my question: Have any of the Democratic leadership come to the White House to assure President Bush of their strong support in this war?"

Responded McClellan: "I think that all of us here in this town believe it's important to act to protect the American people. … We just had some Democrats here that were just here earlier this week talking about the importance of succeeding in Iraq. There were Democrats and Republicans sitting in there, in the Roosevelt Room. The president thought it was important to reach out to them as he has done with other Democrats and Republicans in Congress."