After telling WND yesterday he had an answer to a question about the battle over California’s Mount Soledad cross, but didn’t have it with him, presidential press secretary Tony Snow today provided a White House response to the controversy.
Yesterday, WND asked Snow at the press briefing: “In 2004, Congress designated the Mount Soledad 43-foot memorial cross in San Diego as a National Veterans Memorial. The San Diego City Council has voted against donating the land. And now, federal Judge Gordon Thompson has ordered the city to ‘tear down this cross’ by Aug. 1, or face fines of $5,000 a day. And my first of two questions: Can we count on the president to sign an executive eminent domain order transferring this land to the National Park Service, rather than allowing this destruction of a memorial to our Armed Forces dead?”
Responded Snow: “Believe it or not, I’ve got an answer to that, but I don’t have it with me. … we have been asking for guidance on it, believe it or not, and so we will try to attach it as an asterisk. If it’s not fully cooked, I’ll make sure it’s cooked tomorrow so you can ask me again.”
Today, then, WND brought up the subject once more, to which Snow responded: “All right, we attached this as an asterisk yesterday, Lester, but I’ll repeat it. Right now, the president and the administration are actively reviewing both administrative and legislative options for preserving that veterans war memorial.”
WND also asked Snow about calls from commentators and lawmakers that the New York Times be prosecuted for divulging a secret financial-monitoring program used by the government to trace terrorists.
“Would you say that nothing the New York Times does would lead to prosecution, or if so, what?” asked WND.
Responded Snow: “Look, let me make this really clear. At the White House, we don’t do legal referrals. That’s the business of other people. I’m not getting involved in it.”
Previous stories:
Appeals court agrees: Tear down that cross
Congressman urges: Indict N.Y. Times!
