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Pressed on Leaks, White House Restates Policy

The White House finds itself besieged with questions regarding President Bush's role in the leaking of previously classified information regarding the justification for the war in Iraq. Press secretary Scott McClellan tried to draw a distinction between leaks of information "in the public interest" and those that compromise national security.

Court documents in the case of former vice-presidential aide Lewis Libby reveal that Libby has stated that President Bush authorized him to reveal classified information about Iraq. Libby says the permission was relayed to him through Vice President Cheney.

A beleaguered press secretary battled with a roomful of reporters asking why the president would leak such information when he has always denounced leaks.

On Capitol Hill, Democrats demanded that President Bush answer the question, and clarify his stance on the issue.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

David Greene is an award-winning journalist and New York Times best-selling author. He is a host of NPR's Morning Edition, the most listened-to radio news program in the United States, and also of NPR's popular morning news podcast, Up First.