CHANGE IN EGYPT: The AP reports that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will make an announcement shortly in which he will 'meet the demands' of protesters, who have called for him to step down. The White House has refused to confirm a New York Times report from last week week that said the Obama administration was working with officials in Egypt to hand over power to Vice President Omar Suleiman.
POLITICO's Josh Gerstein reports that CIA Director Leon Panetta just told a House intelligence panel, “There’s a strong likelihood that Mubarak may step down this evening.” A CIA spokesman clarified that Panetta was relaying news reports that emerged just as the hearing began, and he wasn't speaking about independent CIA information.
MEANWHILE, ON AIR FORCE ONE: Press secretary Robert Gibbs has opted not to talk at all about the news or Panetta's comments. 'It's tough for me to comment,' he told reporters. 'I think we're watching the same thing you are. I don’t want to pre-judge what might happen later today.' Obama is 'in the conference room with many of us watching this stuff on television,' Gibbs added.
In explaining why he won't talk about Mubarak, Gibbs said he's 'not in any position to know what CNN is sourcing this off of.' When a reporter noted that news reports are sourcing Panetta, Gibbs played dumb: 'I’m not going to go any further than what I’ve said.
End of Mubarak? | POLITICO 44
POLITICO's Josh Gerstein reports that CIA Director Leon Panetta just told a House intelligence panel, “There’s a strong likelihood that Mubarak may step down this evening.” A CIA spokesman clarified that Panetta was relaying news reports that emerged just as the hearing began, and he wasn't speaking about independent CIA information.
MEANWHILE, ON AIR FORCE ONE: Press secretary Robert Gibbs has opted not to talk at all about the news or Panetta's comments. 'It's tough for me to comment,' he told reporters. 'I think we're watching the same thing you are. I don’t want to pre-judge what might happen later today.' Obama is 'in the conference room with many of us watching this stuff on television,' Gibbs added.
In explaining why he won't talk about Mubarak, Gibbs said he's 'not in any position to know what CNN is sourcing this off of.' When a reporter noted that news reports are sourcing Panetta, Gibbs played dumb: 'I’m not going to go any further than what I’ve said.
End of Mubarak? | POLITICO 44
No comments:
Post a Comment
By all means, Please...