If not $200 million, then how much?

[Confederate Kahanist]

http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=224069

At today's White House briefing, press secretary Robert Gibbs engaged WND's Les Kinsolving for several minutes, denying a report that the daily cost of President Obama's trip to India would be $200 million – but refusing to reveal the actual cost.

"The huge amount of around $200 million would be spent on security, stay and other aspects of the presidential visit," a top official of the Indian government has been quoted as saying. Reports also mention the use of 34 U.S. warships to help with security.

Gibbs denied the report, but refused to say how much Obama's trip would cost U.S. taxpayers or how many ships might be used.

Said Gibbs early in the briefing: "We have set the record straight with you guys. I'm not going to go into how much it costs to protect the president. Costs are comparable to when President Clinton and when President Bush traveled abroad.

"I think the same report that you're referring to said that there were – I think it was 34 warships off the coast, which I understand the Department of Defense has said – as we have – that that's simply not true."

Later in the briefing, Kinsolving, WorldNetDaily's White House correspondent, attempted to get clarification about Gibbs' statement that Obama's travel expenses were in line with those of President Bush.

Asked Kinsolving: " Could you specify which trip President Bush ever took which cost $200 million a day?"

Gibbs: "Lester, this trip doesn't cost $200 million a day, so –"

The spokesman then proceeded to query Kinsolving about the veracity of news reports in general.

Asked Gibbs: "Lester, you subscribe to the veracity of everything that you read in the press, right?

Kinsolving: "No, not everything, but several things."

Gibbs: "But just the things that you previously agreed on that you agree with?"

Kinsolving then tried to resume the role of questioner, asking, "Are you denying that it's $200 million a day?"

"For about the third time, yes," Gibbs said. "… If you don't believe me, which I can understand – surely you would –"

Retorted Kinsolving: "I'd like to believe you. I enjoy you very much."

Kinsolving then pointed out the Pentagon, while denying the "34 ships" report, did not say how many vessels would be deployed as part of the president's security.

Earlier today, Defense Department spokesman Geoff Morrell dismissed the report, saying, "I will take the liberty this time of dismissing as absolutely absurd this notion that somehow we were deploying 10 percent of the Navy – some 34 ships and an aircraft carrier – in support of the president's trip to Asia. That's just comical. Nothing close to that is being done."