Pelosi ‘Poisonous’ On Iraq War, White House Says

ABC News’ Ann Compton Reports: The White House unleashed a particularly venomous retort to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s suggestion that President Bush is rushing troops into Iraq so that Congress cannot cut off funding.

In an interview with ABC News’ Diane Sawyer, Pelosi said, "The President knows that because the troops are in harm’s way, that we won’t cut off the resources.  That’s why he’s moving so quickly to put them in harm’s way."

"That’s poisonous," replied Deputy Press Secretary Dana Perino, who was prepared with the quote, and read the Speaker’s exact words before cameras at the daily White House briefing. "It’s certainly not in keeping with the bipartisan spirit and civility that the Democrats pledged and that we looked forward to."

Perino complained that the Democratic Speaker was accusing the President of playing politics.

"Speaker Pelosi was arguing, in essence, that the President is putting young men and women in harm’s way for tactical political reasons, and she’s questioning his motivations, rather than questioning his policies," said Perino.

When Sawyer asked Pelosi on "Good Morning America" whether she was saying that the President deliberately manipulated the timing that sent troops into harm’s way, Pelosi said, "I would certainly hope he didn’t manipulate the timing" before renewing her complaint that President Bush did not consult Democrats but simply informed them of his decision to increase troop levels in Baghdad.

On "Good Morning America," Pelosi renewed her complaint that President Bush did not consult Democrats but simply informed them of his decision to increase troop levels in Baghdad. It heightens the political tension as President Bush prepares to deliver his first State of the Union address to a Congress controlled by the opposition party. "We will hold the President accountable," Pelosi told Diane Sawyer. "He has to answer for his war.  He has dug a hole so deep he can’t even see the light on this.  It’s a tragedy.  It’s a stark blunder."