Joe Wilson is a former Democratic appointee (a couple of ambassadorships and a job on the National Security Council, plus working for Al Gore) who wrote a BS article in order to help the Kerry campaign. End of story.
Wrong. Joe Wilson was a careeer Foreign Service Officer. He had one ambassadorship to Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe (1992-1995). The State Department nominates career officers as ambassador to the WH. They can approve or nominate a political appointee. About one-third of all ambassadors are political appointees. Wilson was not one of them.
He spent a one year congressional fellowship to work in the offices of Al Gore and then Tom Foley (1985-86) during the Reagan administration. Career officers are assigned to Cong offices on a regular basis. So are military officers and others from USG agencies.
The Department also selects representatives to the NSC. Wilson was not a political appointee to the NSC.
Wilson was a career FSO with 23 years of service. He was a political opportunist who tried to hitch his star to John Kerry, in hopes that he would obtain a high level job in a Kerry administration. Admiral Crowe did something similar with Clinton and was rewarded as Ambassador to the UK. End of story.
Problem is he unintentionally exposed the fact he was going to Niger on personal business. For his company.
What does his company do?
They broker sales for the President of Niger. Yellowcake ore.