Posted on 07/15/2005 3:27:44 PM PDT by Checkers
There's a point that's probably worth raising with our scofflaw Republican friends. All of their arguments now amount to excuses, like those of a small child caught stealing cookies: Joe Wilson's a liar. Plame's covert status wasn't protected well by the CIA. It was just a short phone call. Rove really wanted to speak about welfare reform. Wilson said Cheney sent him to Africa. Plame sent Wilson to Africa. Rove leaked Plame's identity in the interests of good journalism. Wilson went on too many TV shows. On and on and on.
The salient point is not that each of these claims is false. The point is that they're irrelevant. It's the mid-life version of 'He hit me first!' or 'He called me a name!' or other such foolery.
No presidential advisor should ever disclose the identity of a covert agent at the CIA. That doesn't require elaboration.
If it's done knowingly, it's a felony. Joe Wilson could be the biggest hack in the world. Plame could have cooked the whole trip idea up to damage the president -- as some GOP loopsters are now claiming -- and it wouldn't matter.
Rove (and, though we're not supposed to say it yet, several of his colleagues) did something obviously wrong and reckless. And they probably broke several laws by the time it was all done.
Pretty much every Republican in Washington today works for Karl Rove. So they can't deal with that fact. But fact it is.
And nothing was done amiss? If Rove et al. didn't do anything wrong, why have they spent two years lying about what they did? No law was broken? Then what is Fitzgerald looking at? Why is a grand jury investigating Rove? A prosecutor like Fitzgerald, a Republican appointee, wouldn't be throwing journalists in jail unless he thought he was investigating a serious crime.
What's their answer to that? They have none. Rove runs the Washington Republican party, owns it. So it's anything but hold him accountable.
-- Josh Marshall
No kidding.
I almost feel sorry for Wilson now that his lib friends are also turning on him. NOT!!!!
Err, one isn't, idiot.
Another liberal desperately trying to salvage the mess they have created for themselves. This is fun.
Josh still can't come to terms he was tricked into using his blog as a conduit for Wilson-esque disinfo about the Niger documents and such. I used to read it, you could sense the excitement he had delivering the info feeling like he was an insider at last.
"Pretty much every Republican in Washington today works for Karl Rove. So they can't deal with that fact. But fact it is."
A little surprising, didn't think him a anti-Rovian paranoid.
"Why is a grand jury investigating Rove?"
Despite Rove's lawyer's self-serving comment that Rove is not a "target", the prosecutor is obviously investigating Rove. Probably numerous others too.
One thing Josh says right, no official should be offering such names, supposedly "covert" or supposedly "not covert."
"No presidential advisor should ever disclose the identity of a covert agent at the CIA."
Nor has the presidential advisor in question disclosed the identity of a covert agent at the CIA.
The point is, Mr. Marshall, that no law was broken, and Plame isn't a covert agent, and wasn't a covert agent at the time, and wasn't outed by Rove in the first place.
Many people work at CIA and are not covert agents. When they're pushing papers and making deals to get their husband sent on a boondoggle mission in order to disrespect a sitting president, then they definitely are not in covert status.
"The point is, Mr. Marshall, that no law was broken, and Plame isn't a covert agent, and wasn't a covert agent at the time,"
What do you think Fitzgerald's investigation is about then?
Actually, Rove has been telling the same story all along.
And, actually, its Wilson that has been lying from day one, and its Wilson that has had to change his story every couple of weeks.
A prosecutor like Fitzgerald, a Republican appointee, wouldn't be throwing journalists in jail unless he thought he was investigating a serious crime.
And these journalists wouldn't be going to jail to protect Rove, since he signed a waiver permitting them to give him up almost from day one. It isn't Rove they are protecting.
Plame could have cooked the whole trip idea up to damage the president -- as some GOP loopsters are now claiming -- and it wouldn't matter.
Actually, think about it. Rogue CIA agents trying to rig an American presidential election... doesn't that give one pause? Shouldn't that make any self-respecting journalist go weak in the knees? Wouldn't that be the story of the century?
It was a fake investigation. They planned it and "outed" it to throw the election. You think that doesn't matter?
Or lets go a little deeper. Plame is our WMD expert. Her agency is the one that convinced everyone in two administrations that Saddam was hoarding WMD's. That reporting is at least partially responsible for a major regional war. Now we've caught her in an obvious piece of fake reporting; is that not interesting at all?
If the media is bolstering the charges, a Republican is the target.
If the media is dismissing the accuser, a Democrat is the target.
But the prosecutor has no obligation to tell us who the real target or targets are. And whoever that is ain't talking neither.
I think we should call this one "Joeygate".
Why does Marshall continue to think that Plame was covert?
Why does he continue to assume that Rove did something "wrong and reckless?"
Why does he continue to assert that Rove and his minions broke laws?
These could - *could* - still be true, but everything that is coming out is pointing either towards something else, or is not providing any evidence in support of his assertions.
Nothing is coming out that provides support for these assertions.
Yet Marshall still goes out there and trashes Rove for stuff that has been alledged all along, while only becoming less supported by the known facts.
Maybe he should just shut up and "move on" to other topics until facts that support his case actually come out.
(This of course could apply to anyone trying to make the case that Rove is definitely in the wrong.)
"And nothing was done amiss? If Rove et al. didn't do anything wrong, why have they spent two years lying about what they did? No law was broken? Then what is Fitzgerald looking at? Why is a grand jury investigating Rove? A prosecutor like Fitzgerald, a Republican appointee, wouldn't be throwing journalists in jail unless he thought he was investigating a serious crime. "
Well, because he RATS insisted upon it and the LSM frenzy behind Wilsons lie promoted this activity by a special prosecuter.
Maybe the question that should be asked is, "what is Judith Miller hiding?" Since this is now a non story and even NOvak says that Rove didn't give him the name, Miller obviously knows something.
Bet it is Clintonesque in nature.
Politics and the presidential election brought it about.
But, I notice that the Miller woman hasn't revealed her source.
Is it possible that it's about knowingly making false accusations?
I guess we should just forgoe any trials anywhere. I mean if someone is investigated and a grand jury is looking at somethings...then damn...the guy is guilty. Just send him packing.
What if we used the same logic when dealing with a poor black kid accused or robbery. I mean, the grand jury looked at it. Save us the time and just ship him off the the supermax down the street.
What a buffoon.
Why is it that mainstream America let's the dems and the MSM control what we discuss as news? There is no doubt the MSM and dems have gone overboard here, but we kept having to "explain" the facts. Why do we continue to let them get away with lie after lie without holding them accountable?
I can only name on one hand some MSM sources that are credible. The others are nothing but hypocritical lying sychophants as proven time and time again by their reporting standards and editors.
We have to make a stand and DEMAND a STANDARD!
In light of KNOWN FACTS this is unbelievably unfair to Mr. Rove and it has GOT TO STOP!
Hey, I got no beef with that. If it ever happens, call me and well work something out OK? ;)
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