Posted on 07/11/2005 9:23:14 PM PDT by Piranha
When allegations were made that someone in the White House had "leaked" the information that Joe Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame, was a CIA agent, President Bush agreed to launch an investigation into the alleged leak. He also made comments about what he would do with any leaker who was found.
On Fox News this evening, Brit Hume showed a clip in which President Bush vowed that if anyone in the White House had "broken the law", that person would be taken care of.
This is extremely significant, since it appears that Karl Rove may have shared with Time correspondent Matt Cooper the information that Plame worked for the CIA, but that he may have done so only in order to steer Cooper away from Joe Wilson's bogus and inflammatory allegations.
If President Bush said that he would fire anyone who was involved in the leak, then he may have to fire Karl Rove in order to keep his reputation as someone who says what he means and means what he says.
On the other hand, if the President's vow was only that he would fire the "leaker" if that person person broke the law, then it may be that President Bush would not have to fire Karl Rove under that standard, since it appears likely that Karl Rove's comments did not break any laws.
Does anyone have any links to President's comments at the time, regarding his vow as to how he would address the possibility that someone in his administration had leaked information about Valerie Plame?
You seem to have answered your own question. You referred to a video clip in which the President says if anyone on his team broke the law, he'd fire them.
I agree with you that it's an important distinction.
My clumsily-phrased question is whether the statement that Fox showed was President Bush's only statement on the subject, or whether President Bush also made another statement (whether on that date or another time) in which he said that he would fire anyone who was involved in leaking Plame's name.
liberal witch hunt, he didn't use her name, didn't break the law, they need to get over it already. She is a blond female like she was going infiltrate a terrorist cell. Wonder if the liberals would be after Rove if he lied under oath or stole documents from the national archives?
Sorry. I can certainly identify with making clumsy statements. :-)
The Anti-American Lefties wanted their witch hunt and circus and by God that's exactly what they want. Now apart from the entertaining irony in that the only actual law breaker uncovered happens to be a member of the New York Times reporting staff, well that's what I would call justice.
Rove rides again!
I refuse to believe that Karl Rove, would be guilty of this leak. He is too loyal, and too intelligent.
Why? Because, in each instance, the charges were trumped-up garbage. And now? Well! Now they're demanding Rove's head, and it's supposed to be, well, different. How?
Well, we know that Rove talked to a reporter. We don't know what was said. But the Leftist lunatics are convinced *they* know. Somehow. By osmosis.
Keyword here is broke the law ..
Rove did not break any laws
Rove didn't break any laws
And I highly doubt that Rove was Cooper's "Super Duper Top Secret Source"
Cooper, an ultra lib would not go to jail to cover for Karl Rove
If Rove did not break the law....then wasn't he just doing his job? :) Why would he get fired for doing his job?
Here you go:
"If there's a leak out of my administration, I want to know who it is," Bush told reporters at an impromptu news conference during a fund-raising stop in Chicago, Illinois. "If the person has violated law, that person will be taken care of."
http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/09/30/wilson.cia/
Not "fired" but "taken care of". Plenty of wiggle room.
LMBO!!! Bush will fire Rove? Of course not. Sheesh.
Echo Talon already nailed it: "Liberal witch hunt". And I say, let the scumbag Democrats have their silly witch hunt - - maybe it'll keep them out of real mischief for a little while.
Mo1, that's exactly why I am asking the question. If Karl Rove broke was only trying to help a reporter who was following a story based on Joe Wilson's lies, then not only did Rove break no laws, but he should be praised instead of punished.
The only exception would be if President Bush promised to fire anyone who was involved in the leak, rather than take care of anyone who broke the law. If President Bush never made such a statement, then Rove was a hero for the White House.
I hope that President Bush never made such a rash vow. If, in fact, he never did say such a thing then we should all know about this fact, because this will be a widely-discussed point in the days ahead.
It looks to me like this was not a "leak." To me a "leak" is something said with the intention of passing info that the "leaker" wanted to put out without anyone else knowing who put it out, with the intent to backstab somebody or to deceive the reporter.
It looks like an intentional statement, made on background by Rove and perhaps someone else, to steer the reporter to the truth - which is that Joseph Wilson is not telling the truth. From Rove's attorney's statement, and the Time email, Rove's main point to Matt Cooper was that Wilson should not be trusted. I think that Rovbe wanted Cooper to dig into Wilson's statements and expose their falsity.
If there is no law broken, then there should be no firing, no matter how the MSM play it. I think Bush should call on the MSM to play this one fairly - put Rove out to answer questions, and call them on it if it is not reported fairly. If Rove is above reproach, then it should not be a problem.
It would be real helpful to get confirmation that Rove is not the target of Fitzgerald's investigation.
Exactly! Clinton really screwed America didn't he?
Maybe they think they are channeling ghosts in the grand jury room.;)
Good job - I only would add to your list that they've demanded the resignation of Rummey numerous times, and thank the Lord, that hasn't worked.
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