Bush Contacts Outside Attorney in Leak Case

ABC News ^ | June 2, 2004

[RWR8189]

BUSH CONTACTS OUTSIDE ATTORNEY IN LEAK CASE: ABC News' Kate Snow reports that President Bush has contacted an outside attorney in case over leak of name of CIA operative Valerie Plume, wife of former Ambassador Joseph Wilson...

[Steve_Seattle]

What's the big deal?

Surely by now you know that the press - ever nostalgic about the glory days of Watergate when they brought down Richard Nixon - will latch on to this with a vengeance, e.g., "What did he know and when did he know it?" If by July everything is wonderful in Iraq, the press will manufacture a scandal somehow, someway.

[Shermy]

I seriously doubt that Bush himself leaked anything to Novak.

But the investigation is looking into more leaks too.

[cardinal4]

As I posted earlier, this story or the hint of it, is just another operation in the all out media blitz against Bush. The story worries me, but the timing is weird, I wonder if they are trying to get attention away from something else, like found WMDs or something.

We'll just keep pounding the online op-eds and man the phones like we always do when the media blow a non story like Abu Grahib completely out of proportion, except this time it will be to remind the media and the Left that Clinton had an attorney on retainer!

[Howlin]

Intriguing ping!

[Right_in_Virginia]

The whole Plame thing is a bunch of BS, but in the event this political football gets so totally blown out of proportion that President Bush is called before a Grand Jury (something which the Democrats are striving to do), then outside counsel will be ready. Seems prudent. End of story.

If you throw out logic like this how will we ever whip ourselves into a frenzy?

[Peach]

Don't presidents often contract outside counsel in event of items like this?

Clinton hired that lawyer who worked for National Enquirer, as I recall.

[Shermy]

Everyone and his mother knows it was Scooter Libby.

Really?

Novak mentioned three people. The first was a "not a partisan gunslinger". Doesn't sound like him.

[Peach]

I was JUST there.

Didn't Clinton hire National Enquirer's lawyer as outside counsel?

[A Citizen Reporter]

I'm really getting quite sick of the media living in the 60's and 70's. If they aren't trying to refrain Vietnam, then they think it's Watergate. Geesh, don't they have any new ideas? For a "progressive" bunch, they are rather...."regressive".

[Not A Snowbird]

Intriguing ping!

Indeed. I think I'll wait until the entire story comes out before I do my chicken little imitation... :-)

[Steve_Seattle]

"The whole Plame thing is a bunch of BS . . ."

I have no doubt whatsoever - NONE - that if this Plame thing had involved a Democratic administration, the whole thing would have died a quiet death a year ago - no investigation, no grand jury, NOTHING. And that makes me livid.

[A Citizen Reporter]

"but the timing is weird, I wonder if they are trying to get attention away from something else,"

But of course! The President made an historic speech today.

Remarks by the President at the United States Air Force Academy Graduation Ceremony (Transcript )

We couldn't have THAT on the front page tomorrow, now could we?

[Miss Marple]

Good point. I also think there are a LOT of reasons for outside counsel, including advice on how much one can say to the press.

I am not perturbed, and I suggest everyone calm down. This is going to be the dirtiest election in history. The Rats are going to pull out all the stops, and I will not be surprised to see the "Bush's girlfriend had an abortion, Bush had an afffair, Bush still drinks, Bush renounces Christianity" pulled before this election is over.

We must stay calm and strong in the midst of all of this. Otherwise, we are letting the President down. We must NOT be "sunshine soldiers."

[Dog Gone]

I must be doing something wrong. I'm an attorney and Bush has called me. It didn't dominate the national news for 24 hours or more.

It didn't even make local news. It didn't make the high school newspaper.

[lonevoice]

If by July everything is wonderful in Iraq, the press will manufacture a scandal somehow, someway.

Exactly. The 9-11 commission went down in flames as a partisan circus, Americans are either tired of or p*ssed off about still hearing about Abu Ghraib, things are slowly getting better in Iraq and the handover on June 30th is going to happen on schedule, the economy is getting healthier every day, oil prices will gradually decline. What's left?

[TexanAmerican]

Hell, Clinton was a one-man growth industry for defense lawyers.

[sinkspur]

THIS Jim Sharp is sharp!

[carl in alaska]

I'm not so sure it's time for Scooter to scoot. Assuming he is Novak's source, is it really an illegal leak to give someone information that is common knowledge within the beltway? Neither Bush nor Cheney appear to be concerned about this investigation.

On another issue, Rudy would probably strengthen the ticket, but then he wouldn't be available to run against the Hildabeast in 2006. I'd rather have him ready to slay the Beast.

[small voice in the wilderness]

Honestly! You'd think we are pratically catatonic, peeing on ourselves, and rocking back and forth wildly. It's gotta take more than this to scare us, fellow FReepers. Think about all the trials and tribulations we've endured. And we're gonna fold like cheap cardtables just because W. has contacted an outside attorney?? C'mon. Let's just stop. And think this through logically. And calmly.

[woodyinscc]

This whole case was trumped up out of whole cloth, and it would not surprise me to see it get placed right back at the dims door step. All one has to do is consider the source. What BS.!!