Posted on 07/22/2004 11:15:22 PM PDT by kattracks
Former Clinton White House counsel Lanny Davis fueled speculation on Thursday that he personally leaked the news that former National Security Advisor Sandy Berger was under criminal investigation by the Justice Department, by repeatedly dodging the question.
Asked point-blank if he was the leaker, Davis refused to respond directly, but instead told Liberty Broadcasting's Linda Chavez that if he had asked a reporter the same question, the answer would be "None of your business." When Chavez pressed for a straight answer, Davis suggested he would have leaked the news last year to Associated Press reporter John Solomon, who actually did break the story on Monday."Had I been asked last October by my old friend Sandy Berger," Davis told Chavez, "I would have suggested to Sandy that we call John Solomon and that he sit down with John Solomon and tell him the whole story and get the story out last October."
In the next breath Davis said he wasn't surprised that "somebody" had leaked news of the Berger investigation on "this particular week out of 52 weeks in 2004."
Suspicions that Davis was the source of the Berger leak surfaced on Tuesday, when the National Review Online's Mark Levin noted in his column:
"Lanny Davis's tactics of leaking bad information in order to control the media spin is clearly in play, if not by him, by others. But he is now a prominent voice pointing a finger at purported Bush motives.
"The Berger story first appeared in the Associated Press, and was written by John Solomon, whom Davis reveals in his book as his favorite reporter. In addition to Davis, the usual Clinton propagandists are involved as well – Lanny Breuer and Joe Lockhart."
The full exchange between Chavez and Davis went like this:
CHAVEZ: Did you leak this?
DAVIS: [Laughing] Well, first of all, thank you for asking me that. I've heard about that.
The caller [who cited Levin's National Review piece] is absolutely correct. I wrote a chapter in my book about one of the great reporters who covered the White House, John Solomon for the Associated Press. I always get him into trouble by saying he's a great reporter, 'cause people will think he treated us with a soft touch. In fact, he killed us almost all the time.
But I'm afraid if I asked John Solomon "Who leaked this to you?" he would give you the same answer that he's always given me when I asked that question, which is "None of your business."
CHAVEZ: OK, Lanny. But [the caller] was asking you. He wasn't asking John Solomon. Did you leak this information to John Solomon in order to get the bad news out of the way?
DAVIS: Oh, did I? [laughing nervously] Well, let me put it this way. Had I been asked last October by my old friend Sandy Berger - who is a great man, an honest man and has done something that he sincerely regrets - I would have suggested to Sandy that we call John Solomon and that he sit down with John Solomon and tell him the whole story and get the story out last October.
Because as sure as the sun rises in the East, Linda, there were enough people who knew about this that this particular week out of 52 weeks in 2004, is not surprising as the week that somebody chose to leak the story. [END OF EXCERPT]
And to Sandy Berger, to paraphrase Bob Hope - "Thanks for the Sacrifice..."
You heard it here first, or maybe second.
I started hearing about Davis sometime around Wed. afternoon.
He talks about the same tactic in his book and admits he had done it for Clinton. And had used the AP....and this time....the AP was the primary again.
So will Lefty Terry Mac come out now and blast Lanny for the timing of his leak?
Great job!
The TV crew that got word of a EOD set up in Iraq abd went to film it happen is guilty of conspiracy to murder, and treason.
"Protecting sources" is NOT one of the Ten Commandments.
* * *
Besides my point is that I suspect Mr. Solomon was being told to shut his yap or else.
Yup, that answers that...
The Dems did it. I don't care which one. I just want to see Berger, and whomever he was acting for, in Leavenworth.
This post shows how the Clinton's plan out their press communication strategy months and years in advance. Since it was originally reported that Clinton was aware of the investigation right from the start, it is not inconceivable based on this memo to Blair, to expect the Clintons to plan out their entire strategy on a calendar all the way to the end.
-PJ
Yeah, but this is starting to make some sense.. The Clintonistas are STILL trying to embarrass Kerry. The Clinton camp has been sitting on this for 9 months. Why now before the Dim-ocrat convention? Timing makes perfect sense.
The Clintons aren’t through with Kerry yet. I have a feeling this only the first of many embarrassments between now and November to leaked from the Clintonistas.
Author Name: Davis, Lanny J.
Title: TRUTH TO TELL Notes from My White House Education
More like, Truth From Hell
Liar, liar, pants on fire.
Right after Hannity makes fun of his time and refers to Lanny as his 'buddy' 4 or 5 times?
Wow...Pakitani Lanny Leaks like a Sieve...Mark Levin nailed him today also an Lanny had his knickers in a twist...really bad!! I LOVE the smell of toasted Democrats!
Hitler, Stalin, Saddam, Arafat, Peron, Nasser, Carter, Clinton.....
[Lincoln and Sherman omitted because I am 'sensitive']
PS: Same plane / same place, either way...
The Timing of this leak was to hide all the bad info on the Clinton's utter Failure to get Bin Laden when they had the chance.
Is John Solomon of the AP Lanny Davis's LOVER? He sure is being USED.
We also now know that when we read a John Solomon story, it came fromthe DEMOCRATS!!
He's awesome. There are numbnuts around here who don't like him because he's "obnoxious".
Good analysis.
Right. Glad to see there is someone else who "gets it".
Go to the head of the class.
"The Clintons aren’t through with Kerry yet. I have a feeling this only the first of many embarrassments between now and November to leaked from the Clintonistas."
I agree with you. About one to two leaks per month by the Clintoons could drive Kerry down to Mondale/Dukakakak levels by election time.
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