Posted on 07/10/2005 12:12:27 AM PDT by West Coast Conservative
It was 11:07 on a Friday morning, July 11, 2003, and Time magazine correspondent Matt Cooper was tapping out an e-mail to his bureau chief, Michael Duffy. "Subject: Rove/P&C," (for personal and confidential), Cooper began. "Spoke to Rove on double super secret background for about two mins before he went on vacation..." Cooper proceeded to spell out some guidance on a story that was beginning to roil Washington. He finished, "please don't source this to rove or even WH [White House]" and suggested another reporter check with the CIA.
Last week, after Time turned over that e-mail, among other notes and e-mails, Cooper agreed to testify before a grand jury in the Valerie Plame case. Explaining that he had obtained last-minute "personal consent" from his source, Cooper was able to avoid a jail sentence for contempt of court. Another reporter, Judith Miller of The New York Times, refused to identify her source and chose to go to jail instead.
For two years, a federal prosecutor, Patrick Fitzgerald, has been investigating the leak of Plame's identity as an undercover CIA agent. The leak was first reported by columnist Robert Novak on July 14, 2003. Novak apparently made some arrangement with the prosecutor, but Fitzgerald continued to press other reporters for their sources, possibly to show a pattern (to prove intent) or to make a perjury case. (It is illegal to knowingly identify an undercover CIA officer.) Rove's words on the Plame case have always been carefully chosen. "I didn't know her name. I didn't leak her name," Rove told CNN last year when asked if he had anything to do with the Plame leak. Rove has never publicly acknowledged talking to any reporter about former ambassador Joseph Wilson and his wife.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
Correct. At most the e-mails released by Time reveal what someone told someone else at a given place and time. As with any other documents, it's possible the author was mistaken or lying. Or even engaging in an inside joke, with no expectation than anyone other than the recipient would ever read it.
Too bad the same statement wasn't in the lead.
I think the above article is tricky.
In the above you have the Isikoff, author of this article, you have what Cooper wrote in an email, and you have some of what Rove said. According to Cooper, Rove said that Wilson's wife works on WMDs and authorized the trip. That is enclosed in quotes that show it was the writing of Cooper....not Rove. Following the quotes is a sentence written by the author of this piece, who is Michael Isikoff....Wilson's wife is Plame, then an undercover agent working as an analyst in the CIA's Directorate of Operations counterproliferation division.
Rove does not name Wilson's wife. Rove does not reveal she is an undercover agent.
This piece is skillfully written in a manner that confuses who said what.
It's been revealed elsewhere that it was Cooper who called Rove.
If no law was broken, there would still be the public perception that "she" still should not have been "outed"; as no a legal breach, put a political gaff.
If that is true, then the delays, with the media keeping the public in suspense have been more damaging than just admitting it and saying Rove should have been more circumspect, but in fact no law was broken. O.K. temporary bad news, but it would have been overwith a long time ago. Instead, it has been a constant story; which has been worse.
That is particular true when Rove's comments are taken in context, where he is primarily telling Cooper to be careful, that Wilson does not have the full story; which he didn't.
It really depends on which Republican, and which circumstances; which has usually not been Bush or his people, they don't roll over like most the RINOs.
"Spoke to Rove on double super secret background..."
Jeez, sound like dialog from an old "Get Smart" show.
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He should have used the 'cone of silence' or whatever that gadget was that the Chief and Max used. ;-)
No law was broken...but from what I have read on FR and seen on the news the SP is now onto a perjury case....someone lied to the grand jury...
Or Animal House.
I wonder who the leaker is. A liberal reporter wouldn't cover for Rove. This question still hasn't been answered. Who told her name?
Yep. Nothing against Rove here.
It's like the Downing Street Memo. The press tried to make a big deal out of someones personal opinion of Bush. Who cares what someones opinion was? Everyone has opinions. So what?
Its begining to Look a lot like Xmas!!!!!!
I loved watching ABC news tonight, he is an actual quote from ABC NEWS.
"that it's quite clear that Rove has broken no laws and done nothing illegal."
Lets read that again.
"that it's quite clear that Rove has broken no laws and done nothing illegal."
Its time to celebrate this was it for the spendocrats and the DUmmies.
Not only wont they get anywhere near hurting Bush over this, they wont even hurt ROVE, the only thing ROVE has to worry about is BUSH not being pleased.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
This is the best news I heard this year, a lot of people owe Rove one big sorry, he did everything correct.
Bush may not be pleased because it bought negative attention, but that is all gone now, its a dead story, no one from the WH will go down for this.
ITS A DEAD STORY IN TERMS OF ROVE.
IN YOUR FACE DU!
"that it's quite clear that Rove has broken no laws and done nothing illegal."
For real? ABC? The DNC's mouthpiece? LOL.
Rove isn't stupid. The guy is a genius! He would never pull anything this stupid. They were all ready to impeach Bush over there - again. *sigh*
I'm going over. I'll bet the entire left wing cult is planning mass suicide!
Bet I know just about which cliff you are moving to. I wish you a long and happy life there in that beautiful little river town.
It was amazing really, not only for the fact that ABC news did a real report for once and not liberal trash.
But the fact that Rove has come out on top on this, he would NEVER DO ANYTHING STUPID.
Boy the libs must be hanging themselves, they keep making up false scandels to try and get Bush, but it always fails.
I would say Rove should now work with Jeb in 2008, although I see Rice getting the nod in 2008.
Thank you abc, your report was brillant, and fair!
To those people on DU who lurk, what scandel is coming up next?
How about Bush's bike fall?, what was that really about?
hahaha!!!
Bummer. The DU cult hasn't heard the good news yet. They'll be jumping with joy (off bridges).
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