Freeper Thoughts on the Plame Kerfuffle

Vanity | 07/12/2005 | RightFighter

[RightFighter]

I'm wondering who everyone thinks the actual leaker is. Remember that Novak stated that it's not who we think it is and that it's a highly placed government official who is "no partisan gunslinger".

My gut tells me this is what happened:

Cooper calls Rove about welfare reform. At the end of the conversation, he asks Rove about Wilson. Rove tries to warn him off the story, mentioning that Wilson's wife, who apparently works at CIA, arranged for Wilson to go to Niger.

Miller catches wind of this conversation, perhaps through a conversation with Cooper or perhaps she asked Rove a similar question. Anyway, Miller wants to confirm this portion of the story, so she does some digging to find out the NAME of Wilson's wife.

The key question then, is, who does Miller call to get the name?

My guess is George Tenet. He would have certainly known the name. He was definitely a highly placed government official, and he certainly would not be considered a partisan gunslinger, having worked as CIA Director under both Presidents Clinton and Bush. Plame had been working in Washington during Tenet's entire tenure at CIA I think, so it's certainly possible that he didn't think that she could possibly be considered covert, so he didn't think he was doing any harm by revealing her name.

This would also explain the NYT stance on this whole matter. They would rather see Rove twist in the wind while their reporter-ette sits in a country club saying nothing than they would like to see the truth come out. The truth in this case would totally exonerate the administration and cast the blame on a CLINTON appointee!!!

There may be nothing to this, but take note of this post, because it may be one that you go looking for in a couple of months to say "didn't that guy RightFighter post Tenet's name on FR a while back?"

This is from Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerie_Plame:

21 July 2003: Newsday article "Columnist Names CIA Iraq Operative" by Timothy M. Phelps and Knut Royce attributes intelligence information independently leaked to them about Plame as coming from "intelligence officials" and a "senior intelligence official." . Both have been subpoenaed in the Plame investigation.

Interestingly, I noticed this on Wikipedia too. I didn't realize that Wiki was biased, but I guess this proves it:

July 11, 2005: Rove's lawyer/paid liar says, "Rove did not mention her name to Cooper." This one might actually be true, in its lie-y way.

[RightFighter]

Post your thoughts or your own ideas about who the leaker(s) was(were).

[JediForce]

Richard Clarke...former terrorist czar.

[TADSLOS]

Much ado about nothing.

[wizardoz]

I guess what I don't understand is: I thought Novak's article was the one in which Plame was "outed." All this mess is about Rove talking to Cooper. What am I missing?

[SittinYonder]

I think Miller and Cooper et al. are working in tandem with the Dems to make it seem like a bigger deal than it is. No crime has been committed. Rove signed a waiver in 2003, yet Miller goes to jail to protect Rove of all people?

But if Miller goes to jail then the public perception among those only sorta paying attention becomes "Wow, this must be a big deal."

Read York's article in National Review on this. It's very telling.

[golfisnr1]

wilson

[fabriclady]

I think this is a fabricated liberal story.
Cooper twisted his story.
Miller is her own source, so she can't name a source. Now she is caught in her own web. She will spend her time writing a book. Hoping to make millions.
Rove has ethics and will stay above the fray and the democrats will sizzle all summer. I say just let the democrats fall in their own stew.

[concerned about politics]

I'm wondering who everyone thinks the actual leaker is.

*sigh*

Wilson himself. He had his wife's name and CIA status right on his own website. It was for every one in cyberspace to see. It was long before the Rove e-mail.

This was reported today on FOX - It was on "The Big Story" with John Gibson.

[TonyInOhio]

[Indy Pendance]

Non story being beaten to death by the lib media because they're still sore about Gore.

[Pukin Dog]

No, the leaker is Miller herself. This is why the Times is paying her to sit in jail, while they attempt to create a story out of thin air that Rove is responsible. They are hoping that when the news comes out, it will only be a footnote, if they can get rid of Rove ahead of time. Miller may have lied to the Times too. Either way, we are going to win this one big.

[RightFighter]

Well that would explain your article from earlier this evening. Very insightful, I might add.

However, Miller herself as the leaker doesn't fit with Novak's assertion that it was a senior administration official.

[concerned about politics]

It was on FOX today!!! It was Wilson!!

[newconhere]

I believe it was Joe Wilson myself. Where has he been lately? Question, did anyone see Lou Dobbs talk to John Dean tonite? Disgusting.

[Duke Nukum]

I think Wilson is probably Miller's source. Her name was freely available on his website. Or so I've heard.

If he was claiming to have been sent by the administration, Miller/The NY TIMEs, would have felt they could get away with calling him a highly placed administration insider.

[trustandobey]

Without a doubt it was Wilson. What I can't figure out is why anyone would think Karl Rove would give Cooper permission to disclose that he was the leaker? If I were Rove, I would come out and say "I did not have sex with that woman, Valerie Plame" and leave it at that.

[AlGone2001]

I think Miller is the guilty party, too. It's going to make the media look bad even worse.

[randog]

What am I missing?

Novak cooperated with the investigators to avoid big doo-doo, but he's keeping mum 'til the investigation's over and all the cards are on the table (probably a condition of his grand jury testimony).

I've seen a couple of names that came to my mind: Richie Clarke (doubtful) and Wilson hisself (probably).

[Blogatron]

Colonel Mustard, in the conservatory, with a hunk of pipe.