[nuffsenuff]

As if reporters have never lied before.

[Brilliant]

But sources familiar with the probe say the most frequently cited evidence for such speculation — an apparent inconsistency between Rove's and Time magazine reporter Matthew Cooper's accounts of a July 11, 2003, telephone conversation — falls far short of being the basis for any prosecution, much less a perjury charge.

That only matters when the defendant is a Democrat, as history has shown.

[CharlesWayneCT]

Why does nobody mention that they could be looking at whether COOPER is the one who lied in his testimony? It still is probably immaterial, but it is clear that of the two accounts Rove's looks accurate and Cooper's not.

And if Cooper also at some point testified that Rove brought up the topic, when in fact Cooper did; And if Cooper testified that he didn't have any idea who Plame was, but it turns out he had heard about her from his wife, maybe they have enough to at least look at whether he was trying to deflect the prosecuter from looking at him or his wife, and looking instead at Rove.

[don'tbedenied]

I am convinced the issue with Rove/Libby/whoever is not perjury or disclosing a covert agent, but is revealing "top secret" information i.e. the person who picked Wilson to investigate. For reasons I do not understand, the transmittal of the information from the CIA was stamped secret. So the question then becomes did Rove /Libby/whoever learn about Plame from the top secret document or did they learn it from journalists? Of course in a sane world the question would be why did the CIA send a flim-flam man, husband of an opponent of Bush's policies, to investigate a serious issue and then why did the CIA try to keep the nepotism of the co-conspirator's secret?

[kellynla]

I can't believe the MSM is still kicking this dead horse...
Once again, Plame WAS NOT A "COVERT AGENT" and hence was not "protected." She was not stationed overseas and had not been within the five year time span. Working at Langley and driving through the gate with a name tag on her blouse and a CIA decal on her windshield does not, I repeat does not qualify this desk jockey as a "covert agent!" LOL This whole business is a non-issue. gezzzzzzz
Point, Game, Set, Match

[wildbill]

One wonders why the Grand Jury, according to Cooper, spent so much time on the subject of whether he'd discussed welfare reform.

This sounds like a panel that is out of control of the prosecutor because Fitzgerald would NEVER linger on these minor differences of remembrance, especially when there are contemporaneous notes of it in Rove's email.

[johnny7]

Cooper threw a sh!t-boomerang!

[montag813]

an apparent inconsistency between Rove's and Time magazine reporter Matthew Cooper's accounts of a July 11, 2003, telephone conversation

So why aren't we discussing a possible COOPER perjury indictment?

[popdonnelly]

The political duplicity of Democrats never ceases to amaze me. And all the while they cry about "underhanded" Republicans. I personally hope the Democratic Party goes right in the toilet - which would be an appropriate place.

[Phsstpok]

the difference between Rove's and Cooper's account of their conversation falls within the normal differences in recollection that often occur when two people are asked about the same event

there would be a crime if Matt Cooper destroyed notes that confirmed Rove's account in an attempt to "get" Rove. Cooper has said that he originally told investigators that he had notes of the conversation but when he testified before the grand jury he had no notes from the conversation (except his "double secret" email to his boss).

I think Cooper may be the one facing charges.

In a post on another thread I waxed lyrical about my dream of the entire democrat party facing RICO or treason charges over this rather obvious conspiracy.

Hey, I can dream, can't I?

[Politics4Fun]

"I don't recall doing so"...this guy's born for politics. Rove is doing the right thing and affirming all discussions and context, meanwhile, everyone else is throwing in ambiguities and all other kinds of garbage.

Give me a break.

[Paradox]

This Rove thing is nothing but a giant circle jerk for the media. Its hilarious and disgusting at the same time..

[YaYa123]

It's good to read this one over again. Byron York deserves a medal, (or at least an attaboy), for keeping me from over-reacting to spit and spin from the drooling left.

And speaking of "drool", I think Chris Matthews will die of despair when Scooter Libby is not indicted!

[NRA1995]

I sure wish they'd stop adding "-gate" to the end of every so-called scandal.....getting old, it is.....

[Steve_Seattle]

York is correct: slightly differing recollections of a year-old telephone conversation do not rise to the level of perjury, not even close, even if Rove did not have the corroborating email. Just more grasping at straws by the Bush haters.

[slowhand520]

Matt Cooper is a fat slime ball that is 1/10th of a man.

[ken21]

time mag's already got him convicted.

[lugsoul]

A couple of questions that have occurred to me about the Rove / Cooper exchange:

Was welfare reform in the news at all in summer 2003?

Did Cooper actually write a story about welfare reform?

Was there any notable welfare reform legislation passed or proposed and debated in that time frame?

I can't remember any, so I've always thought that was odd. Anyone remember a welfare reform bill from that time?

[Terabitten]

an informed source saying that Fitzgerald is now " looking at a coverup: perjury, obstruction of justice, false statements to an FBI agent.'"

I'm sure he is. He's just not looking at who the media thinks he's looking at.

[Darkwolf377]

I'm starting to think the welfare story was BS he used as an "in" with Rove, to loosen him up about a non-controversial story so he could then say "OK, thanks, oh, and one more thing..." and ask the REAL question he was interested in. AKA "bait and switch."