Novak: The abuse of my integrity provokes this response

Houston Chronicle ^ | July 31, 2005 | Robert Novak

[Cincinatus' Wife]

A statement attributed to the former CIA spokesman indicating that I deliberately disregarded what he told me in writing my 2003 column about Joseph Wilson's wife is just plain wrong.

Though frustrated, I have followed the advice of my attorneys and written almost nothing about the CIA leak over two years because of a criminal investigation by a federal special prosecutor. The lawyers also urged me not to write this. But the allegation against me is so patently incorrect and so abuses my integrity as a journalist that I feel constrained to reply.

In the course of a front-page story in last Wednesday's Washington Post, Walter Pincus and Jim VandeHei quoted ex-CIA spokesman Bill Harlow describing his testimony to the grand jury. In response to my question about Valerie Plame Wilson's role in former Ambassador Wilson's trip to Niger, Harlow told me she "had not authorized the mission." Harlow was quoted as later saying to me "the story Novak had related to him was wrong."

This gave the impression I ignored an official's statement that I had the facts wrong but wrote it anyway for the sake of publishing the story. That would be inexcusable for any journalist and particularly a veteran of 48 years in Washington. The truth is otherwise, and that is why I feel compelled to write this column.

My column of July 14, 2003, asked why the CIA in 2002 sent Wilson, a critic of President Bush, to Niger to investigate an Italian intelligence report of attempted Iraqi uranium purchases. All the subsequent furor was caused by three sentences in the sixth paragraph:

"Wilson never worked for the CIA, but his wife, Valerie Plame, is an Agency operative on weapons of mass destruction. Two senior administration officials told me that Wilson's wife suggested sending him to Niger to investigate the Italian report. The CIA (Harlow) says its counter-proliferation officials selected Wilson and asked his wife to contact him."

There never was any question of me talking about Mrs. Wilson "authorizing." I was told she "suggested" the mission, and that is what I asked Harlow. His denial was contradicted in July 2004 by a unanimous Senate Intelligence Committee report. The report said Wilson's wife "suggested his name for the trip." It cited an internal CIA memo from her saying "my husband has good relations" with officials in Niger and "lots of French contacts," adding they "could possibly shed light on this sort of activity." A State Department analyst told the committee that Mrs. Wilson "had the idea" of sending Wilson to Africa.

So, what was "wrong" with my column as Harlow claimed? There was nothing incorrect. He told the Post reporters he had "warned" me that if I "did write about it, her name should not be revealed." That is meaningless. Once it was determined that Wilson's wife suggested the mission, she could be identified as "Valerie Plame" by reading her husband's entry in "Who's Who in America."

Harlow said to the Post that he did not tell me Mrs. Wilson "was undercover because that was classified." What he did say was, as I reported in a previous column, "she probably never again would be given a foreign assignment but that exposure of her name might cause 'difficulties.' " According to CIA sources, she was brought home from foreign assignments in 1997, when Agency officials feared she had been "outed" by the traitor Aldrich Ames.

I have previously said that I never would have written those sentences if Harlow, then-CIA Director George Tenet or anybody else from the Agency had told me that Valerie Plame Wilson's disclosure would endanger herself or anybody.

The recent first disclosure of secret grand jury testimony set off a news media feeding frenzy centered on this obscure case. Joseph Wilson was discarded a year ago by the Kerry presidential campaign after the Senate committee reported much of what he said "had no basis in fact."

The re-emerged Wilson is now accusing the senators of "smearing" him. I eagerly await the end of this investigation when I may be able to correct other misinformation about me and the case.

Novak is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington.

[prairiebreeze]

This is the second time in just a couple of weeks that Novak has mentioned being eager to see the investigation wrapped up and hinted about surprises coming out of it.

[Mo1]

No .. I didn't get the impression that he was saying Tenet was involved or lied

I have previously said that I never would have written those sentences if Harlow, then-CIA Director George Tenet or anybody else from the Agency had told me that Valerie Plame Wilson's disclosure would endanger herself or anybody

Novak just says that Harlow was Tenet's then-CIA Director

[Mo1]

*L* .. pass the popcorn over here .. this is getting more and more interesting by the moment ..

There are so many pieces to this puzzle .. I honestly have no idea how it will turn out

[pageonetoo]

I hope Rush talks about it today.

Why care? Are you unable to think for yourself? I don't listen to him these days. He says something, then says it agains, then again, then again... you get the picture.

I enjoyed the Rush Limbaugh Show of the early days in the '90's. He actually added something fresh. With his updates, and all the fun-poking he did, it was a hoot. He always preaches to the choir, but the chorus button has become stuck...Now he just hashes, and rehashes!

He still has a voice, but it doesn't say as much, these days, except to the choir! My voice keeps me out of it...

If you want to support a lying druggie, that's fine! I'll get my news from FR, and the net! I usually find out things the same way he does!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Have a nice day.

[Lazamataz]

And, Mr. Novak, when the investigation is done, commence with a defamation lawsuit.

[Miss Marple]

Well, aren't you Mr. Sunshine this morning!

It is important that Rush talks about this because he has a HUGE audience; many people who are not following this case closely will only hear about it if Rush covers it.

You, of course, are free to not listen and remain smugly aloof, being the superior person that you are.

[Lazamataz]

If you want to support [Rush Limbaugh,] a lying druggie, that's fine!

I'm a formerly-lying recovering druggie. Would you be as judgemental about me?

Do you have nothing in your life that you are ashamed of? Are you spotless, and can throw the first stone?

[Just mythoughts]

"My guess is that many many many people had their fingers in the lucrative pie a.k.a keeping Saddam in power and the oil-for-food money flowing."

I agree, also gives a glimpse into what the Clintons found acceptable and what an algore presidency would have been.

9/11/01 should have awoke even the most liberal of liberal what is afoot around this globe and that too many of the supposed civilized nations amongst us were in bed with the terrorists.

The fact that it did not and our liberals, with their political speech and who knows what covert actions, appeared to have joined the terrorists in their attempt to reduce Western civilization to a pile of rubble.

To some that might be an extreme accusation, too bad because it fits these liberals profile whether they realize it or not.

[Lazamataz]

Excellent response. Seriously.

[Just mythoughts]

Are you stoned?

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Spot on MM.

[gop_gene]

I wonder how many msm outlets will give this an airing.

I wouldn't put it past them, but I would be absolutely dumbstruck if the media didn't at least mention this. Novak is far from being an obscure player. But we shall see.

[Lazamataz]

I wouldn't put it past them, but I would be absolutely dumbstruck if the media didn't at least mention this.

You overestimate the integrity of the media, and underestimate their raw partisanship.

[palmer]

Somebody somewhere within 4 months of 9/11/01 is worried about Saddam and yellowcake.

Coincidentally, our old friend Joe Wilson was stationed in Burundi in 1982 when Saddam was obtaining yellowcake from Niger. Burundi also exports yellowcake, did they export it back then to Wilson's buddy Saddam?

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Well, it just went up at his home paper, the Chicago Sun-Times Ex-CIA official's remark is wrong

So that makes four print outlets:

The Conservative Voice - posted 7 hours ago
Houston Chronicle, United States - 5 hours ago
Town Hall, DC - 5 hours ago
Chicago Sun-Times, United States - 1 hour ago

[bwteim]

Thanks for the post.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

You're welcome.

[Just mythoughts]

Interesting. Joe does appear to have the "yellowcake" connections, got to wonder exactly what he did do in Niger while sipping sweet tea.

[montag813]

unanimous Senate Intelligence Committee report...said Wilson's wife "suggested his name for the trip." It cited an internal CIA memo from her saying "my husband has good relations" with officials in Niger and "lots of French contacts," adding they "could possibly shed light on this sort of activity." A State Department analyst told the committee that Mrs. Wilson "had the idea" of sending Wilson to Africa.

It is Valerie and Joe Wilson who should be sitting in jail, not Judith Miller. They are traitors who should spend the rest of their natural lives in jail.