Vallely: Wilson told me 'my wife is CIA' in 2002 [my title]

The John Batchelor Show ^ | 11/03/05 | (my summary of radio report)

[shhrubbery!]

Paul Vallely, on air last night on the John Batchelor show, said he met Joe Wilson in 2002 in the "green room" of a cable network's studio.

Both Vallely and Wilson were waiting to go on air. Wilson, at that time, was packaging himself as an expert on Iraq.

Vallely said that since he and Wilson found they had some acquaintances in common, they began talking. In the course of the conversation, Wilson told Vallely that Wilson's wife worked for the CIA.

This conversation, Vallely said, took place in 2002, several months before Plame's alleged "outing" at the hands of Karl Rove and Scooter Libby, via Robert Novak's column published July 14, 2003.

Vallely also said that his impression of Joe Wilson, at that time, was that Wilson was a "self-promoter" who was making the rounds of the news programs, likely in advance of publishing a book.

[Note: Vallely's link on the John Batchelor Show website (scroll down to "Paul Vallely" under heading "Current Intelligence") does not carry this report, at least not yet. Link at this time goes to Joe Wilson: Lying About Iraqi Uranium.]

[shhrubbery!]

I want to emphasize that this is just a theory, but Vallely's semi-confirmation was interesting. I wonder what it was that made him think that Wilson was shopping a book in 2002.

IIRC Vallely wasn't specific about that. I hope he goes public with more detail, and in a venue that isn't so late at night as the Batchelor show.

[Steve_Seattle]

I think it's possible that Wilson had written an autobiography that he unsuccessfully shopped in 2002. Then in 2003, after the Niger story broke and he became a public figure, he reworked the book, incorporating and highlighting the Niger story. There are two ways to look at this: (1) he added in the Niger story, which may have happened after the timeline of the original book, to make the book more marketable; or (2) the Niger story was within the timeline of the original book, but when he first wrote the book he attached no particular importance to the Niger trip, so didn't highlight it.

Alternative #1 is understandable as a way of making the book more marketable by updating it with new and politically-charged information. Alternative #2, the one that interests me, suggests that the Niger trip only became significant to Wilson when he joined forces with the Kerry campaign and began to embellish and distort the facts.

[verity]

[shhrubbery!]

Valerie's status as a CIA was well known thtoughout the DC party circuit as Joe brought it up at every party he and V attended. He consistently bragged about.

We've heard that here; but Fitzgerald either hasn't heard it, or hasn't bothered checking it out.

We know Fitzgerald has taken some interest --very recently-- in whether Plame's status was "well known" or not, because he did check with Wilson/Plame's neighbors about their knowledge --albeit two years late.

But we have some high profile names now of people who have said, publicly, that Plame's CIA employment was common knowledge (Vallely, Victor Davis Hanson, Andrea Mitchell).

Andrea Mitchell will likely be subpoenaed by Libby's defense, IMO, to impeach Russert's credibility. (Andrea won't want to do that, of course. But I don't see how she can refuse to testify.)

As for Vallely and Hanson, will Fitzgerald ever get around to talking to them?

[Steve_Seattle]

But we have some high profile names now of people who have said, publicly, that Plame's CIA employment was common knowledge (Vallely, Victor Davis Hanson, Andrea Mitchell).

Also Clifford May of NRO, who cited a Democratic acquaintance of his as saying that Plame's identity was known to many. Ted Wells needs to talk to all of these people. If he can establish that Plame's identity was "in the wind," he can plausibly argue that Libby might have learned of her identity from any one of a number of people, and well before Novak wrote his story. In everyday life, it's true that we are often told the same information by several different people over a wide timeframe. The same information often doesn't come to us from a single source on a single occasion, but from multiple sources on multiple occasions, and establshing who-said-what-first is difficult to reconstruct months after the events.

[shhrubbery!]

I think it's possible that Wilson had written an autobiography that he unsuccessfully shopped in 2002. Then in 2003, after the Niger story broke and he became a public figure, he reworked the book, incorporating and highlighting the Niger story.

Plausible theory, IMO.

I've read that Wilson published his wife's name, as Valerie Plame, on his own website prior to the alleged leak(s) by Rove/Libby and prior to Novak's publication.

Does anybody know what Joe's website was promoting, pre-"leak" ? (Of course he was promoting himself, but was he specifically flogging an upcoming book?)

[Steve_Seattle]

Someone in the publishing industry knows the history of Wilson's manuscript. If I were Libby's attorney, I'd start with Wilson, asking about the genesis of the book; I'd ask when he first wrote it, who he submitted it to, if there were major revisions at any time, and if it was first rejected - and by whom - before it was finally published. Then I'd go to any identified publishers for corroboration. This might all lead to nothing, but if it led to the conclusion that the final version of the book was radically different from the original, and if these differences involved emphasizing or embellishing facts that were originally omitted or downplayed, it would further undermine Wilson's credibility as an honest whistleblower, and gain sympathy for Wells' client.

[Wild Irish Rogue]

But we have some high profile names now of people who have said, publicly, that Plame's CIA employment was common knowledge (Vallely, Victor Davis Hanson, Andrea Mitchell).

Add Joe DiGenova ( former US Attormey ) who has was said that Wilson routinely introduced his wife as my spy wife or Bond wife.

Now- if the internet can figure this out-why can't Fitzgerald ?
Wilson told Olbermann the other night that he " spoke " to Fitzgerald twice . In Fitzgerald's office at Fitzgerald's request.
The first meeting was early in Fitzgerald's tenure and Wilson said he told Fitzgerald the whys and wherefores of his trip to Niger.
It looks as if Wilson gave Fitzgerald the template and Fitzgerald followed it to a T.
His last chit chat with Fitzgerald was the day that Miller finally testified, but, was unrelated to Miller.
So, apparently Fitzgerald did not put Wilson before the Grand Jury.
As a friend of mine who does this for a living, said-that's " odd."
If you are trying to find out the source of outing an agent and it's all over DC that the husband is actually Ground Zero for disseminating her info- why not bring him before the GJ and ask him those questions ?
The 11th hour interviews of the neighbors ( one is a Dem donor ) literally on the sidewalk in front of their house, looks sloppy.
My wife thinks that Fitzgerald's personal quirks- loner , no social life- makes it possible that he does not understand the conjoined social, media and political worlds in DC.
He's used to dealing with mobsters and terrorists, not the blabby, gabby gossipy netherworld of Foggy Bottom.
The more we learn, the more questions are raised about the thoroughness and apparent tunnel vision of Fitzgerald's investigation.

[shhrubbery!]

My wife thinks that Fitzgerald's personal quirks- loner , no social life- makes it possible that he does not understand the conjoined social, media and political worlds in DC.

I think your wife has figured it out.

Contrary to some posters here, I believe Fitzgerald is a decent and honest prosecutor (at least by comparison with Lawrence Walsh or Archibald Cox) who thinks he's doing the right thing.

The problem is that Fitzgerald, who's "used to dealing with mobsters and terrorists" as you put it, might never have run up against a slick, highly-verbal con man/pathological liar like Joe Wilson.

Fitzgerald has obviously been credulous of Wilson's tall tales.

Does Fitz --who reputedly has never used his kitchen oven in the ten years he's lived in his apartment-- ever kick back after work and turn on Fox News and see Joe DiGenova or Victoria Toensing talk about Wilson? Or read Toensing's op-eds in the Wall Street Journal? Or even go online to see what the bloggers are saying? I doubt it. I think he works all the time.

"Tunnel vision" is right. One gets the idea that Fitzgerald's focus is so narrow, he doesn't see the forest for the trees.

[Arizona Carolyn]

You're correct. Actually, as I remember it, he was ready to graduate from West Point and was killed in a training accident.

[cricket]

. . .but someone now needs to get comments from Vallely, Hanson, and Andrea Mitchell in front of the prosecutor (to indicate what Joe Wilson is all about, even if it doesn't bear closely on the specific indictments) and in front of all the MSM bozos who continually repeat the DNC talking points.......

Yes, a fair and reasonable conclusion. . .even more fair; had this been done months ago; but nooooooo; and still no 'reasoned' response from the White House.

My molars are just a bit shorter than they were when this garbage started going down. . .(.. .and given what I did to them during Clinton's eight years; I could need replacements, soon. . .)

[oceanview]

OK, well at least he is consistent on that theme.

[BlueYonder]

Wilson told Vallely that Wilson's wife worked for the CIA

So, in other words, we can expect Joe Wilson to be indicted by the special prosecutor for outing Valerie Plame!! Prolly happen any moment now...Let the countdown begin: 10, 9, 8, 7, /sarcasm

[cricket]

The idea that none of his neighbors knew that Joe Wilson was a former ambassador to Iraq is laughable. The notion that nobody knew his wife was with the CIA is also preposterous. An inquiring mind would only have to follow her out to Langely to figure it out. This whole case about the outing is ridiculous. . .

Agree and yes; particularly stupid that they attempt to make their case by way of the neighbors' NOT knowing; which they probably did. . .but it just as well could be Wilson/Plame never even knew their neighbors. . .like a gazillion other people.

Either way. . .it was a story designed to override the reporting that everyone knew this. . .who shared the good cocktails in DC. . .

But beyond the 'rediculous' here; is something worse. . .

. . .there is an indictment; and this entire debaucle is taking a political toll on President Bush. . .as he is being smeared world-wide. Not to mention the toll felt by those in the 'sites' of an investigation. . .

IF the 'truth were told' as it could be/should be. . .this would not be happening and instead, we would be witnessing the real perps/treasonous criminals, getting exactly what they deserve.

The fact is they are not. . .and that is more than troubling. . .frustrating. .. confounding. . .and scream-worthy, maddening. . .

Oh well...I digress. . .

[cricket]

Bump for entire post. . .and yes, the 'wife' is right on. . .

Britt Hume alluded to Fritz not understanding the way WAShington works; but of course, did not outline any specifics.. .insights etc.

Think your conversation here. ..has.

[cricket]

"The show closes every night with Kate Smith singing "God Bless America".

Ohhhhhh...I have never heard his program; but sounds 'cool' going out with Kate.

Ths for shedding the light . . . .so to speak. . . ;^)

[GOP_Proud]

< Perhaps Gen. Vallely testified before the Grand Jury to this effect? If so, he was bound to secrecy until the Jury closed down? I think that's how it works. >

Nope. Witnesses before a grand jury can tell anything they want. The jurors and attorneys are bound to secrecy.

[p23185]

I sincerely believe that this whole"outing"scam was hatched by Mrs.Wilson and some of her fellow CIA brethren to TRASH"W"and his foreign policy!!!!

And I believe this also. Kinda like the bureaucrat guy (CIA or DOS) last week (can't remember name) that was complaining that GW and Cheney had a secret cabal to change international policy without checking, can you imagine, with the bureaucrats over at CIA and DOS.

[Texas Eagle]

Did Joe Plame testify before the Grand Jury?