Woodward Was Told of Plame More Than Two Years Ago

Washington Post ^ | November 15, 20005 | Jim VandeHei and Carol D. Leonnig

[atomicweeder]

Washington Post Assistant Managing Editor Bob Woodward testified under oath Monday in the CIA leak case that a senior administration official told him about CIA operative Valerie Plame and her position at the agency nearly a month before her identity was disclosed . . .

[Southack]

"It just got confusing and interesting."

It's confusing because the lefties know that the truth won't help them.

The WaPost is front-paging this non-story for tomorrow...making a big deal possible about "Official A" so that other publications can make cheap shots with wild-eyed inferences.

The "unnamed senior administration figure" mentioned in this WaPost article is almost certainly Ari Fleischer...and the poor kid did little more than have lunch with Woodward and make the offhand comment that "Wilson's wife" may have been in a position to recommend Wilson for his second bogus Niger trip...which is why he wasn't indicted. He never said "Plame" and he wasn't running around to every reporter in town attempting to out her.

He just had one lunch with a guy who was writing a book on GWB, and made one offhand comment based upon what he'd been told by Scooter Libby.

Once.

But instead of naming him and explaining that the situation is innocent, the WaPost is keeping his ID "secret" so that other media outlets can spout "Rove, Cheney" a few dozen more times.

It's a cheap shot.

[Mike Darancette]

a senior administration official told him about CIA operative Valerie Plame and her position at the agency nearly a month before her identity was disclosed.

Notice they didn't say senior White House official. Probably someone in the State Department namely Powell's aide.

[ruschpa]

Curious... why do you think its Ari?

[angkor]

Two years and someone was going to be indicted, count on it. Non-partisan Fitz my ass.

Fitzgerald has had many opportunities and two years to state conclusively whether the "outing" of Plame was or was not a crime.

He hasn't, and it wasn't.

[Dolphy]

I would think the unidentified official would be in a bit of trouble if he remembered his conversation with Woodward after the grand jury was sent home.

[TeleStraightShooter]

Did Woodward profess prior knowledge, of did fisherMan Fitz even bother to ask?

[Mike Darancette]

It is called CHECK MATE! LOL

Imagine Pincus and Woodward on the stand playing he said/he said, one or both is either a perjurer or confused if Fitz does not indict either/both then the jury must assume Fitz believes confusion is a possibility.

Fitz should be giving Libby a big Fitzmas present in the form of dropping all charges.

[okie01]

However, Libby isn't charged with leaking anyway. Only with perjury and obstruction of justice.

I understand that. But one of Libby's "lies", according to Fitzgerald, was that he learned Plame's status from a reporter. Now, we know of one more reporter who knew...apparently before Libby did (according to Fitzgerald's timeline).

At the same time, Woodward testimony established that yet another reporter (Walter Pincus) also knew -- and at an early date (and that, incidentally, he may have lied about that very point to the grand jury).

[Southack]

"Curious... why do you think its Ari?"

It was actually published, once, early on in this sordid affair. Ari had a lunch with Scooter Libby in which Libby told him about Wilson's wife working for the CIA and recommending Wilson for his 2nd bogus Niger trip.

Bad timing. Ari had a scheduled lunch in the days that followed with Woodward.

Then Ari stepped down.

So it's not much of a stretch to conclude that Ari is "Offical A" (get it), and that he stepped down so that his one mistake wouldn't reflect badly upon his boss.

[BurbankErnie]

Remember, it was also a "Senior Admin Official" who told Novak who Plame was, and we have never found out who this "Non partisan gunslinger" is.

If Fitz gave the Leaker immunity to catch WH Officials, the gig is up. This blows Fitz's case to Hell. I would think the same Leaker to Novak is the Leaker to Woodward, and cannot be exposed.

Woodward busts Pincus, and he knows he cannot be held responsible for anything that happens from here on in. Classic.

[okie01]

I would think the unidentified official would be in a bit of trouble if he remembered his conversation with Woodward after the grand jury was sent home.

We don't even know if this unidentified official was even asked to testify before the grand jury.

[Mike Darancette]

So then WHO?? Cheney?

Not White House official and Novak said we would be surprised. Maybe Powell or his deputy.

[BurbankErnie]

Do you have a link to that conversation... this is the first I have heard of it.

If true it would answer many questions.

[TeleStraightShooter]

Thanks for the Link
Woodward does not deny to Fitzgerald he knew V.Plame worked for the CIA be fore Scooter told him.

When asked by Fitzgerald if it was possible I told Libby I knew Wilson's wife worked for the CIA and was involved in the assignment, I testified that it was possible I asked a question about Wilson or his wife, but that I have not recollection of doing so.

[unsycophant]

<< Woodward permitted 60 Minutes to listen to tapes he recorded of his most important interviews, to read the transcripts, and to verify that the quotes he uses are based on recollections from participants in the key meetings.>>
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/11/17/60minutes/main529657.shtml

Woodward kept records and recordings of many people he interviewed for the book, but not regarding who told him about Plame. Obviously he did not believe it mattered enough to document, or even recall.

[penelopesire]

"Imagine Pincus and Woodward on the stand playing he said/he said, one or both is either a perjurer or confused if Fitz does not indict either/both then the jury must assume Fitz believes confusion is a possibility."

LOL..EXACTLY!!

[nopardons]

bttt

[indianrightwinger]

"When I think all of the facts come out in this case, it's going to be laughable because the consequences are not that great," he told National Public Radio this summer.

Not laughable. It will be serious jail time for MSM/LSM that committed a crime against the American public and this Administration.

[indianrightwinger]

Or, Tenet.

[Mike Darancette]

Did Pincus appear before the grand jury? Could Woodward's testimony possibly be in conflict with what Pincus told them?

Either Woodward lied to the FBI or Pincus to the Grand Jury. Or maybe they were both confused like Libby.