Tim Russert at Libby Trial: Public Memory Lapse and a False Affidavit?

Wednesday, February 7, 2007 | Kristinn

[ntnychik]

Thank you for covering the trial for us. Brian Williams said Timmy's testimony wasn't challenged like the other reporters. Brian seemed triumphant. Williams will have Tim on Nightly News after his testimony is finished, perhaps tomorrow night. I'll be comparing their account with yours, and yours wins.

[Howlin]

Russert says he had one meeting with the FBI and they say they had 2, right? And Russert said that got it wrong, which, I have read, is what ALL the press is saying.

Interesting.

[kristinn]

I don't the answers to those questions off the top of my head. I'm getting tired so I'm off to bed. I just read the NY Times account and they buried the fun stuff, naturally.

[rose]

Very, very good and appreciated!

[RobbyS]

Exactly which court is this?

[harpo11]

Great post! Thanks for being our eyes and ears in this courtroom where a good man is being harrassed, abused and unjustly victimized by Fitzgerald.

[Peach]

From your fabulous notes:

Wells pointed out that Russert spoke about the conversation with Libby with the FBI agent without even verifying that the man on the phone was indeed an FBI agent or whether Libby had indeed waived confidentiality on the conversation.

Russert tried to weasel out of it by saying he considered Libby's phone call a "viewer complaint" about Hardball's coverage of the Joe Wilson story and that he had only told the agent his side of the conversation because the agent told him Libby was saying Russert told him about Plame.

Wells hammered home that Russert had not included this conversation with a government agent in his affidavit--raising the possibility that Russert filed a false affidavit with the court.

By this point Fitzgerald was slouched in his chair, intently staring at the jury to gauge their reaction to his star witness getting methodically taken apart.

------
Thanks, Kristinn. Great reporting. Russert caught lying has made my day complete.

[PA-RIVER]

I guess most viewers have Russerts personal phone number?

I hope Wells drags this lie around the court room nice and slow for all to see, and then makes Russert eat it.

Sounds to me like Russert could have a rough day tomorrow.

[Suzy Quzy]

You watch Brian Williams??? I feel your pain.

[Tulsa Ramjet]

Previous foot in mouth incident. don't know if it will clear up, or..uh, can't recall if it will get better.

[PA-RIVER]

Fitz is going to look like a complete fool if Libby is found not guilty.

Imagine that. He puts a man on trial, by simply indicting a man on his credibility. Nothing else. If the man is found not guilty, dos it not indict the prosecutors credibility?

[Jim Robinson]

Great job Kristinn!! Way to go Mr. Wells!!

[Enchante]

"they asked Tim why Wilson got on MTP that Sunday his op-ed piece came out"

It's rarely been discussed how lyin' Joe Wilson pulled off the "trifecta" of MSM accomplishment in one super-brief period of a couple of days back around July 6, 2003: he was able to arrange behind the scenes for the NY Times to publish his asinine op-ed masquerading as factual reporting, for WaPo to run a big story on it, and for "Meet the Putz" to bring Joe onboard for a fawning interview with the potato-head. Just try to imagine anyone with supposed "news" based solely upon obscure personal experience being able to line up NYT, WaPo, and NBC in such a convenient PR launch. The MSM, the Demagogues, and Joe/Valerie have been in a willing cabal on this from the beginning.

[piasa]

Since Libby's wheelchair bound Russert needed crutches as a sympathy equalizer.

I'm surprised he didn't go in there with a white cane and a seeing eye dog.

[Kryptonite]

Thanks. You're the best. Without your reporting I'd never know just how effective Wells was in defending Libby.

But, lawyers file motions to "quash" subpoenas, not "squash" them.

[Malesherbes]

This is by far the best account I've read anywhere. Not a good day for Russert, and maybe tomorrow will be even worse. And all this after breaking his ankle by tripping over his dog. February, "the cruel month," or is that April.

[piasa]

What kind of a "church group" goes on tours like that?

[Irish Eyes]

Thanks kristinn for the great first hand report. Sounds worse for Russert than some of the talking heads would have us believe.

[Dolphy]

It's rarely been discussed how lyin' Joe Wilson pulled off the "trifecta" of MSM accomplishment in one super-brief period of a couple of days back around July 6, 2003

I was thinking of exactly that today when I read that Russert said they saw Wilson's op-ed on an advance wire and had him on the same day it appeared in the paper. I have thought from the beginning that this was an orchestrated effort.

I don't know how it can be reported that Russert did well. His memory, his journalistic integrity and his lack of inquisitiveness were all questioned without reasonable explanation from Russert. And on top of that, Russert disagreed not only with Cheney but with the FBI notes. Those are a lot of body blows...I can't wait to see where Wells goes with this tomorrow.

[rfp1234]

--Wells answered, with Russert watching from next to the witness box where he was leaning on his crutch--

I believe that's a typo - it should say CROTCH, not crutch ;-)