Novak: Wilson's Wife Not a Covert CIA Agent

NewsMax.com ^ | 9/29/03 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

The wife of Bush-bashing former U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Joe Wilson is apparently not a covert CIA operative or an undercover agent, though she's been described that way repeatedly since the CIA asked for an investigation on how her identity was made public.

According to columnist Robert Novak, who revealed Mrs. Wilson's name in his July 14 column, sources at the CIA expressly told him she was not a spy.

"According to a confidential source at the CIA, Mrs. Wilson was an analyst, not a spy, not a covert operative, and not in charge of undercover operatives," Novak told his audience on CNN's "Crossfire."

"So what is the fuss about?" he asked, then wondered aloud, "Pure Bush-bashing?"

In fact, in a little-noticed line in the initial Washington Post report on the announcement of the CIA's request for an investigation, the paper noted that "the CIA has declined to confirm whether she was undercover."

Still, hours after Novak went public with a clarification of Mrs. Wilson's status, she was described as a "undercover agent" by former White House chief of staff David Gergen in an interview with Fox News Channel's Greta Van Susteren, and as a "covert agent" by MSNBC's Chris Matthews.

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

Media Bias

[b4its2late]

ABC this morning still called her an agent and in the same segment showed the Novak clip from CNN... Amazing.

[lugsoul]

No, he is saying they didn't call him to leak it to him. He does say that he got the name from "senior administration officials" in the context of discussing the Wilson matter.

[MizSterious]

You noticed that too...also NBC and CBS. They can hardly bear to let go of such a delicious lie.

[Gothmog]

"...the week before Joe Wilson's previously scheduled MoveOn.org/Win Without War publicity tour?"

I was wondering if you (or anyone else on this thred) could give me a hint as to where to find a source for this. I've checked the Move.on web site, Google and done some searches on FR but can't find a source, just people mentioning it.

I'm still looking, but any help would be appreciated.

[Gothmog]

Thanks, I will check it out

[Wolfstar]

Absolutely! The wife of an ambassador has to do a lot of entertaining, and accept invitations to all sorts of events, both overseas and in Washington. Federal Washington is a highly incestuous town, with reporters, corporate big shots, congressional staffers, elected officials, lobbyists, ambassadors and other foreign officials all mixing for both business purposes and social functions. Many meet their spouses (and lovers) as they make the rounds of social functions.

Wilson is not exactly an anonymous face, since he's been an analyst on TV for some years. The idea that his wifey poo made the rounds of all the parties, lunches, dinner and theater invitations, and whatnot without ever mentioning at least something about her employment is laughable on it's face.

[gaspar]

The heart of the problem is not being discussed. Plame should be fired for recommending her husband. Plame's boss at the CIA should be fired; his ultimate boss, Tenet, should be fired for being out of the loop. The CIA informant should be fired for providing classified information to Robert Novak. The State Department mole should be fired for providing information to the Washington Post. Wilson should be sued for slander for implicating Rove in his smarmy scheme.

I'm not sure that Bush knows who his friends are at State or the CIA -- if he has any.

[NotQuiteCricket]

I hope that you got that URL wrong, because it is giving a 404 now.

[NotQuiteCricket]

I hope that you got that URL wrong, because it is giving a 404 now.

[Bennett46]

Wilson is a decorated Admiral in the "El Paso Navy?"

The city of El Paso has its own navy?

[Iowa Granny]

marking

[NotQuiteCricket]

http://www.mideasti.org/html/bio-wilson.html is the correct URL. That is not what you posted. I looked at that site yesterday afternoon (9/29/03) and their names were not listed. Why the lie?

[BushisTheMan]

As much as you hate to give the Dems a compliment, they are good at getting the Bush-bashers out and seen everywhere! I think they secretly sign up as they did during the Clinkoon's years. If the Dems ever have a good idea (rare, I admit), we need to copy them and do the same things. When Katie asks a Republican a 10-minute question, the Pub should say: "can you repeat the question?" That AT THE VERY LEAST would be good for a laugh. There are so many good speakers in the Republican party, we need to get them out and speaking against Dems. I've seen a few Republicans (Shay?) that need to shut up though.

[Lady Heron]

That is the biggist bunch of BS I have read all day. As a Christian who would not be able to vote for Arnold, I would cast a vote for Tom if I lived in California. I am also a Bush supporter and while not agreeing with everything he has done in his Presidency I would definitly vote for him again.

[BushisTheMan]

With every Muslim's arrest for spying, that's one less contributor to Hillary's campaign.

[BushisTheMan]

From 1988 to 1991, Ambassador Wilson served in Baghdad, Iraq as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy. During "Desert Shield" he was the acting Ambassador and was responsible for the negotiations that resulted in the release of several hundred American hostages...

So now we know exactly WHO left Scott Speichter behind!

[BushisTheMan]

From 1988 to 1991, Ambassador Wilson served in Baghdad, Iraq as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy. During "Desert Shield" he was the acting Ambassador and was responsible for the negotiations that resulted in the release of several hundred American hostages...

So now we know exactly WHO left Scott Speichter behind!

[colorado tanker]

I agree. This story just doesn't add up. I want to know when she was at CIA (if she really was an employee) and in what capacity. If she was an analyst at Langley 20 years ago, this whole thing is bogus.

[Robert_Paulson2]

Interesting use of moral equivalence there.

Hardly, there is an organized move underway amongst conservative hard liners to challenge President Bush from the right... not just the left where we expect it. and bubba is the mastermind, or bride of bubba...

big alan keyes fan are you?