STILL THE HOT TOPIC

http://www.boortz.com ^ | 10-1-03 | NEAL BOORTZ

[what's up]

It is really going to be interesting to see how long the media is going to play footsie with the Democrats in pushing this nothing story

This so-called "scandal" will be over as soon as Arnold grabs the CA governorship.

This last minute scandal-to-weaken-voter-turnout is not working as well as it used to.

[AppyPappy]

The law imposes a 10-year, $50,000 fine for those who transgress

Didn't a JOURNALIST first report this??

[Huck]

There is absolutely no evidence that Valerie Plame was an undercover agent for the CIA.

If there were evidence, then she wouldn't be undercover. Isn't that the point? I am interested to see how this turns out. It seems like the Dems are gunning for Karl Rove. If his fingerprints show up on this story, whether she's an "operative" or a "spy", it will be a black eye, and Rove will be jeopardized.

[lainde]

Thanks goodness someone else sees this. I just posted this response on another thread:

Here's something I don't understand. If Novak called the CIA for confirmation of her status, WHY WHY WHY would they tell HIM about the status of a secret agent? If it's a security matter, why wouldn't they just lie or evade. Is that how easy it is to find out about a covert agent?!!! I can call up and say I'm a reporter from The Podunk Post and ask about a secret agent and they'd CONFIRM it and ask me not to mention it pretty please?!!!! If this is the status of our national security, then we're in trouble

[Orangedog]

Consider, please, that the CIA actually confirmed Plame's employment to columnist Robert Novak. Has it occurred to you that the CIA doesn't routinely confirm the employment status of undercover agents or spies?

He has a good point here. Why would the CIA confirm her employment if she were a "spy?"

[Catspaw]

This is what Novak said on CNN on Monday:

http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0309/29/cf.00.html

As a professional journalist with 46 years experience in Washington, I do not reveal confidential sources. When I called the CIA in July, they confirmed Mrs. Wilson's involvement in a mission for her husband on a secondary basis, who is -- he is a former Clinton administration official. They asked me not to use her name, but never indicated it would endanger her or anybody else.

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. So what is the fuss about, pure Bush-bashing?

[OldFriend]

The media will never stop playing footsies with the dims.

[StriperSniper]

This is what Novak said on CNN on Monday:

Here's today's column:

Columnist wasn't pawn for leak

[norton]

I'd really like to know the guidelines for this Justice/FBI investigation,

Are they looking ONLY into the white house / administration for possible leaks. Or, are they also looking into the circumstances of the story?

Is there any chance that they'd stop at a few presumably Republican staffers or should they also investigate the actions of Wilson, his wife, his Democrat candidate buds, and the equally high likelihood that they staged this goat-rope.

Meanwhile, it seems that someone should point out to Novak that his 'confidential source' is possibly guilty of breaking the law on national security issues - this is important enough to investigate the office of the President - it ain't no low bucks porch theft. 'Cuff him to the radiator until he spills his guts.

[varon]

I can call up and say I'm a reporter from The Podunk Post and ask about a secret agent and they'd CONFIRM it and ask me not to mention it pretty please?!!!! If this is the status of our national security, then we're in trouble.

Easier yet, ask them to put you on their mailing list to receive the spy roster each time it's updated ;-)

[Chants]

I have a theory. Wilson, not Plame, is or was an undercover agent for the CIA. His Abd. and other embassy related titles were only a front to get him into nations we needed field operatives, such as Niger in the early 1980's, and Iraq.

Plame indeed works at the CIA, where they met and got married, like many other office romances.

He now feels that the July Novak article was indeed a threat, but not to other people who may disagree with with the administration. But, rather, a threat to himself and his own cover. That's why he has been pounding on this "intimidation" angle, an angle, which under scrutiny, really doesn't make much sense. Unless it is his cover that is targeted.

It's just a theory.

[Huck]

It says the CIA said not to use her name.

[Orangedog]

And they call that security?! At the very least they should have given the boiler-plate "we can neither confirm nor deny." No wonder Al Qaeda has been eating our lunch for the better part of a decade.

[alisasny]

Hitlary's dog-washer, Junior New York Senator Chuckie Schumer

GREAT LINE : )

[Huck]

I have no idea.

[smiley]

The only thing this "story" has proven is that there is absolutely, without hesitation....a LIBERAL BIAS IN THE MEDIA against Republicans and conservatives alike. Make no mistake about it.....

[prognostigaator]

From Novaks column today...."I was curious why a high-ranking official in President Bill Clinton's National Security Council was given this assignment. Wilson had become a vocal opponent of President Bush's policies in Iraq after contributing to Al Gore in the last election cycle and John Kerry in this one.

During a long conversation with a senior administration official, I asked why Wilson was assigned the mission to Niger. He said Wilson had been sent by the CIA's counterproliferation section at the suggestion of one of its employees, his wife.
It was an offhand revelation from this official, who is no partisan gunslinger. When I called another official for confirmation, he said: ''Oh, you know about it.''
The published report that somebody in the White House failed to plant this story with six reporters and finally found me as a willing pawn is simply untrue."

Six reporters?
Who and why was someone upset enough to separately call 6 reporters re: Valerie Plane?
Was it someone in the CIA because Plane recommended her husband for this very high paying assignment to go to Niger to drink sweet mint tea?..

[wayoverontheright]

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.

Why doesn't W insist that George Tenet speak up then? If she indeed turns out to be just an analyst, Bush should fire Tenet for not speaking up, this is ridiculous.

[Catspaw]

To point out the obvious, Novak has a vested self-interest in spinning this story to his benefit.

First, Novak has moved from being a reporter (actually a columnist) writing about a story to being the story. One of the cardinal rules of journalism is that the reporter is not the story--the story is the story and the reporter is the background, and that's where Novak has crossed the line.

Second, Novak knows that he is going to be questioned by the FBI and possibly hauled before a grand jury. He has to be very careful about what he says because, although he's said that he will not reveal his confidential sources, his public words will be used in the investigation and he will be questioned about them. He has to carefully choose his words, because whatever he says will be scrutinized.

Third, Novak said he will protect his sources. This means that he cannot give any clues to their identities in what he says publically, or privately.

Forth, Novak wants to continue working as a journalist. Although he has been critical of the administration's policies in Iraq and Israel, he still wants to keep working, and his sources are within the current administration. He's walking tightrope. He has to diminish his role in this, because if he doesn't, his sources will dry up. OTOH, his ego says he has to play up the story and his role in it to get more publicity for his column, and for Novak, getting his column published means income.

When I come up with more, I'll let you know.