Wilson: Bush Not Party to Leak

The Washington Post ^ | 10/6/2003 | Walter Pincus

[Utah Girl]

Former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV said yesterday that the leak of his wife's name as a covert CIA official by Bush administration officials last July could have been for revenge or to undercut his criticisms of the Iraq war or to intimidate other government insiders from talking to journalists.

"I do believe, however, that the president would never have condoned or been party to anything like this," he said yesterday on NBC's "Meet the Press."

The Justice Department has begun an investigation into the unauthorized disclosure of the name of Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame, who served in the CIA's operations division and acted clandestinely under what is called non-official cover. That means she worked in a position not associated with the U.S. government and when overseas on a spy mission was not protected by diplomatic immunity.

Asked whether he thought the leak had endangered his wife, Wilson said on CBS's "Face the Nation" that since the publicity of the Justice Department investigation, "other people" have suggested "perhaps this does make her a target." As a result, he said he and his wife were taking unspecified security precautions.

[Moby Grape]

So how did Wilson, a self professed left winger, end up in such a sensitive assigment where he could, and did, undermine our efforts?

[Wolfstar]

Thanks for pinging me to this, Okie01. Most interesting that Wilson now seems to be hedging his bets. One wonders if the reason is because his ticket to fame and fortune is spinning out of his control, or if he's just trying to burnish his self-made image as the reasonable, non-partisan injured party and outraged husband.

There are others who are still trying to flog this phony scandal for all its worth. The disgraceful Michael Weiskopf of TIME was on MSNBC this morning speaking in the most somber tones about the leak investigation. I paid no attention to the details of what he was saying and flipped the channel. Would like to have flipped him something else, but I had to get to work. ;-)

[Howlin]

Do you comprehend English?

Did you not hear/read Robert Novak's column where he said it wasn't anybody at the White House -- that it was a "senior administration official who was NON-PARTISAN???"

[RinaseaofDs]

Just as long as you remember that this 'silly affair' was created out of whole cloth by Wilson and CNN.

[halfdome]

I don't think he's backpedaling. He said he didn't think Bush condoned or was a party to the leak. He also said he would work to defeat Bush in '04. Where's the backpedaling in those two statements?

[halfdome]

Why is it so hard for people to understand that Plame's identity was not a secret? Many, many people knew her. Many people who knew her also knew she was married. Many people who know Joe Wilson know he is married and who his wife is. I don't get these protestations about her being named on his bio. The fact that she existed wasn't a secret. It was the fact that she was working undercover that was a secret. The whole point is to appear to lead a normal life.

[Poohbah]

Plame Name Blame Game

Try uttering THAT phrase quickly after downing two pints of Newcastle Dark Ale...

[Toespi]

and then makes a statement on Buchanan & Press, quote, "I am a disinterested spectator in this matter."

[philosofy123]

Who is Walter Pincus?

[RinaseaofDs]

You don't understand what undercover work is. You assume a new identity.

Read Baer's book about the CIA that came out last year. First thing they did was take everything away from him that bore his old name. They gave him a new job, new name, new everything. He was not allowed contact with his family.

Plame can't be Plame and work undercover for the CIA at the same time.

[Ann Archy]

Hope you will apologize when the TRUTH comes out...will you?

[petitfour]

You have little imagination. Just because they did something with one agent does not mean they do it with all undercover agents.

[RinaseaofDs]

I have friends that do this sort of thing. Undercover means something very specific to operatives.

Undercover means 'under an identity other than your own' or 'under another cover'. It has nothing to do with my imagination. This means you can't call the CIA and ask if this person works there and have them say, "Yep." We're she undercover, the CIA would have said, "Who?"

This person, Plame, analyzes stuff.

[RinaseaofDs]

An administration is a big place, and their not all loyal to the President per se.

The leak is a problem if confidential information or sources are compromised. They haven't been.

So now, the leak story is important, simply because there are leakers. If you know anything about finding leakers in politics, it is nearly impossible to do, so you will continue to be annoyed I'm afraid.

Bush, for the record, HATES leakers. He probably wants to know for his own reasons, but this leak story having the ability to damage Bush and his Admin, I don't think its possible at this point.

[petitfour]

I have friends that do this sort of thing. Undercover means something very specific to operatives.

Why would your friends tell you that they are operatives? And why would you post it on the internet?

[Help!]

As a Fed employee with over 20 years in HR work, it is true you can't just fire career civil servants without cause. BUT there are many many appointees that Bush failed to change. Executive Level employees may be easily moved to other assignments at the pleasure of the Agency Head.

What do you thing the Clinton-Gore Reinventing Government was all about? They abolished jobs and got folks to take early retirement or just quit rather than move. They created new offices and new jobs and filled the highest positions with their own cronies. These Clintonistas are still in place, just like all the US Attorneys who Clinton hired to replace the whole kit n kaboodle he fired upon taking office.

Bush could be doing a WHOLE LOT MORE than he has been to clean house in the Executive Branch. Those of us who suffered 8 years under Clinton know the damage that rascal did. Even if Bush WERE doing all he could do, it would take at least a generation of good conservative appointments and house cleanings to undo the damage.