Plame, By Any Other Name: Does Rove's current position pass the smell test?

Wash. Post ^ | Monday, July 11, 2005; 1:21 PM | Dan Froooooomkin

[rface]

There is no longer any question that top presidential adviser Karl Rove is a key player in the Valerie Plame case.

[ snip ]

But let's look at what we can conclude from all this:

· The latest news reports indicate that Rove is the source who Cooper was trying to protect until last week -- and that Rove tipped Cooper about Plame three days before Robert Novak published his now-famous column exposing Plame's identity.

[ snip ]

· Rove and his lawyer's denials that he was involved in telling reporters about Plame now appear to be at best based on Clintonian hairsplitting about whether he literally used her name and identified her as covert or he simply described her as the CIA-employed wife of Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, the administration critic that White House was eager to discredit at the time.

· President Bush and press secretary Scott McClellan's denials that Rove was involved in the Plame matter now appear to be at best based on the position that their responses to broad questions about Rove and Plame were met with narrowly constructed responses specifically about whether Rove leaked "classified information." Or is it possible Rove lied to them?

[ snip ]

If Karl Rove, Bush's top political strategist, longtime friend and deputy chief of staff is actually indicted by Fitzgerald -- which now appears to be a possibility -- it would be an enormous blow to Bush's second term. Until Fitzgerald wraps up his highly secretive investigation, however, that's all just speculation.

So let's ask ourselves some more practical questions instead:

· Does Rove's current position pass the smell test?

[jackbenimble]

He has done a lot of damage to America by putting the good of the GOP in front of the good of the country.

IMO the good of the GOP IS is the good of the country. Democrats thinking otherwise so what?

My comment was in reference to Hispandering. Based on your comment it seems that you are A-OK with the idea that we should leave our borders wide open and our immigration laws unenforced, and give amnesty to those who ignore our laws ... just so long as it brings a few more Hispanic votes to the Republicans and damn the consequences for America?

Personally I preferred being a Republican back in the days when we could claim we were the "Party of Principle" with a straight face. We shunned "group politics" and racial pandering because we thought America should be color blind and that people should be treated equally by the law and that the laws applied equally to everybody regardless of race.

I won't shed any tears for Karl Rove. He didn't do much wrong with respect to Plume but he is nontheless a piece of political excriment.

[JennysCool]

It's just hilarious how, when there's nothing much to bash Bush about currently, the MSM always goes back to the old stuff (Plame, Abu Ghraib) to see if any more mileage can be gotten out of it. Whatta buncha dorks.

[cyncooper]

Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, the administration critic that White House was eager to discredit at the time.

I guess it would kill the media to point out Wilson was lying so discredited himself. The extent of revealing Plame's role (and I doubt Rove was the first down the pike to refer to it---my guess is he got it from yet another reporter) is illumination, not retaliation.

Wilson IS discredited.

The media constantly acts like the WH sought to unfairly cast the man with a taint when that's just the way he was.

· President Bush and press secretary Scott McClellan's denials that Rove was involved in the Plame matter

I heard Jeff Birnbaum state this, too. It's a flat out lie. Bush and McClellan and Rove never denied Rove was "involved" in the Plame matter. NEVER. It has always been openly stated that Rove dealt with the aftermath of Wilson's op-ed and he did not "out" Plame.

[snarks_when_bored]

True. Nobody ever got rich by underestimating the MSM's willingness to do the Democratic Party's dirty work.

[cyncooper]

It's not Rove, it's Scooter Libby. JMHO.

The long ago alternate? Sorry, he's already cleared.

[cyncooper]

One thing we can conclude is that Rove saved journalist Cooper from going to jail by allowing Cooper to reveal his source. But Froomkin wouldn't concede an honorable motive on Rove's part.

Many WH connected (and honorable) types have long ago (LONG ago) signed waivers and for their trouble the media alleges the waivers were "coerced".

The release you're thinking of that Cooper claims he got at the 11th hour was not from Rove. Rove had signed the waiver over a year and a half ago.

[surely_you_jest]

Does it pass the smell test? That depends on who is doing the sniffing.

How bad is it? It could be worse. This could be coming up sometime other than the middle of the summer - the "silly season" - when the press reports about kids, and summer, the beach, people frying eggs on sidewalks, watermelons, sharks, etc., are not happening

Beyond that, though, there are a couple of things here that really are not good at all.

First, there is the fact that this is beginning to smell like a Klintoonesque reverie on what the meaning of "is" is. Too much parsing. Too soon after Klintoon.

Second, even though we like Mr Rove, and what he has done over the years for President Bush, he has become the center of attention and not President Bush, who is supposed to be the center of attention. This means, regrettably, that Mr Rove has failed in his primary duty - he has become visible, and taken the spotlight off of the Presidents agenda for this, his final, term in office.

Third, there is the possibility here of technical violations of obscure statutory law of which we are currently unaware. Or, at least, the possibility of an allegation of a violation of some obscure statute, of which we are currently unaware. This provides grist for the journalistic mill. Which keeps this alive. Which means that it creates a smell. And if there really is some violation or other, however obscure, this will be a serious problem after Labor Day when people begin to actually pay attention. In which case we go beyond "smell" to "stench". And "stench" is something with which we cannot live.

Fourth, and perhaps most significant - what does this distraction do to the rest of President Bush's agenda? We don't have a lot of time left, folks, to actually get things done. There is this fall, which will be more or less consumed by a Supreme Court confirmation. And that assumes there will only be one. If there is more than one, this could spread over into '06. Half of '06 will be consumed by the Congressional mid-term politicking. Then there is election season '06. Part of '07 will be taken up by a new Congress figuring out where the rest rooms are located. Most of '08 will be consumed by Presidential and Congressional primaries and actual campaigns.

My point is this - from now until early spring of next year is "prime time" for the President to get things done. We don't need a lot of high-visibility distractions between now and then. Particularly as relates to the Presidents primary on-scene day-to-day political adviser.

[Sicon]

Breathlessly reporting the details in an effort to make it seem like Watergate only makes the news media look petty and stupid.

No, I have to correct you there. EVERYTHING the MSM does makes them look petty and stupid, mostly because that is exactly what they are.

[cyncooper]

Question at end of this piece:

· Has Karl Rove routinely hidden behind confidentiality to spread damaging information about the White House's enemies?

What was damaging here? Hmmmmmmmmm? Oh, the assumption we're supposed to make that Plame had a cover and it was blown.

Wilson should have been allowed to prattle on about his non-existant "findings" in Niger without having to answer any questions as to how he came to be sent on this mission. Any facts pointing out that Wilson had seriously misrepresented what had gone on are then assessed by the media as "damaging".

What was really damaging was the Wilson/rogue lies about the context, scope and breadth of his trip.

[KC_Conspirator]

Who is Scooter Libby?

Plame was not a covert agent, like the press is saying, so there is nothing to this.

[4integrity]

'..Sandy Berger, Sandy Berger, Sandy Berger....'

exactly. And, the biggest laugh of the year goes to Frank Lautenberg and Harry Reid talking about the need for high ethics. Ethics.. as in.. the great Torecelli/Lautenberg Senate robbery and 'ole Harry calling the President of the United States a loser.

[cyncooper]

That is about as close to lying as one can get without actually uttering an untruth. The intent was to deceive and it was very Clintonesque.

What monumental BS.

I have serious heartburn about Karl Rove

Poor baby.

[4integrity]

Scott McClellan needs to take some energy pills and give the liberal MSM reporters a tongue lashing with a smile ...like Ari Fleisher did. I miss Ari. He wouldn't take their guff.

[pepperhead]

And what about Cooper's other sources?

The MSM can't be bother by something like that. They don't want Rove to be "a" source they just want him to be "the" source. If it doesn't fit with the Rove frame up they don't care.

[cyncooper]

Don't know about whether Rove's position passes the smell's test. Today's White House briefing certainly didn't. It was pretty ugly. Not lookin' good for Rove.

LOL

It's looking fine for Rove.

[Bogeygolfer]

This all has as much to do with appearance as it does with facts. That's reality and it always has been and Rove knows this as well as anybody. From the beginning I've been nervous that there was a deeper Rove involvement in all of this. The MSM, while often incompetent, is not brain dead. They've known all along they were going to get some mileage out of this and Rove seems to have made a few missteps. I don't believe for one second that Cooper made up the whole bit about wanting a clear release. I think he felt he needed one from Rove and I think he did get it at the last minute. I hate to say it but I'm betting there's more to come.

[Chuck54]

.....but he is (Rove) nontheless a piece of political excriment.

Me thinks you are really po'd because Rove with the help of O'Neill and the SBV's insured the reelection of Bush. Just my opinion, but I could be misreading between the lines. :)

[Liberty Valance]

Scott McClellan needs to take some energy pills and give the liberal MSM reporters a tongue lashing with a smile ...like Ari Fleisher did. I miss Ari. He wouldn't take their guff.

I said something like that two years ago but was politely told that I shouldn't say such things. Apparently Scott has friends everywhere but in the media where it might count. He's far too timid for such a pivotal assignment. JMHO

[cyncooper]

Good for John Podhoretz.

He's correct that Wilson's online bio was removed recently.

For the record, the site where it had been posted was the "Middle East Institute".

[pepperhead]

That's not Rove's problem, if he has one. The problem could be perjury. Hopefully not.

I don't think he fell into that trap. I think he might have recorded his conversations with the media whores. Bush is still standing behind him. There must be a reason other than he is really loyal to his people. Bush said he wanted to get to the bottom of this before it all started. I think Rove is in the clear and if anyone is going to go down it is going to be the reporters.