Bush alters line on leak

Pittsburgh Post Gazette ^ | July 19, 2005 | Ann McFeatters, Post-Gazette National Bureau

[Ramcat]

Bush alters line on leaks President now says anyone in administration who committed a crime would be dismissed Tuesday, July 19, 2005

By Ann McFeatters, Post-Gazette National Bureau

WASHINGTON -- President Bush subtly shifted his language yesterday about punishing anyone working for him who may have leaked the name of a CIA agent, suggesting that his new standard for firing someone is whether an actual crime was committed.

Ron Edmonds, Associated Press President Bush and Karl Rove, chief of staff. Click photo for larger image.

Bush once said that if anyone in his administration leaked classified information, "appropriate action" would be taken. Yesterday, in response to a question at a press conference with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Bush said, "If someone committed a crime, they will no longer work in my administration."

[Ramcat]

This is what journalism has become. I doubt this person ever read the original quote that President Bush stated in September 2003!

[A Balrog of Morgoth]

suggesting that his new standard for firing someone is whether an actual crime was committed.

No kidding. Maybe the newspaper is in arrears in payments for its Lexus/Nexus subscription.

[goldstategop]

"Bush lied to save Rove's compromised butt!" Expect that to become the new MSM and DU mantra.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[adam_az]

"Bush once said that if anyone in his administration leaked classified information, "appropriate action" would be taken. Yesterday, in response to a question at a press conference with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Bush said, "If someone committed a crime, they will no longer work in my administration."

Sure they did, this is just the Rat line - take something good, make it sound bad.

What, he should fire someone without due process?

The dems are asking for more due process for AL QAEDA than they are for Kark Rove! Maybe he can get the ACLU to defend him.

Read what he did - he STRENGTHENED his threat, not weakened.

Firing is more serious than "deal with."

[Bahbah]

At the press conference on Monday, July 18, 2005: If someone committed a crime they will no longer work in my administration.", is how Bush wrapped up his answer. "If there is a leak out of my administration, I want to know who it is and if the person has violated the law, the person will be taken care of," he said in September 2003.

Saw this one coming.

[rhombus]

Expect that to become the new MSM and DU mantra.

Yup, I heard it on CNN at 5:30 AM. I always check them out first thing in the morning because they are the only one reporting news at that time and I get the latest liberal talking points. Then there's this article. I expect the NY Times led with these points somehow too.

[normy]

from what I understand it wasn't classified. Didn't Novak check with the CIA before writing his article and the shrugged.

[OXENinFLA]

I doubt this person ever read the original quote that President Bush stated in September 2003!

EXACTLY!!! And in the same presser no less!!

---

Q Do you think that the Justice Department can conduct an impartial investigation, considering the political ramifications of the CIA leak, and why wouldn't a special counsel be better?

THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Let me just say something about leaks in Washington. There are too many leaks of classified information in Washington. There's leaks at the executive branch; there's leaks in the legislative branch. There's just too many leaks. And if there is a leak out of my administration, I want to know who it is. And if the person has violated law, the person will be taken care of.

[sure_fine]

I wish Bush would say something along the lines of " screw you "; and if the loony left bring up anymore BS with no facts to make a conviction, arrest their sorry asses for slander, defamation of character and anything thing along those lines, make them pay for all their taxpayer wasting time

[HarleyLady27]

He said when he became President in 2000 anyone that had the slightest smudge would not be in his administration...I don't blame him...after Clinton, I would lysol the whole white house before I moved in....

[tobyhill]

Isikoff last night indicated that the Special Prosecutor is pursuing another crime, disclosing or confirming confidential information in that the statement,"I heard that too" is the basis of confirmation. According to Isikoff this is the reason for the SP's questioning of the "document" Powell carried on Air Force One. If the MSM can't get em on one, move on to the next.

[syriacus]

This is what journalism has become. I doubt this person ever read the original quote that President Bush stated in September 2003!

Exactly. Didn't a Freeper point out that

1. Bush was in the middle of answering a reporter's first question
2. The same reporter interjected the "all important" second question about what Bush would do about the leaker
3. Bush continued aswering the first question
4. With good editting, Bush's answer to the first question was made to look like his answer to the second question.

Sounds like the Dems have been taking lessons in how to time questions to make someone look bad.

Perhaps a linguist or a screenwriter is training them.

First the question to Karl Rove about Wilson was "casually" dropped into a phone conversation about something else.

Then the question about how to treat the leaker was "casually" asked while the President was answering another question.

[Ramcat]

It seems that the MSM has really become a political movement against conservatism.
The new Contras?

[hflynn]

36 major news organizations filed a legal brief in March aimed at keeping Mr. Cooper and the New York Times's Judith Miller out of jail. The basis of the brief was "no underlying crime" had been committed. The New York Times and Washington Post agreed with the brief in March. So who is stretching the playing field?

[SlowBoat407]

Hey, c'mon. There's a MAJOR shift between "violating" the law and "breaking" the law. I mean, when you... that is, a violation is...

Ah, screw it.

[goldstategop]

They've always had an agenda. The liberals are more open in using the press as their primary weapon now that the Democratic Party is perceived as too enfeebled to take on a sitting President.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[Republican Red]

Best part of her artcle:

(Ann McFeatters can be reached at amcfeatters@nationalpress.com or 1-202-662-7071.)

[syriacus]

NathanBookman In a post on FreeRepublic, 7/14 pointed out the following article from the Captain's Quarters Blog.

July 12, 2005 Dafydd: Abbott and Costello Meet "If It's Rove"...

Attempting to prove that Bush indeed made some sort of "firing pledge," he notes a press conference on June 10, 2004 in Savannah, GA, in which the following exchange occurred:

Q: Given -- given recent developments in the CIA leak case, particularly Vice President Cheney's discussions with the investigators, do you still stand by what you said several months ago, a suggestion that it might be difficult to identify anybody who leaked the agent's name?

THE PRESIDENT: That's up to --

Q: And, and, do you stand by your pledge to fire anyone found to have done so?

THE PRESIDENT:Yes. And that's up to the U.S. Attorney to find the facts.

The first point that leaps out at me is that the last sentence indicates that Bush's "yes" was in fact answering the first question -- whether it would be difficult to find the source -- not the second about some "pledge" that in fact cannot seem to be located. The referrant of the word "that" in Bush's response cannot possibly be the pledge, unless Bush is suggesting that Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald should be trying to discover whether any such "firing promise" was made.

The second point is one that also went unnoticed by the commenter: the rather wide divergence between the "pledge" that Bush is said to have made, to "fire anyone found to have" "leaked the agent's name," and what Sen. Reid claimed yesterday that Bush had pledged: "The White House promised that if anyone was involved in the Valerie Plame affair, they would no longer be in this administration, his administration."

[bert]

Ann got a job as a reporter so she could "make a difference" Now she's out in the big world lying away her soul.

Google attractor.... Ann McFeathers

[gridlock]

Well, they misquoted him enough that the mis-quotes have effectively become his previous statement. So if he contradicts the mis-quotations, he is, in effect, contradicting himself.

You just have to look at these things the right way, and they all make sense.