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."

[syriacus]

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."

If Bush is altering his statement, he is also altering it to change the consequences from "appropriate action" to firing.

If Bush is altering his statement, Bush is actually taking a tougher stance.

[Ramcat]

These reporters (fabricators) go on about firing someone but take no responsibility for inacurate or fabricated information.

[tobyhill]

I read this nondisclosure agreement and I don't see anyway possible this applies to Rove. One part states, if you don't know if it's classified you should ask. Now if this is the best they have, they sure don't have much and are only proving to be pretty stupid.

[cvq3842]

Good point.

Didn't the Democrats in fact consult with some linguist in order to "better express their ideas?" First off, I don't think the Democrats lose because the public doesn't understand their ideas - in fact I think the public understands them all too well! But the "express yourself" rationale would be a good cover story for what you suggest. And isn't Michael Cooper's wife a big Hillary Clinton staffer? (What is it about these Democrats, always having their wives egging them on?)

OK, OK, I don't want to start sounding like a tinfoil hat type. But you raise an interesting point. And a causal consumer of MSM news and nothing else would have a TOTALLY different view of all of this. Is it relevant at all to know about Cooper's wife? More importantly, would it be relevant to the MSM if the shoe were on the other foot, and the wife of a columnist writing about a Democrat were, say, a staffer for Tom Delay or Rick Santorum? The answer jumps out at you immediately. All I ask for is logical consistency - which is a ridiculous expectation in politics, I know.

You know, smearing Billy Dale was OK by them. Making Linda Tripp's life a living hell was A-OK. Really, remember the constant drumbeat of scandal surrounding the Clintons? Is there a Bush administration cabinet member of high level official who has been accused of shady land deals, abusing FBI files, etc.? I don't EVER want to go back to that.

I WAS a lifelong Democrat - that's just the way it was. I voted for Clinton, twice. But at least he finally showed me that the Democrat party of the past is as dead as Zell Miller says it is. So I am in good company as a FORMER Democrat.

[Cboldt]

The New York Times and Washington Post agreed with the brief in March.

The NYT may have agreed with it, but they are not one of the parties named as signing on to the brief. WaPo is signed on, as are AP, Reuters, Gannett (USA Toady), LATimes, and many others. But not the NYT.

[DouglasKC]

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."

Wouldn't leaking classified information be a crime? Of course. The dems and the press want him to fire Rove simply because they're accusing him of leaking classified information. It didn't happen.

[GVnana]

Isn't this ridiculous. Some of these MSM types even get paid..

[NRA1995]

I am altering the deal; pray I don't alter it any further....

[alnick]

Wouldn't leaking classified information be a crime?

Exactly. The point of course being Plame's employment by the CIA was not classified info at the time.

[syriacus]

Six SEALs sue AP, reporter Washington Times ^ | 12/29/04 | Jennifer Harper, Posted on 12/29/2004 1:03:56 AM EST by kattracks

Six Navy SEALs filed a lawsuit against the Associated Press and one of its reporters yesterday, saying the news organization revealed their identities, compromised their security and invaded their privacy by publishing personal photographs in a Dec. 4 story.

    The complaint says AP reporter Seth Hettena used about 40 images from the personal photo-storage Web site of a Navy SEAL wife.

[snip]  The images were picked up by the Arab press, including Al Jazeera, and have made their way onto a billboard outside U.S. Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where detainees from the war on terror are being kept. The billboard design includes swastika symbols and accuses the SEALs of "being Nazis," according to the suit.

    "It was totally reckless. These photos clearly show the guys' faces, which now put their lives at risk, and the lives of their families," said James W. Hutton, an attorney for the SEALs who filed the complaint in the Superior Court of San Diego.

    AP insisted yesterday that there had been no wrongdoing.

    "We believe AP's use of the photos and the manner in which they were obtained were entirely lawful and proper," said Dave Tomlin, assistant general counsel for the organization.

[tobyhill]

I smell troll

[syriacus]

Let's face it: Bush flip-flopped in an attempt to save Rove's ass.

Nope.

[syriacus]

Let's face it: Bush flip-flopped in an attempt to save Rove's ass.

Got the quotes to back your assertions?

[alnick]

Please explain how "violated the law" (the 2003 statement) is a "flip-flop" from "committed a crime" (the 2005 statement).

You're obviously in desparation mode, and it's quite unattractive.

[tobyhill]

Why should ANY administration display weakness?

[silverleaf]

Bottom line: Disregard simply going back to the original transcript of Bush's full quote. Accept and re-publish the lie that one enterprising (anonymous) reporter posted to perpetuate the mantra:

BUSH LIED!

The mainstream press uses the same tactics and has the same reasoning capability as a 13 year old uses against his/her parents... all that is missing is the whine.

[MortMan]

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

I, unlike the dems and MSM, don't seem to have the knack of seeing with my eyes closed and my head up my "fourth point of contact"!

[painter]

TROLL.

Are you on a mission from DU?

[clintonh8r]

NPR did some of its finest biased "journalism" this morning....basically taking everything that Joe Wilson has ever said as the truth, and everything the administration has ever said as doubtful. Time to de-fund that RATs nest....