CNN Breaking: Novak says it's all Bush bashing...

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

Said there was no impropriety..

And basically brushes it off.

SOS.

[section321]

1. please feed the cube rats!!!

.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

4. At first, I thought that this was going to be all that was said about

it, but it sounds as if they are going to get back to it during the show after break.

[caledesi]

2. Memo to Bob: It ain't going away...

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

42. Has Anyone Died Because Of This?

On a local Pacifica Radio Station about 2 weeks ago, the program's host said that some of Wilson's wife's CIA contacts had been killed overseas, those who were feeding her information and whose links with an "outed" CIA Operative was now out in the open. Has anyone else heard of any specific deaths resulting from this? That would compound this criminal act with a reckless disregard for human life and perhaps even a manslaughter charge.

[lindashaw]

75. I heard that people died...early on

[crissy71]

3. anybody have an exact quote?

I just watched it and didn't hear the first part - later Begala asked him what it's like to be "the story" and Novak said "not that fun"

[MaineDem]

5. He said no one from the White House called him

Said a "senior official" told him during an interview that Wilson's wife, working for the CIA, suggested that Wilson go on the fact-finding trip.

[Unity]

10. Did any Novak interviews get published since mid-July?....

With who?

[Cat M.]

61. Can't figure out

Why Novak thinks it exonerates the Bush administration by saying a senior administration official told him in person instead of on the phone.

[didntvote4shrub]

nothing exact, but..

..I did just watch his whole two or three minute spiel.

He said that no one in the WH called him, but rather that he was in the midst of interviewing a senior WH official on another subject and he mentioned that Wilson's wife was a CIA analyst (not a big undercover operative, an ANALYST) and that these leaks happen 50x a year, it's no big deal, DOJ hasn't done anything yet because there's no crime here. He said he also heard her name from another WH official (but, I guess, that one didn't call him either?). He says he won't reveal names.

[papau]

8. Sorry Bob but we need to start the drill-will the media ask these question

From the ABCnote:

"Has President Bush made clear to the White House staff that only total cooperation with the investigation will be tolerated? If not, why not?

Has he insisted that every senior staff member sign a statement with legal authority that they are not the leaker and that they will identify to the White House legal counsel who is?

Has Bush required that all sign a letter relinquishing journalists from protecting those two sources? Has Bush said that those involved in this crime will be immediately fired? If not, why not?

Has Albert Gonzalez distributed a letter to White House employees telling them to preserve documents, logs, records? If not, why not?

Has Andy Card named someone on his staff to organize compliance? If not, why not?

White House officials who might have legal or political exposure on this are going to have to decide whether to hire lawyers or not, and the White House counsel's office is going to have to decide what legal help they can and should provide to officials if and when the DOJ wants to talk to them.

That means that the '90s practice of every Washington bureau of calling members of the bar to see who has hired whom is about to heat back up. The first one to report someone hiring a criminal lawyer wins a prize, as does the first person who develops that lawyer as a source on all this.

A reminder that students of recusal politics will have to consider the Rove-Ashcroft history"

[caledesi]

9. Novak trying to "play down" her job, but the title "analyst"

[salin]

14. I don't get the 'analyst' part

Wilson says his wife's cover was blown. Analysts don't have 'covers'. Analysts for the CIA, work for the CIA - not for industry. I believe when the story broke it was described that she workd in industry and through her contacts she monitored flows of weapons. Perhaps that was a wrong characterization of her work. But perhaps instead "analyst" isn't an accurate characterization of her work.

[ender]

30. everyone is an "analyst" or "clerk"

what, you think they give out job titles like "super-secret weapons of mass destruction head spook, 3rd class" ?

[Lurking Dem]

47. Cripes that was priceless!

Damn near peed myself laughing!

[gkdmaths]

82. priceless, indeed.

I did not pee myself, but I laughed so loud the dog peed herself.

:o

[Eloriel]

70. On another thread someone linked to the law

and IIRC, leaking analysts' identities wouldn't be against that law. Leaking operatives, however, is another matter entirely.

So for NoFacts, she's an analyst. Just ask him. Nevermind what he wrote in his column.

Eloriel

[Cat M.]

56. That's just bogus.

In his article, Novak calls her an "operative." Not an "analyst."

He says she's an "operative on weapons of mass destruction." One definition for "operative" in American Heritage dictionary is "spy."

When you put operative in the same sentence as CIA, everyone assumes it means spy. He's just back pedalling now because he loves Bush. If he was told she was an "analyst" then exactly why did he call her an operative?

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

59. Welcome to DU! There's a link to the original article below.

I Guess Bob demoted her.

[caledesi]

77. Yeah, he lied big time. Hey Bob, don't you remember your article?

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/robertnovak/rn20030714.shtml


Wilson never worked for the CIA, but his wife, Valerie Plame, is an Agency operative on weapons of mass destruction. Two senior administration officials told me Wilson's wife suggested sending him to Niger to investigate the Italian report. The CIA says its counter-proliferation officials selected Wilson and asked his wife to contact him. "I will not answer any question about my wife," Wilson told me.

So, now Valerie is NOT an operative involved with WMD? <trying to play down her position>

:wtf:

edit: usual stuff

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

6. George I on film saying spilling the beans on CIA agents BAAAD.

[Caution]

7. And if this was no big deal

Why would the CIA request an investigation on it?

[didntvote4shrub]

11. Harold Ford Jr. is God. -eom

[section321]

17. Exactly. If this was no big deal, the CIA wouldn't be pursuing it.

.

[piece sine]

74. to cover their behind...

somebody in Washington does it every day.

[Bucky__Badger]

12. Unfortunately, looks like the * Admin. gets a pass again.

Novak has plausable denial. End of story.

It shouldn't be this way, but I fear this goes away, and soon.

You've gotta hand it to turdblossom Rove... the guy is very good (in an evil way, of course). He ALWAYS leaves himself an out.

[section321]

16. Novak may, but he's not the one in hot water..

Its the people in the administration with access to the classified information. Those are the people who will go to jail.

[crissy71]

18. please explain

[section321]

21. My understanding is....

that the law is mostly focused on those with "authorized access" to classified information.

Someone in the WH was "authorized" to have that information. They're they ones in the deepest sh*t.

I'm not saying Novak's not in trouble, but the person who actually released the classified information to someone who wasn't authorized to receive it is the one who will get nailed the hardest.

[realFedUp]

46. Not this time bucky

NoFact's response on this was unconscionable as
was his column in July about this.

[Skittles]

52. the press works for him

unfair advantage

[Cat M.]

57. How does Novak have plausible denial?

He admits senior administration officials told him her name. He referred to her as an operative. Certainly the senior administration officials knew what her position was.

And Andrea Mitchell at NBC has acknowledged that the White House contacted her with the same information but she chose not to run it.

[Bucky__Badger]

60. having seen the Mitchell info, I think Nofacts is in trouble again.

He's back on the hot seat. But, without others corroborating this he's squeaking through this.

[damnraddem]

69. Well, info was published that was correct: she was an operative.

If Novak told the truth about his sources, then an 'Administration' source told him and another one provided additional information. At least two members of the Administration broke the law. If he is lying, then he is lying about a felony that endangers national security: someone else broke the law -- did that person even have legal access to the information. Novak COULD be required by a court to provide the information. For that matter, under the Patriot Act, he could be held at Gitmo as an important witness to an intelligence breech. No, those things won't happen, and some should not happen to anyone; but it IS that serious.

Now, if, as has been reported, some 'sources' died once Wilson was outed, this one may go away but has power to return. For that matter, with a new Administration it would have power to return, anyway. I don't support the law protecting CIA spies; but if there is going to be a law, if anyone is going to be prosecuted under it, then anyone in the Administration who breaks it should be prosecuted, and should get a stiffer sentence because they should be held to a higher standard than someone outside the Administration who becomes privy to info and releases it.

[edzontar]

13. Novak should be afraid, very afraid.

He is a willing tool of the WH, and very probably a traitor.

He may be in very big trouble,

You can't expect him to fess up.

[Mandate My Ass]

15. Any apologies

for ruining this woman's career, putting her contacts in jeopardy and undermining the war on terror? Or just deflection and spinning?

[Bucky__Badger]

20. with these bastards,

it's ALL deflection and spin. However it works. They have already successfully spun this so it looks like... "All that happened was an accidental slip... she's a CIA ANALYST and so forth." -bla bla bla.

They will run some underling out of town for making an error. Dubya and the cabal skate yet again. These assholes wriggle off the hook every damned time.

[piece sine]

73. Wilson on Good Morning America..

went a long way this morning to diffuse the issue. He said his wife was in no danger, that he had no evidence Karl Rove was behnd it. Now it comes out he's a big Kerry donor. This is a mess; makes Dems look bad. Could create a sympathy backlash for Bush! One day we're running Bush outta town; next day he's back at the White House with his feet up! I tell yah, politics sure ain't beanbag.

[GainesT1958]

19. No, it's more like TREASON...

And Bob Nofacts should realize that the First Amendment protection does NOT cover "outing" an under-cover CIA agent. If HE doesn't care about putting someone's life in danger, I damn sure do!:mad:

Maybe he and "Chip" Rove would end up being "cell-buddies"! :eyes:

B-)

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

25. If it's TREASON, shouldn't the Patriot Act come into play?

Get your sunscreen Bob, Gitmo's calling!

[Junkdrawer]

22. Easy to lie on a TV Show - Let's hear him under oath...

especially when there are 5 other journalists who could prove he was lying!

[Cush]

23. he's backtracking

he starts off saying she was an analyst, then syas he heard she was an analyst...even he doesn't know.

He tried to play off the report of the other six reporters who were told

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

24. quote from novak

"In July I was interviewing a senior administration official on amb. Wilson's report when he told the trip was inspired by his wife, a CIA employee working on weapons of mass destruction. Another senior official told me the same thing. As a professional journalist with 46 years experience in Washington I do not reveal confidential sources. When I called the CIA in July to confirm Mrs. Wilson's involvement in the mission for her husband -- 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 operator, and not in charge of an undercover operatives... "

[Lorien]

26. Note he's trying to "discredit" Wilson

by adding that he was a "Clinton admisitration official"-they always have to bring Clinton into their our wrongdoings, don't they?

[Bucky__Badger]

27. See? plausable denial.

Parse the speech. Mince the words. The cabal skates. Rove is fine.

:argh:

[crissy71]

29. nah, this deal's got legs

plausible denial or no - this is a huuuge story that won't go away. In a day or two you'll see on of the 7 leaking names, etc

this is a subject even moron americans can follow, understand, want to tune into

[Bucky__Badger]

34. I really, really, really hope you're right.

I'm just afraid they've found an "out"

I am a university professor and I occasionally catch a student cheating. Without boring you with details, let me say that what often happens is that they come up with some story- however unlikely- that I can't *prove* to be false. So, they skate.

I fear this happens here. The sheeple have such a blind loyalty to * that all they need is something possible, however improbable, to allow them to continue to believe in him. My fear is that all they will need is this.

OTOH, maybe all the inherent "sexiness" of the spies and their doings really will give this some teeth.

[pw]

40. The real "out"

is that Novak is claiming this happened during another interview. So that means when someone's phone logs come up dirty they can claim they were talking to Novak on something unrelated.

[0007]

48. You may hope Rove if fine

But this story of vindictiveness by the WH & Bob Novak's act of terror will not go away as you predict.

[Bucky__Badger]

58. believe me I do NOT hope Rove is fine!!!

I sincerely hope he's DEAD MEAT!

I've just seen too many of these issues come and go.

[Frances]

31. I think Wilson also worked under the first Bush

n/t

[caledesi]

78. True. Wilson said that was his first appointment.

[ahimsa]

33. Link to Novak's original column here

http://americanassembler.com/index/feature/treason/novak_mission_niger.html

Quote:

Wilson never worked for the CIA, but his wife, Valerie Plame, is an agency operative on weapons of mass destruction. Two senior administration officials told me his wife suggested sending Wilson to Niger to investigate the Italian report. The CIA says its counter-proliferation officials selected Wilson and asked his wife to contact him. ''I will not answer any question about my wife,'' Wilson told me.

I usually think of "operatives" as agents, not analysts. Also, he named her by her maiden name, which she apparently used instead of her married name when "operating".

[Guaranteed]

76. Checkmate.

Good job.

On edit: He even says in his excuse quote, "According to a confidential source at the CIA, Mrs. Wilson was an analyst, not a spy, not a covert operator, and not in charge of an undercover operatives... " He's saying he just thought she worked for the CIA as an analyst, but the actual ARTICLE says differently. That's a blatant self-contradiction.
Oh yeah, Rove's a genius. Maybe he should have read the article itself.

[ender]

41. i love this quote...

>they asked me not to use her name, but never indicated it would >endanger her or anybody else.

yeh, i love that... national security pretty much states that any time anyone asks you about what you do, what someone else does, or whatever - they say "I can neither confirm nor deny that".

So, the CIA is not about to say "Oh please dont publish that, she's top-secret, undercover spook #1, codenamed "M""

>According to a confidential source at the CIA, Mrs. Wilson was an
>analyst, not a spy, not a covert operator, and not in charge of an
>undercover operatives...

yeh, whatever - sounds like this lady was in black ops. its not like they keep an org chart around.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

28. David Ensor just said she WAS an operative

running agents, etc.

[Cush]

37. Link to GD discussion

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=432848

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

32. CNN POLL FOR INDIE INVESTIGATION

http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/wolf.blitzer.reports/

After 3 minutes, 38k votes???

[Cush]

35. no

its been up for a good while

[Khephra]

36. John King also said something about

how things were expected to blow over in a few days.

Don't you just love reporters who can see the future too?

[Media_Lies_Daily]

38. If the CIA is publicly pushing this, it's not going to blow over.

[ElementaryPenguin]

65. Exactly!!!!!

Blow over my ass!!

[Cush]

39. i think

he was saying that "the WH thinks it will blow over"

[Nottingham]

43. I think the WH & Novak want it to Blow Over not Blow UP!

and can the CIA be so easily dismissed! tsk tsk its pretty obvious this Administration has our country so under its fist!

Novak is dumber than I thought! :bounce:

[damnraddem]

44. So Novak thinks that breeching national security, breaking the law ...

big time, is no impropriety? Treasonous felonies don't count as impropriety -- only a b.j. does?

Strange man, Robert Novak!

[NYC]

45. Senator Schumer (D-NY) was on the 5 o'clock news

saying this leak endangered the life of Plame, the lives of people in her network, and endangered national security.

The current poll results:

Created: Monday, September 29, 2003, at 15:06:36 EDT
Should there be an independent investigation into who leaked a CIA operative's identity?

Yes 81% 39,873 votes

No 19% 9,594 votes

Total: 49,467 votes

[0007]

50. The numbers just got better

and folks are voting like they lost their mind.

46000 Yes

11000 No at 11%

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

49. Watching Wilson on MSNBC right now

"If the JD can't do it we need an indie investigation....

[Skittles]

51. WHAT A F***ING WHORE HE IS

IT IS DESPICABLE.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

53. Violation Of 50 U.S.C. Section 421 Carries A 10 Year Prison Sentence

Sec. 421. - Protection of identities of certain United States undercover intelligence officers, agents, informants, and sources

(a) Disclosure of information by persons having or having had access to classified information that identifies covert agent

Whoever, having or having had authorized access to classified information that identifies a covert agent, intentionally discloses any information identifying such covert agent to any individual not authorized to receive classified information, knowing that the information disclosed so identifies such covert agent and that the United States is taking affirmative measures to conceal such covert agent's intelligence relationship to the United States, shall be fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

55. You forgot the Ashcroft Addendum...

(Except if the agent is a Democrat and the Discloser is with the Bush Junta)

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

68. Reagan signed this into law in 1987

And one of the biggest supporters of this law was who?

that's right,
you guessed it --
Daddy Bush !!

[BadGimp]

54. I can only imagine the howls if CLENIS had done it

eom

[Unknown Known]

62. Methinks the real juice of this story hasn't even broken yet

and that has to do with how much this has compromised our national security. That plus the $87 billion is going to piss-off everyone except the loons.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

63. And here's a story about a break in at a hotel....

I think the name is Watergate. Big things start small.

[Nottingham]

64. Novak is Not Repentant at all! And Never said I was sorry!

That is the WORST part of it! Novak is a scumbag! :bounce:

[Rose Siding]

66. Did you see NOVAK'S column???

HE bashed bush. For different reasons but still....

[Nottingham]

67. Well Bush might be setting Novak up for self Destruct!

Which Novak so far is doing a Great job of it! :bounce:

The CIA asked him NOT to use her name! And he did!

TRAITOR!! NOVAK TRAITOR!!!

[rocktivity]

72. Novak is denying that the White House gave him the name

But he's not denying that he went to the CIA before he printed it? Why would the CIA not make an issue over his having the name of an undercover agent? It's just a coincidence of timing that White House called the other five reporters? And if he was told the woman was an analyst, why did he report she was an operative? He's as guilty as sin!


rocknation

[DoYouEverWonder]

71. Since when is it up to the guilty parties

To declare their own innocence and everyone is supposed to just forget about it.

The more they deny their wrong doing, the deeper they are getting themselves into it.

[Starpass]

79. Thing is the Washington Post today revealed that six other

reporters were contacted with this but wouldn't run with it. Also reports today that someone inside the WH is saying that senior officals did this (someone trying to get out of the way, perhaps). So, I think Novak is trying to just get HIMSELF off the hook--i.e., that no one called him but it was mentioned in an interview. There problem is with the other six who were definitely contacted.

[Booster]

80. Question......

This is the 3rd time I've asked this question (guess nobody knows the answer), but if this story was "shopped" to 4 or 5 other reporters, why can't they say who shopped it since they didn't write about it? If this was shopped to 4 or 5 reporters, you know everybody in D.C. knows all the answers - WHAT THE HELL ARE THE DEMOCRATS DOING SITTING ON THEIR THUMBS YET AGAIN????????

[lebkuchen]

81. Outing CIA agents (what Novak did) is = to Bush bashing??

Novak is a traitor to the US.