Bush Vows Action if Aides Had Role in Leak

[Ohio Dem]

President Bush (news - web sites)'s chief spokesman said yesterday that the allegation that administration officials leaked the name of a CIA (news - web sites) operative is "a very serious matter" and vowed that Bush would fire anybody responsible for such actions.

The vow came as numerous Democratic leaders demanded the administration appoint a special counsel to investigate the charges that a CIA operative's name was divulged in an effort to discredit her husband, a prominent critic of Bush's Iraq (news - web sites) policy. The White House rejected those calls, also saying it has no evidence of wrongdoing by Bush adviser Karl Rove or others and therefore no reason to begin an internal investigation.

"There's been nothing, absolutely nothing, brought to our attention to suggest any White House involvement, and that includes the vice president's office, as well," said Scott McClellan, Bush's press secretary. He said that "if anyone in this administration was involved in it, they would no longer be in this administration."

snip

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/washpost/20030930/ts_washpost/a17129_2003sep29

[el_gato]

1. I guess they'll name Kissinger as special councel

[underpants]

2. Endgame:WE NEED A NAME!

That's it folks, they can wiggle and spin all they want but in the end we need a name, actually two.

[Snellius]

3. So why didn't Bush do something in July?

Bush is trying to sound so concerned. But only after Tenet called for an investigation and after Sunday's Wash. Post article in which a whistle blower confirmed that someone in the WH leaked the name. But back in July, when Novak first outed Plame, where was the outrage?

[underpants]

6. Schumer said this morning he called for an investigation July 22

Recap of news I saw this morning below. Senator Schumer was on the Today Show this morning and after Matt LAuer tried to poo-poo this away Schumer said he call for and investigation on July 22.

Fox News lead into this with a light hearted story and were actually laughing about it on the lead-in. They went to their correspondent Kelly Whoever in DC and he said that technically (all of a sudden they are into details) Novak never said she was a CIA undercover operative. They spun it as simply politics and I was waiting for Rove's name to come up, finally it did. They also said that Tenet never signed a request to look into this it was handled through the normal legal channels in the CIA.I wonder how many Fox watchers know who Rove is and how much influence he exerts.

Our local TV station said she was a "analyst"

Lauer had Senator Schumer on the Today Show and went right at him. Lauer pointed out that no one from the WH or the Repubes agreed to be on the showand then tried to turn that around asking the Senator why he was on? Schumer could see what was coming and said that this is a serious security breach and it needs to be looked at immediately.


Lauer asked why can't the DoJ handle the investigation becasue the Special Prosecutor law which has expired (emphasis kust like that) required the AG to collect all the facts and determine if laws had been broken and even IF they had why a Special Prosecutor, couldn't they handle it (in an Aw come on kinda way).

Schumer would have none of it. He said that Ashcroft is too close to the President and that without a SP the President could kill the investigation at any time and that the conflict of interest that IS present would undermine the credibility of any result it came up with.

Lauer then showed the quote of MCClellan saying,~"If anyone in this White House did that they would not be in this White House!!!" Lauer follows with "Pretty strong words!" Schumer ignored the whoring and went on to say that this is serious and needs attention now. He pointed out that he firs tbrought this up on July 22d (something Fox forgot to tell it's viewers as they said that it was only coming to light now).

Lauer then asked him "Isn't this all just politics?" Schumer of course said no it is about national security and transparency.

When Lauer thanked him for being on Schumer didn't say anything he just stared into the camera, could have been a cut audio I don't know.

[Snellius]

22. Thanks for the accounts. "Just politics"?

That "just politics" argument always get me. Isn't it also "just politics" that the Republicans in Congress are NOT calling a special investigative committee. Wasn't it "just politics" that someone from Bush's WH called reporters to try to discredit their enemies by any means necessary? No?

[underpants]

23. That's how it will be spun -"just politics" and "We need details from YOU"

AS I said in the recap (sorry I can't edit the typos now) when Dems, or anyone for that matter, press W*Co. on an obvious screw up suddenly everyoe wants to pick apart their argument. Imagine if the same was applied to:

"I will cut your taxes!"
"Leave no Child Behind"
"Imminent threat"
"Saddam Hussein___________ evil ___________ 9/11"
"WMD""WMD programs""WMD documentation"
"Counter spies"
"Energy policy"

[Ediacara]

4. "There's been nothing, absolutely nothing, brought to our attention....

"There's been nothing, absolutely nothing, brought to our attention to suggest any White House involvement, and that includes the vice president's office, as well,"

TRANSLATION: This was ordered by Cheney and carried out by Rove and we will stall as long as possible to cover our collective ass.

[Maeve]

7. Well, remember, Dubya doesn't read the papers and

He's spoon-fed info by other folks who probably don't read the papers either...(hey, that's what HE said!) :eyes:

[robbedvoter]

17. I believe now that that was said for plausible deniability as well

I mean, it's the truth, of course - but why say it?
The Fux interview was setting up some CYA for this coming storm, no doubt. (How should I know who is Nofacts and what he writes about? I don't read, see?)

[TahitiNut]

18. Gee ... that's their 9-11 excuse du jour being recycled.

:eyes: Dumbya's handlers are getting their 3x5 bafflegarb cards mixed up.

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. Hey George, you're the boss

This leak came from the White House. It is up to you to find out whb in your administration was involved and demand their immediate resignations. If W does anything less, than he is aiding and abetting known felons. That in itself is illegal.

[ClintonTyree]

8. Suuuuuuuuuuure..................

he'll fire them. He is after all the pResident that promised to bring honesty and dignitude back to the White House. I really don't think this is going anywhere. None of the Journalists are going to reveal their sources, and the Justice Department will do a cursory investigation at best. If they do somehow get close to the White House, one of the Bushbots will fall on his sword, take total blame, thus insulating the Chimp in Chief. I'd like to see the entire cabal swing from the rafters on this, but I really don't see that happening. There will be a political price to be paid, but with Diebold etal. in their pockets, the damage will be minimal, perhaps none at all. I forsee four more years of this national disgrace along with the expatriotization of yours truly. I'm gettin' out before Halliburton starts building the concentration camps for we Democrats.

[LEW]

9. Finally a response from the WH

It looks like to me that the WH waits for the headlines and pundits to tell them what to do in these situations. They never come out immediatly with action on any of their mistakes. i.e. took everyone saying that the pResident should take responsibility for the 12 words in SOTU speech before he finally, said he takes responsibility.

[bushisanidiot]

10. Yeah, He'll Discipline Them Just Like He did Jenna & Babs

after their 20th binge drinking spree..

riiiiiiight.

[Caution]

11. FIRE? for committing a FELONY?

and an actual crime, not a trumped up crime to appease corporate america or a phony war on drugs? but a crime that endangers multiple people's lives? and bush is going to "fire" those responsible.

[JewelDigger]

12. Good point!

n/t

[DemonFighterLives]

13. This scandal has them on their heels

But they are slimy enough to slip out of it yet. One more smirk and a few more smears of Mrs. Wilson and her hubby should do the trick.
Next they will tell us she only opens mail for the cia or some such BS.

[LibDemAlways]

14. The only "action" the chimp will take

is the only one he ever takes - fix himself a stiff drink and wait for the press to follow Rove's order to drop this thing. Today it will be all over the news that the DOJ is going to "investigate." In a couple of weeks the DOJ will announce they could find no evidence of wrongdoing. As far as the whores are concerned, case closed.

[robbedvoter]

15. W wants the leaker who leaked the leaker of Plame, not the criminal

Remember how during the 9.11 investigations they accused the senate of leaking info and they wanted the FBI (who was being investigated for 9.11 mistakes) to turn around and investigate the senate for leaks?
I believe that W wants to get at the bottom of this - it's just that he's asking a different question than we the people.

[RobertSeattle]

16. Then tell your staff to tell their reporter contacts its OK to name them

Case closed!

[Mr_Scarecrow]

19. Perhaps, just maybe

we could start a campaign to get Novak to reveal (or leak) his sources, knowing that it could cost him his job or more. We could appeal to his sense of justice. He may not be too amenable to this, but after all, he did write the story, maybe he has some sense of guilt about it. Can we get his email address? Does anyone else think this is worth trying?

[Tatiana]

20. Call your Congresspeople and Senators!

http://intelligence.house.gov/committee_membership.htm

http://intelligence.senate.gov/members.htm

Get the intelligence committee members involved in this. We can't trust the DOJ. We need some congressional hearings.

[wtmusic]

21. Aides Vow Action if Bush Had Role in Leak

a far more creditworthy title.

[CO Liberal]

24. Will Bush* Act The Way Nixon Acted?

Hmmmmmmmmm????

[IggleDoer]

25. Today, the WH told staffers not to destroy any data.

Translation: "You've had ten weeks to shred or doctor up any incriminating information. If you are still stupid enough to have any data, you should be fired!"

[TahitiNut]

26. dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=139373

Sorry, I missed it, too.