Lawyer: Cooper “Burned” Karl Rove

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.nationalreview.com/york/york200507121626.asp

The lawyer for top White House adviser Karl Rove says that Time reporter Matthew Cooper "burned" Rove after a conversation between the two men concerning former ambassador Joseph Wilson's fact-finding mission to Niger and the role Wilson's wife, CIA employee Valerie Plame, played in arranging that trip. Nevertheless, attorney Robert Luskin says Rove long ago gave his permission for all reporters, including Cooper, to tell prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald about their conversations with Rove.

In an interview with National Review Online, Luskin compared the contents of a July 11, 2003, internal Time e-mail written by Cooper with the wording of a story Cooper co-wrote a few days later. "By any definition, he burned Karl Rove," Luskin said of Cooper. "If you read what Karl said to him and read how Cooper characterizes it in the article, he really spins it in a pretty ugly fashion to make it seem like people in the White House were affirmatively reaching out to reporters to try to get them to them to report negative information about Plame."

<snip>

Luskin told NRO that the circumstances of Rove's conversation with Cooper undercut Time's suggestion of a White House "war on Wilson." According to Luskin, Cooper originally called Rove — not the other way around — and said he was working on a story on welfare reform. After some conversation about that issue, Luskin said, Cooper changed the subject to the weapons of mass destruction issue, and that was when the two had the brief talk that became the subject of so much legal wrangling. According to Luskin, the fact that Rove did not call Cooper; that the original purpose of the call, as Cooper told Rove, was welfare reform; that only after Cooper brought the WMD issue up did Rove discuss Wilson — all are "indications that this was not a calculated effort by the White House to get this story out."

"Look at the Cooper e-mail," Luskin continues. "Karl speaks to him on double super secret background...I don't think that you can read that e-mail and conclude that what Karl was trying to do was to get Cooper to publish the name of Wilson's wife."

Nor, says Luskin, was Rove trying to "out" a covert CIA agent or "smear" her husband. "What Karl was trying to do, in a very short conversation initiated by Cooper on another subject, was to warn Time away from publishing things that were going to be established as false." Luskin points out that on the evening of July 11, 2003, just hours after the Rove-Cooper conversation, then-CIA Director George Tenet released a statement that undermined some of Wilson's public assertions about his report. "Karl knew that that statement was in gestation," says Luskin. "I think a fair reading of the e-mail was that he was trying to warn Cooper off from going out on a limb on allegations."

:nopity:

[lovuian]

1. Cooper only did what Rove told him and this is what happens!!!

whats a underling to do when he obeys his boss!!!

[merwin]

34. Whatever you do, DONT PRESS THE RED BUTTON!

[maddezmom]

2. WH and Rove in full damage control now

[Media_Lies_Daily]

74. Luskin = Rove Spinmeister.

[Pithy Cherub]

76. Worse, in political flames! Rove signed

a full release as requested by the FBI and the WH, is the nutty lawyer going to say that the release was false? That is not a defense, that is political kamikaze at its most ironic.

:nopity: but keep it coming! :popcorn:

[wallwriter]

3. Riddle me this: Why would a journalist burn

arguably the most powerful man in Washington? Why would he burn a bridge connecting him to one of the most valuable contacts in political reporting? He had no reason to do so.

Now ask yourself why Rove would expose PLame...well DUH.

Luskin's is a desperate lie that makes no sense...

[Kagemusha]

4. Because jail would break him?

No, seriously... I've been told that Cooper is not the youngest man in the world and jail is not going to be good for the man one little bit. Though Miller ended up in Moussaui's facility.

[txindy]

19. Cooper's in his 40s, at most.

It's not as if he's Strom Thurmond's contemporary or anything. Judith Miller's a lot older than Cooper.

[Barrett808]

20. Doesn't the "burn" refer to publishing in spite of "secret background"?

That is, Rove didn't intend the conversation to make it into print, but Cooper ran with it anyway.

Or am I confused?

[goodhue]

43. yes that is the alleged "burn"

Not terribly credible however. Cooper is a reporter, and Rove was spinning against Wilson by bringing up wife. Did Rove really believe that it would not end up in print?

[Barrett808]

52. Doesn't "background" meant "print without attribution"?

Meaning it's okay (and desired) to print what was said, but the source must be concealed.

[tammywammy]

65. That's what I thought too

If you're on "background" then you'll be anonymous, not directly quoted.

So, I'm not understanding how being on secret-double-background, would prevent the info from coming out...it's just that Rove wouldn't be named.

Or am I all wrong?

Tammy

[notadmblnd]

98. he didn't intend for it to make it into print....ha ha ha.. likely story.

so much so that 6 other journalists were called. Nope I believe you KKKarl, you let the cat out of the bad accidently. NOT!

[northzax]

91. he has young children

no good missing 18 months of that for Karl Rove, especially after the Court ruled against him. Miller is childless, easier to make the sacrifice.

[mtnester]

105. Everyone's focus is SO on Cooper, but notice Novak walks free?

Novak burned first and fast, if he did not reveal his sources, he would be in JAIL with Judith.

Where is Luskin on Novak hmmm?

So now, this is KKKarl's 4th lie about his involvement, or is it fifth?

I have to have faith that Fitz is keeping track of every untrue statement Rove and the WH are making. Please let it be so.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

75. Because Cooper wanted to stay out of jail?....

...Think about it.

[wallwriter]

85. You're answering the wrong question.

Cooper is not the one who turned over the notes. His bosses turned over the notes.

[gkhouston]

5. wow, Luskin's on his third spin in less than 10 days

the half-life on bullshit's sure ain't what it used to be. :nopity:

[Bumblebee]

14. That's an excellent development

Will probably make Cooper very tempted to respond in public, and will set reporters even more against both Rove and Luskin because one of their peers is being attacked.

[warrens]

6. Weak

I think they're setting the table to get an indictment quashed.

[goforit]

7. Tisk tisk Mr. Lussskin...........treason is treason no matter what ya say.

The irony of it all....

Ashcroft appointed Fitzgerald

and Rove ran Ashcroft's senate campaigns.


Yes......sweet karma.

[jmowreader]

28. Treason's too hard to convict on

You could arguably call this "aid and comfort."

You unarguably need either a confession or two witnesses to convict on treason.

We could definitely get a FISA conviction, an Intelligence Identities Protection Act conviction, a bunch of national security convictions...if we found a prosecutor who was pissed-off enough, and a judge who was equally upset, we could get a couple hundred years consecutive with no chance for parole. This would put Rove in jail for the rest of his life. Which is where he needs to be.

Bush and Cheney, on the other hand...

[goforit]

45. You may be right.,.the public may pronounce him a traitor no matter what

Tell me then...

What about Bush and Cheney.....can they be legally
convicted as treasonous or impeached for that matter?

This would be much harder.

I do believe they would have to be chewed up and spit out by
their own kind.

[jmowreader]

57. I wouldn't go for a treason charge on them either

You've got to have an airtight case against someone to charge them with treason and make it stick.

Also remember: with these SOBs, we have GOT to walk into court with something we can get a conviction on in the first trial. If we take a treason case into court, and it gets thrown out (as I'm sure it would), the sheeple will think "he's free and clear, all those Democrats were just blowing smoke."

No, I'd rather have a real simple charge--Intelligence Identities Protection Act, perjury, obstruction of justice, anything--that we could get a conviction and a prison sentence on.

Call me lame, but having the history books read "George W. Bush was the worst criminal to ever serve as president of the United States. He was the first president whose actions caused his entire administration to go to jail" would be punishment enough.

[goforit]

58. LOL!!!....Here, here!!!.....That would be sweet.

[symbolman]

103. I don't know about that..

He's still got to beat Nixxon when it comes to your admin going to jail..

and now they all have books and talks shows - even after eating a rat in public (Loony Liddy) to show how "tough" he was :)

I WOULD LOVE to see Bush beat Nixxon as to how many staffers went to jail tho, and Karl is a lovely place to start..

I would sentence him to do community service for the rest of his life, in Fallujah, naked, burying the dead with a spoon..

but that's just me :)

[distantearlywarning]

8. Luskin sounds like a real slimeball.

There is a special corner of the lawyer's floor of Hell reserved for him, I'm sure.

[bertha katzenengel]

102. He's a friend of mine.

Separate politics from the person. I know, it's hard. I have to do it every day; the floor I work on is chock full of BC attorneys. Luskin is just another attorney seeking to represent his client to the best of his ability. If you must, compare it to a public defender charged with giving a rapist his day in court.

[PurityOfEssence]

9. Boo fucking hoo hoo hoo

How dare that peon mess with my client's criminal retaliation! He's a mere reporter; he should fetch sticks and lick my hand for any tidbits he gets.

The sheer arrogance of these assholes is amazing: they truly feel that they're the aristocracy and that anyone outside of their tight little circle of power is nothing but a serf.

Not only that, the sheer fiction of claiming that Karl was going out on a limb to help a reporter not make a fool of himself is one of the biggest howlers of the whole episode. Karl Rove, concerned professional, risks his sacred honor just to help keep a reporter from making a public boo-boo. What a saint! What a man! Now he's wrongly persecuted for something he did out of pure virtue and altruism. The fiends who question this administration will stop at nothing! Where are the photo-ops of him giving lollipops to baby orphans? Why isn't Ratzinger skipping the waiting period and "death" technicality and beatifying this fuck right now? The goodness of this man brings tears to my eyes.

[DoctorMyEyes]

10. How is it Karl's responsibility

How is it Karl's responsibility to go around "warning" reporters? Are we supposed to be so gullible as to believe that Rove was just looking out for some journalists reputations - in advance of their writing something???

This busy, busy, busy little troll set aside time in his day to place phone calls to the media just to prevent them from possible future embarrassment? Puhleeze!

[lovuian]

11. I'm wondering if Coopers lawyer told Luskin a different story!!!

and now he finds these emails exist!!!

[Shakespeare]

64. Nope. See my post down-thread about the NYT story.

It explains all.... ;-)

[lovuian]

73. Thanks Shakespeare great article

:bounce:

[SleeplessinSoCal]

12. How many times has Rove got to do these things .....

before it finally penetrates the American unconscious?

[KansDem]

13. "Karl speaks to him on double super secret background..."

"Double super secret background?" What is this? A scene from out of "Animal House?" Now I know these people are whacko!!!

[Barrett808]

18. That's the phrase in the email n/t

[KansDem]

22. Sounds like real cloak and dagger stuff....(eom)

[Shakespeare]

42. No, it's Matt Cooper being Matt Cooper (I know the guy)

Matt used to do stand up at DC's Improv, if that gives you some idea. He's a good guy (and a funny guy), and that was an informal office email to his editor. Those are Matt's words with matt being funny to reinforce how "deep" the source was.

[Inland]

26. That's what came to my mind.

Double Top Secret Probation.

[thinkingwoman]

29. It's like the "triple dog dare"

complete and utter bs.

[PurityOfEssence]

31. tippety top top secret: destroy before reading

I know you're a reporter and all, but don't tell anyone about this...

[Danieljay]

55. Is this the opposite of a double dog dare ya?

The spin begins...grab an barf bag...

[CoffeeCat]

107. LOL! That's exactly what I thought...

...it reminded me of "Animals House," too.

Rove's next move--in an attempt to defend himself--will involve the phrase, "May I have 10,000 marbles please?"

My advise to Karl..."Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son."

:)

[BigBearJohn]

15. What about phone records? Can't they be obtained?

[fishnfla]

40. The WH keeps a phone log, the call is on it

who called who you mean? i think cooper called rove, they have the phone call logged

[Geoff R. Casavant]

16. Double super secret

I expect I'm not the only one who finds "double super secret background" the most hilarious phrase of the week, especially when an attorney points it out as though it has any semantic meaning.

I suppose it's good Rove wasn't speaking on "triple dog dare super-duper secret background" or we'd never have heard anything.

[maddezmom]

17. welcome to DU

"triple dog dare super-duper secret background".....
:rofl:

[txindy]

21. I hope Matthew Cooper reads this in detail

And I hope he has a lot more testifying to do. He might remember a whole lot more now that Luskin has given his memory such a jolt.

:evilgrin:

[jaysunb]

23. Warn him about things that 'd be proven false ?

I could have sworn I heard that there was no sale or attempt to buy yellow cake by Iraq. I also heard that the documents were found to be fake well before Bush cited them in the SOTU address.

Could someone help me out here ? Seriously .....

[Ravy]

97. That's what they don't mention in the recent articles...

The Wilson story was actually TRUE.

The White House and CIA at the time KNEW it (Wilson's story) was true.

They trashed Wilson because his TRUTH was getting in the way of their LIES (which continued on past the SOTU about Niger yellow cake.)

In short, they were "fixing" the intelligence around President Bush's desire to begin his crusade (literally).

[Rebellious Republican]

24. So Mr. Luskin you say KKKARL can't keep a secret, tripped up.....

by a mere reporter. Gee I wonder how many other secrets professional spies have managed to get out of him?

Keep diggin' Mr. Luskin, it needs to be a very wide and deep hole to bury this fat treasonous bastard in.

:popcorn:

[bitchkitty]

25. Ah - so if you casually let it slip, then it's okay.

What a desperate bunch of wankers.

[against all enemies]

27. Novak, anything to add? Burn in hell you piece of shit.

All his credibility gone (if he had any) and all his journalist friends laughing at him or hating him. His last years a hated traitor. Fuck You Bob. Oh, and your dentures suck too. Too much pleasuring the Prince of Darkness? Is that spittle or Republican love juice on his chin?

[symbolman]

104. We got to file ASSAULT Charges

against NOVAK in New Hampshire during the primaries, it was really fun.. I caught the guy that he shoved on the ice, Novak has his fist pulled back to punch him and the wildest look I've ever seen on a human face (and I've worked in TWO nuthouses)..

that was a really fun evening, sitting around a nice warm police station turning Novak IN..

Later when Kerry won, we actually CHASED Novak from the room with a camera - I have the clip, I posted it once with the music from the show COPS, pretty funny..

Is there anything ON his face that's REAL? He's lost eyebrows before, teeth have popped out.. are his eyes real or is he some kind of zombie with parts dropping off nilly willy..

[Barrett808]

30. So Luskin's only giving detailed interviews to National Review?

Where he's certain to get softball questions and VIP treatment?

[gizmo1979]

32. play with fire

and you're going to get burned.Rove did'nt think law applied to him,he still thinks he's the almighty,but watch him burn.

[lovuian]

33. Can Anybody tell me what religious background Cooper is???

and his wife just curious???

Do they go to the same church as ROVE???

[SKKY]

35. Now, I may be a simple man here, but tell me if my logic is incorrect...

...Karl Rove told Mr. Cooper about some very, very secret things that would require a Security Clearance of some sort, probably a very, very high one with a lot of additional "accesses". I doubt very seriously Mr. Cooper holds such a clearance. At the very least, didn't Karl Rove compromise classified information and those involved? Hmmm. Probably questions that won't get asked but they're still quite valid and merit further investigation. I know if I did something of the sort in the execution of my duties I'd certainly be kicked out and punished severely.

[lovuian]

36. if your in a company and you leak information you usually get

fired!!! Unless you have something on your boss

then you get a raise!!!

[physioex]

100. True enough....

But you know he is the "man behind the boss" so it's really not that simple.

[gkhouston]

38. yep, and this was allegedly done to prevent the publication

of an incorrect story... woohoo, they sure take the media a lot more seriously in the White House than I do.

[MGKrebs]

37. Here is the Tenet statement Luskin refers to:

http://www.cia.gov/cia/public_affairs/press_release/2003/pr07112003.html

[grytpype]

39. See, Cooper is the bad guy in all this.

Shame on him for burning Rove, who was only doing his job. Shame, shame, shame.

[LisaL]

41. So sad.

:nopity: :nopity: :nopity: :nopity: :nopity: :nopity: :nopity: :nopity: :nopity: :nopity:

[Shakespeare]

44. One more time - Rove did NOT give Cooper permission (see NYT story 7/11)

This story has a LOT of great info on how Cooper's decision to testify came about:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/11/politics/11time.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1121101388-7Lej0FuwUQBqfz4bKvIQ1Q&pagewanted=print

WASHINGTON, July 10 - Matthew Cooper, a reporter for Time magazine, stood before a federal judge on Wednesday, facing up to four months in jail for refusing to testify about a confidential source. But he told the judge that he had just received a surprising communication from his source that would allow him to testify before a grand jury investigating the disclosure of the identity of a covert C.I.A. operative.

"A short time ago," Mr. Cooper said, "in somewhat dramatic fashion, I received an express personal release from my source."

But the facts appear more complicated than they seemed in court. Mr. Cooper, it turns out, never spoke to his confidential source that day, said Robert D. Luskin, a lawyer for the source, who is now known to be Karl Rove, the senior White House political adviser.

<snip>

Around 7:30 on Wednesday morning, Mr. Cooper had said goodbye to his son, resigned to his fate. His lawyer, Mr. Sauber, called to alert him to a statement from Mr. Luskin in The Wall Street Journal.

"If Matt Cooper is going to jail to protect a source," Mr. Luskin told The Journal, "it's not Karl he's protecting."

That provided an opening, Mr. Cooper said. "I was not looking for a waiver," he said, "but on Wednesday morning my lawyer called and said, 'Look at The Wall Street Journal. I think we should take a shot.' And I said, 'Yes, it's an invitation.' "

[gkhouston]

48. OH. So Luskin was trying to parse for the papers

and Cooper took the opening. Sweet!

[Shakespeare]

50. No, Luskin was showing a bit too much bravado...

...and Cooper's attorney parsed it. Luskin did his client no favors, and I LOVE the way Cooper and his attorney interpreted Luskin's remarks.

[maddezmom]

51. interesting tidbit about Libby, too

Mr. Cooper's statements on Wednesday echoed his rationale for testifying last summer. "Mr. Libby," a statement issued by the magazine at the time said, "gave a personal waiver of confidentiality for Mr. Cooper to testify."

In an interview Friday, Mr. Libby's lawyer, Joseph A. Tate, disputed that.

"Mr. Libby signed a form," Mr. Tate said. "He gave it back to the F.B.I. End of story. There was no other assurance."

At most, Mr. Tate said in a separate interview last year, he had answered entreaties by lawyers for Mr. Cooper and other reporters by repeating what was in the waivers.

[Shakespeare]

53. Yup. I'm finally beginning to understand...

....why the prosecutor has such a woody for Matt's notes and testimony.

And it makes me feel optimistic for the first time in a really, really long time.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

63. Tate says waiver isn't worth the paper it's printed on.

Interesting.

[symbolman]

106. Once again in Bizzarroland

where we have a moron for pRezidence we find out that it was COOPER who was "burned"..by Luskin, so Cooper's good lawyer said, "Screw it kid, we're free to slime them all we want.."

Cooper might want to stay out of small aircraft for probably the rest of his life..

Miller should be sent to Fallujah for the rest of her jailtime for community service, picking up bodies, heads, etc and burying them with a fork..

[Massachusetts]

46. Liars and Thieves = BUSHCO

So Bill was horny....its better than TREASON!

[0007]

71. Excellent analogy

[oasis]

47. Wilson should ask Rove how it feels to be "fair game".

[Zen Democrat]

49. WELFARE REFORM??? Who's talking about welfare reform anymore?

I haven't heard anything about that issue since ..... oh, about 1996. It's a little strange to call Karl to discuss welfare reform, don't you think?

[MGKrebs]

81. I had that thought too. And even if so, so what?

So what even if Cooper did call first?
So what if they did discuss welfare reform?
It's not even worth the bother to check the accuracy of these statements because they just don't matter.
That may be what goes in my LTTE.

[truthisfreedom]

54. no amount of lipstick will de-swine a traitor, no matter how badly cooper

is smeared, and no matter how badly cooper behaved.

[ok_cpu]

56. Doesn't Cooper testify tomorrow?

So, tonight he can read how he "burned" Karl Rove and what Rove "really" meant when he gave him the information...

:eyes:

[dansolo]

59. The crime is in revealing the information

It doesn't matter what Cooper may have said or done or published. And if Rove was so concerned about his conversation being misrepresented in the Time artcle, why didn't Rove raise the issue at the time? He had ample opportunity to set the record straight.

[enki23]

60. yeah, he's a fucking victim

.

[Zorra]

61. Rove either needs another lawyer, he is trying to get off by claiming

that his lawyer is framing him, or

Rove is probably taking the fall for higher-ups (Cheney?) in the WH.

Rove was already on his way out anyway, he had already done his nasty deeds toward destroying America and our democracy. The WH will either make sure that he is not convicted or issue an immediate pardon if he is.

These are some lame, but revealing, statements by Luskin - I suspect some really, really bad shit went down, and am really wondering, now that all this is out in the open, who Judy Miller's source was. If it was Rove, he would release surely her from her confidentiality promise, no?

Anyway, check out this admission:

"Look at the Cooper e-mail," Luskin continues. "Karl speaks to him on double super secret background...I don't think that you can read that e-mail and conclude that what Karl was trying to do was to get Cooper to publish the name of Wilson's wife."

What Rove was "trying to do" is moot. Rove did what he did, and what he did is a crime, regardless of his intent...but yet he did do it for some purpose, a purpose which can, realistically, only be viewed retrospectively as nefarious, considering the results of his actions at the time of and considering the circumstances under which he committed the crime, and the desperate efforts of the WH to coverup of this entire debacle.

He's a dead duck.

Rove must resign immediately; he is now a documented threat to our National Security. If he does not resign it is the duty of his superiors to dismiss him.

[Miss Chybil]

62. In other word, "Don't anyone give Cooper any information he might be

able to do his job with."

[bunny planet]

66. Karl Rove 'burned' the people of the United States. I'd say that's the

greater grievance here.

[dweller]

80. glad you see that point too.

was reading down the list of threads to see if anyone else made the point i was going to...
:thumbsup:


dp

[K8-EEE]

67. Should Someone So Easily "Burned" Have Top Security Clearance?

This is a HUGE "oh BROTHER..."

If anybody in that Admin ever took responsibility for anything they did, I'd fall off this chair.

[zara]

68. Is this story becoming a media feeding frenzy or is it just my...

desire that this happen?

[Shakespeare]

69. It's not just you--it's one of those harmonic convergance things.

1. It's a great scandal, which is irresistable to most reporters (and I speak as a former reporter).

2. One of their own is paying a high price for protecting a source--now known to be Rove--and that makes 'em cranky.

It's like chumming the water in the middle of a school of sharks, and it's a beautiful thing to behold.

[Barrett808]

78. I think the fact that it's personal makes the difference

Any one of them could be behind bars with Judith next time. Hopefully, the US press has its claws back...and is ready to use them.

[lovuian]

70. obviously Rove's Lawyer was going to screw Cooper just

coopers lawyer showed Cooper the news article that you better come forward or your going to be screwed!!!

[progressivebydesign]

72. Wonder if McCain, or perhaps Max Clelland can be a character ref for Rove?

I mean, up until now, karl Rove has certainly behaved like an upstanding, thoughtful, above-board, individual. Right? Certainly HE is to be believed above all?

[Generator]

77. This basically makes no sense whatsoever

The Wilson assertions were true..Rove was warning Cooper to not repeat them only to not damage the White House. We all know that now anyway. So the reason Rove gave Cooper to not print what Wilson had to say was, "It's not true and besides that Wilson's wife works for the CIA and is a WMD expert, a fact few people know."

Thereby making Wilson's assertions false how? How? It's assine. It makes no sense. Because everything the CIA says is false? What like George Tenet, Mr. Medal of freedom or whatever the fuck is medal was for? Because his wife works for the CIA and??? And what?

Because Plame got him the job to investigate so?? so what? If that was true..and it's not been proven true..that still wouldn't make Wilson's assertions false.

Therefore, we have been run around in a circle again biting our own tails. Because the name Valerie Plame or the idea of covert wife of Wilson must only be to bring her down. It really does NOTHING to Wilson's crediblity, good or bad. Explain it because it makes no sense to me..this denial of denials.

These people drive me batty. They are gaslighting us pure and simple. There is NEVER any there there.

[stepnw1f]

79. They Are Buying PR Time

In order to keep the public at bay somewhat, they have created spin. They are going down!

[Flammable Materials]

82. "National Review" = giving aid and comfort to the enemy. n/t

[jsamuel]

83. Right.... Cooper was going to go to jail for him, but then decided to lie

in order to "burn" him after he said he could testify...

Right....


I think Rove's lawyer may need a few more gold bars from a drug dealer...

[dArKeR]

84. If we all make a wish at the same time it will come true!

[tanyev]

86. "Now that's on double super secret background, got it?"

"Yeah, chief, I got it."

[mike_c]

87. BWAHAHAHAHA....

:rofl: He's trying to cast Rove as the VICTIM! :rofl:

[maddezmom]

88. kick

hope Cooper read this before he testified.

[dooner]

89. Isn't the National Review a conservative publication?

Because if this is the best they can do, it sure as hell doesn't make Rover or Luskin sound any better. In fact, I think this tells us more about how deceitful they are.

Could a conservative really read this and not find Luskin the world's slimeyest lawyer defending the world's slimeyest political hack?

[Pallas180]

90. What';s Luskin's history - another Chicago gop lawyer?

:mad:

[myrna minx]

92. He's a peach.

Taking gold bars as payment for services rendered from drug dealers. :rofl:

[dave29]

93. Poor Karl Rove. Perhaps he should get some therapy

for the psychological trauma of being burned by Cooper.

Is super secret double impenetrable with a cherry on top background not sacred anymore?

I cry for Rove. He just wants the world to get along.

[myrna minx]

94. As a liberal, I'd settle for preparing indictments and offering

him therapy and understanding. :evilgrin: Hooboy-I can't believe this slime is trying to make Rove look like a victim. :eyes:

[maxrandb]

95. If He Thinks Rove is "Burned" Now. Wait 'til he gets to HELL!! n/t

[Solly Mack]

96. I'm to believe that Karl Rove, who plays the Press like it's a piano,

was warning the Press not to publish a "false" story that would boost the cries against the war and Bush, but would ultimately, (since it's supposed to be false)prove to embarrass Bush's enemies(those against the war)? And he did this because he wanted to save the Press, that same Press he uses like his hand, from looking bad?

So Rove passed up a chance to set Bush's enemies up and was just loooking out for Cooper in the process?

Rove? Karl Rove? Bush's brain Karl Rove? Lee Atwater's protege Karl Rove? That Karl Rove?

The Karl Rove who deliberately plants false stories just to bring his enemies down? The Karl Rove who would betray anyone and anything to get his guy ahead? That's the Karl Rove we are talking about?

And this is what Rove's lawyer would have me believe? That Karl Rove was looking out for the Press/Cooper?

I don't think so.

[skip fox]

99. Logic shows Rove will go down in Plames

All data suggest the positive: one or more indictments for Rove and at least one more for another "high administration official," resulting to a loss of Republican credibility of being the party or morals and personal responsibility.

We know there were 6 calls because 6 contacts were made (Miller, Cooper, Novak among them). We know 3 contacts confirmed their stories with another "high administration official."

Therefore

1.) 1 man (named Rove by Cooper) made all 6 calls (which reduces the contention of "unknowingly" providing Plame's identity laughable). But he would have had to make sure that there were a few other "high administration officials" ready and willing to confirm his story, which strongly suggests coordination. Did Rove mastermind this portion before "unknowingly" releasing Plame's identity 6 times? Was this coordination "unknowing" as well? What does "knowing" mean? Repeated deliberate acts and coordinating with others for future support suggest a strong and clear intentions. It has knowledgeable design written all over it.

or,

2.) more than 1 person (Rove and at least one other) made the 6 calls. (The fact that one source released Cooper from his agreement of confidentiality but one source did not release Miller suggest at least 2 sources.) Rove would have more to coordinate! To establish guidelines like: No source should call another's contact, Pitch the information off hand, not as the main subject, Make the contact think the source is trying to do him or her a favor ("Don't go too far out on this Wilson thing, I don't want you burnt."), etc. AND Rove would have had to field a group of officials to support the sources stories.

I say Rove coordinated because it is obvious he did so since anyone in the administration in possession of the Plame-Wilson-CIA link would have gone straight to the world master of deceitful politics, and now we know Rove was at least one of the leakers.


So, in the first case we have at least 2 indictments for Rove (exposing and conspiring to expose) and (perhaps) 1 or more indictments for others (confirming and condoning the exposure while furthering it).

But in the second case we have at least 2 for Rove (same as above, but more evidence of conspiracy) and 1 or more clearcut indictments for others (both leakers and confirmers for exposure).

And then we haven't even begun to ask the question of how Rove got the information. (Doesn't leaking the information to him also constitute a crime?) Did Plame give information to officials as one report suggested? Why did Ashbery recluse himself? Did Rove have the proper clearance prior to becoming Deputy Chief of Staff to have seen the material? Or were other federal laws broken to the effect that classified information was used for political purposes? Etc.

I think the great thing we have going for us on this case is Patrick Fitzgerald. By all accounts a fine prosecutor.

[elperromagico]

101. Do they expect us to believe that Cooper tricked poor Karl Rove?

Am I reading this correctly?

[Ilsa]

110. And didn't Rove end one conversation with the line, "I've said too

much already," indicating that he knew he had gone too far in outing Plame's covert status?

[Beetwasher]

108. Ha Ha! Sucks For You Rove! No One Likes You, I Wonder Why

Fear is no way to win loyalty. Those who are afraid of you will stab you in the back the first chance they get.

[Ilsa]

109. My selective quote:

"...people in the White House were affirmatively reaching out to reporters to try to get them to them to report negative information about Plame."

That pretty well sums up what they were doing, doesn't it? Thanks, Luskin.