Bush Critic Became Target of Libby, Former Aides Say (LAT)

[hang a left]

HE NATION
Bush Critic Became Target of Libby, Former Aides Say
# Cheney's chief of staff reportedly sought an aggressive campaign against Wilson.

By Peter Wallsten and Tom Hamburger, Times Staff Writers

WASHINGTON — Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff was so angry about the public statements of former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, a Bush administration critic married to an undercover CIA officer, that he monitored all of Wilson's television appearances and urged the White House to mount an aggressive public campaign against him, former aides say.

Those efforts by the chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, began shortly after Wilson went public with his criticisms in 2003. But they continued into last year — well after the Justice Department began an investigation in September 2003, into whether administration officials had illegally disclosed the CIA operative's identity, say former White House aides.

While other administration officials were maintaining a careful distance from Wilson in 2004, Libby ordered up a compendium of information that could be used to rebut Wilson's claims that the administration had "twisted" intelligence to exaggerate the threat from Iraq before the U.S. invasion.

Libby pressed the administration to publicly counter Wilson, sparking a debate with other White House officials who thought the tactic would call more attention to the former diplomat and his criticisms. That debate ended after an April 2004 meeting in the office of White House Communications Director Daniel Bartlett, when staffers were told "don't engage" Wilson, according to notes taken during the meeting by one person present.

"Scooter had a plan to counter Wilson and a passionate desire to do so," said a second person, a former White House official familiar with the internal deliberations. Like other former White House staff, this person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing criminal investigation.


snip>

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-libby21oct21,0,7741636.story?coll=la-home-nation

[NVMojo]

1. true intentions from scooter baby ...

"Scooter had a plan to counter Wilson and a passionate desire to do so," said a second person, a former White House official familiar with the internal deliberations. Like other former White House staff, this person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing criminal investigation.

[ClintonTyree]

29. I'm SURE that "Unca' Dick"......

had NOTHING to do with "Scooters" distress over Wilson. "Scooter" took it upon himself to get that bastard Wilson for telling the truth about about bush's dirty little war. How DARE Wilson speak the truth, why did he hate our greatest president ever, why did Wilson hate America? :sarcasm:

OK, Cheney HAD TO urge "Scooter" to retaliate against Wilson. To think otherwise is ludicrous. My only hope is that Fitzgerald can prove that fact and get Chaney- the living dead out of office.

There sure seems to be a lot of finger pointing within the bush administration lately. I guess when it comes to saving your own ass the "lockstep boys" start dancing to their own tunes. Like rats deserting a sinking ship, every rat for himself.

[shraby]

2. Sounds more like Rove's aides are doing

the leaking. Either that or Libby's aides hate him.

[Captain Hilts]

15. I have the same impression.

In a PR fight between Rove and Libby, I'm betting on Rove.

[wrate]

45. Agreed, this has Rove written all over it. n/t

[Burried News]

3. Looks like the media has found a way to explain the case.

It is not complete, but the average American will understand it. Not good news for Scooter and Turd.

[No Exit]

44. We should now use the word STALKER to describe Libby. n/t

[prescole]

49. The headline is aimed at people who haven't been following

the case--instead of referring to all the latest developments and nuances, it goes right back to the basics, "Bush Critic..."
This is all about a president who silences opposition and stubbornly ignores advice that contradicts his adolescent neocon worldview, a president who exploits the ham-handed tactics of partisan hitmen like Rove and Delay. And, apparently, Bush and Cheney tolerates a little treason now and then if it might inflict some revenge against a crucial target like Wilson.

[LynnTheDem]

4. It's the rightwingnut way of life; attack the messenger.

Rightwingnuts; stupidest MFers on the planet.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

14. Wingnuts aren't stupid

Propaganda is a powerful weapon. The wingnuts are brainwashed within an inch of ranting lunacy and misinformed on a daily basis.

If they're religious fundamentalists, they're told in church not to question authority, discouraged from thinking for themselves and told over and over that everything is black and white. When it comes to critical thinking their religion or other rigid belief system makes them incapable of critical thinking.

Ironically, they are told over and over that liberals are brainwashed and blind to "the real world" while they listen to Rush or Falwell for hours every day.

As nasty and vile as a lot of these cretins are, they are victims just like we are. They just can't see it.

[texpatriot2004]

5. I see you're still going strong Hang a left. So, Scooter is the

scapegoat...or at least some of them would like him to be.

[hang a left]

6. Cheney was heavily invested in those 16 words.

:hi:

[texpatriot2004]

7. He wanted them to make his case for war with Iraq huh.

:hi:

[calimary]

11. Or as Olbermann said last night - they're trying to throw libby under

a bus.

Let the pile-ons begin. A circular firing squad if you ask me. Doesn't let rove off the hook ONE BIT. I wouldn't be surprised if, as the acknowledged high priest of vindictive dirty tricks, revenge, and sneaky-ass, leave-no-fingerprints character assassination, I'd suspect libby consulted rove as to how best to do it. Wouldn't surprise me if they were both in on the "get Wilson" game from the beginning.

[Halliburton]

17. I hope Rove doesn't slither away

hopefully Fitz hasn't forgot about him

[shanti]

42. and it's a short step away from the chimperor

he probably had his own vindicative input.

[ngGale]

8. They keep playing the game of...

"HOT POTATO" - passing it off to the masses.

[opihimoimoi]

9. I guess somebody has to fall on the sword.... Thats why they made

Libby the attack dog in the first place....he had his role set for him.

[mark11727]

34. "I was just a patsy!"

[ignatzmouse]

10. You can read into the desperate spin...

as the White House faces indictments and conspiracy charges. There is a real fissure now, otherwise the anonymous White House officials aren't going to be looking for a scapegoat. It seems they are trying to redirect focus from Cheney, Rove, and all the WHIG'ers by attempting to spin the whole incident as a rogue obsessive Libby. It's probably an attempt to frame the flames when they try to keep Rove employed while under indictment.

It's not going to work, but it's interesting to watch these guys start to flail about while they try to keep from getting caught in the undertow. The fact that people in the White House are trying to manage the mess by turning on one of their own underscores that some big-time indictments are coming down next week.

[mark11727]

37. And the BEST part is... there are NO DEMOCRATS involved...!

The VRWC is going to implode entirely on its own.

Sweet.

[bostonbabs]

39. I agree...you said it...".turning on their own"

....and the "framing the flames"....very cool ..I'm going to use it.

[maddezmom]

12. another: Cheney aide may have contacted reporters in leak case

WASHINGTON -- The evidence prosecutors have assembled in the CIA leak case suggests Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff sought out reporters in the weeks before an undercover operative's identity was compromised in the news media, casting doubt on one of the White House's main lines of defense.

For months, the White House and its supporters have argued top presidential aides did not knowingly expose Valerie Plame, the wife of administration critic Joseph Wilson, as a CIA operative.

more:http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-leak21.html

[Lerkfish]

13. ah, so obviously scapegoating scooter to save crashcart, here.

this is spin, and very transparent spin at that.

I'm not saying this isn't true, it might very well be...but notice how its framed: as if its all the plan of libby, going like a loose cannon on personal revenge.

completely trying to hide the Brewster Jennings REAL reason for doing this.

They think by making it look like a personal vendetta, it stops looking like conspiracy to commit treason.

I'm not buying it.

(note I haven't read the entire thread yet, someone else may have already made this observation)

[mom cat]

21. Bingo! They targetted Plame BEFORE Wilson's speech. The vendetta

story fails the Logic 101 test.
This is the People Magazine version for the masses. We have to keep asking the real questions:
Why did Bushco want to destroy Plame and the work of Brewster Jennings?
What was so all fired important for twenty something top officials to pile on to this? EVERYBODY piled on...What was so BIG? Until we ask those questions,we are just playing personality games. This is not about personality, it is about power...big power, and bid global power plays. What did Brewster Jennings know.What were they geting close too? Why was Cheney at the CIA so much?
And why is Bush so insistant about giving the CIA the right to torture.
They could have easily dispensed with Wilson.Outing Plame and Brewster Jennings were not even close to necessary. Libby's obsession is a distraction. Don't buy it.

[goforit]

16. Ahhhh....An obsessive compulsive psychopath to boot!!!

A stalker!!!!

This is THE Motive!!!!

Probably has magazine pinups wall to wall all over his ceiling
of Wilson and
Plame.

Whata Psycho!!!!

[Justitia]

18. Throwing Scooter under the bus to save CHENEY'S ass - obvious.

And Stupid Scooter will let it happen, anticipating a pardon and a cushy job somewhere.

[Orsino]

19. This doesn't smell like Rove trying to smear Libby.

I'm betting on its being cover for Cheney and Bush.

Libby didn't invent petty vindictiveness. That comes from the Bush family. And they're finally beginning to get their stories straight.

[warrens]

20. This is what they are like

They KNOW they "twisted" the intelligence (lied) but no one is EVER allowed to say they did. These people are truly the worst thugs in the world. They're up there with the old Stalinists for total bald-faced hypocrisy. It reminds me of Sid and Nancy when Nancy, both of them totally dope-sick, is screeching at her parents to wire her money. They refuse. She shrieks some more and slams the phone down. "They said we'd just spend it on dope," she whines. Sid comes out of his coma for a moment and says, "but we would."

[Jackpine Radical]

22. I think this story is what the Nixonites used to call

"a limited, modified hangout."

Didn't work in 1973 and it ain't gonna work now.

[Gman]

23. Wilson said it best when he said

"What the hell are they doing using taxpayer funded employees to root around and find information on me?"

[Ganja Ninja]

24. I don't buy any of these stories.

It's all bullshit. It's just another version of the old "rogue staffer" excuse. If there's anyone in this administration that could be described as hot headed and vindictive it's Bush himself. I refuse to believe that he wasn't the instigator of the Plame outing no matter how many times the media tries to tell me different.

[newspeak]

25. there were other ways they could have got back at Wilson

I don't buy it!!!! They outed a network.....a network that kept track of proliferation and WMDs. I'm not buying it was for revenge, it's something more.

[Ganja Ninja]

26. That I believe.

But when somebody tries to say it was some hot headed underling going behind Bush's or Cheney's back - NAAAAA!

[realFedUp]

27. certainly Bush can be described as vindictive also

but as we've seen, the people around
Bush are also. This is just one look at one of them.

[Ganja Ninja]

28. They're all a bunch of pricks but ...

that rogue staffer excuse has been used so many times it's all used up

[Nightjock]

30. It's a preview of the bush-cheaney defense

and the spin when one or both are both indicted

[Southsideirish]

31. He reminds me of the obsessed assn't in the movie "No Way Out" - I

wonder if he's in love with his boss, too?

[progressivebydesign]

32. Wilson was a truth-teller, not just a critic. There's a difference.

This article is very helpful to establish connections and timelines, but I lave to laugh that Wilson is continually dismissed as a "critic", as though it's more political, when in fact, he was a whistle-blower and truth-teller. BIG diff.

[madmark]

33. This Leak is step one in insulating Bush from the crimes.

The scenario the leak lays out is "Dan Bartlett Good", "Scooter Bad". And Bartlett is cast as the final decision maker for the Bush Admin who said back off, and Scooter is the rogue who went ahead anyway. This is the paradigm they want to push to insulate Bush. What lacks credibility is that this Admin would ever back away from attacking any one, and when did Bartlett become such a major player.

[Jose Diablo]

35. Yeah, not only that but get this part

"While other administration officials were maintaining a careful distance from Wilson in 2004"

It was all Scooters fault, all the others were maintaining a careful distance, like Rove.

Uh huh, I got this bridge for sale. It's 'limit damage' mode now. And the media is playing along.

[lovuian]

36. This is showing the ruthlessness of Cheney & Scooter!!!

They had the whole press corps scared to death!!!

[90-percent]

38. scapegoat

I thought this whole mess was all Lyndie England's fault?

She should pay for her crimes, again!

-85%

[Presidentcokedupfratboy]

40. Standard operating procedure for these goons

They can't stand any criticism or questioning, so they smear, defame and spread rumors about their perceived enemies.

[shanti]

41. he was so angry because

his BOSS was so angry. cheney is at the bottom of this, no doubt! HE gave the order to discredit.

[No Exit]

43. A STALKER--that's what Scooty-Scoot Libby is!!!!!!

Wonder if he ever played "The Most Dangerous Game" with Cheney when Cheney used to play it out west?

[LaPera]

46. Attack the person telling the truth, war for profit is far more important

to Cheney and the republicans...fuck how may people killed...oil profits are far more important to greedy lying republicans.

[debbierlus]

47. Pathetic - Blaming the problems on the 'fatigue' of the adminstration

Surreal.

These people have lied, stolen, murdered, plundered, & decimated our constitution. The Post ponders why such mistakes are being made in the adminstration & blames the fact that they are tired. LITERALLY.

This is insane.

These people are CRIMINALS.

The problem is not that that they are tired, the problem (for THEM) is that they are getting caught.

Someone should fire that reporter, but I guess if every incompetent, hack reporter was fired their wouldn't be a MSM.

Sick.

[DSperoRN]

48. Media STILL citing anonymous WH sources as the truth

It's so frustrating. After five years of printing blatant Administration lies, put out by people who choose to remain anonymous, they're STILL printing stories like these.

It's all Spin; it's all lies. Perhaps Libby has been chosen to fall on the sword to protect the rest of the fascists. He's doing it willingly, just as George Tenet did.

Stories like this demonstrate nothing but the uselessness of the corporate-controlled media.

[katinmn]

50. The White House -- 24/7 House of Slime

I hope anyone ever associated with this administration is questioned and their computers seized. It seems that all they do is strategize secret ops, cover-ups and political attacks.

Pewie.

[maddezmom]

51. kick to combine

[sabra]

52. An angry Libby kept close tabs on Wilson, ex-aides say

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/nation/epaper/2005/10/23/a14a_latleak_1023.html

An angry Libby kept close tabs on Wilson, ex-aides say
Los Angeles Times


WASHINGTON — Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff was so angry about the public statements in Iraq by former Ambassador Joseph Wilson that he monitored all of Wilson's television appearances and urged the White House to mount an aggressive public campaign against him, former aides say.

Those efforts by Lewis "Scooter" Libby began shortly after Wilson went public with his criticisms in 2003. But they continued into last year — well after the Justice Department began an investigation in September 2003, into whether administration officials had illegally disclosed the CIA agent's identity, say former White House aides.

While other administration officials were maintaining a careful distance from Wilson in 2004, Libby ordered up a compendium of information that could be used to rebut Wilson's claims that the administration had "twisted" intelligence in order to exaggerate the threat from Iraq in the run-up to the war.

Libby pressed the administration to counter Wilson publicly, sparking a debate with other White House officials who thought the tactic would call more attention to the former diplomat and his criticisms. That debate ended after a meeting in the office of White House Communications Director Daniel Bartlett in April 2004, when staffers were told "don't engage" Wilson, according to notes taken during the meeting by one person present.

[NVMojo]

53. it's a wonder he hasn't had a heart attack over this stuff!

[Starbucks Anarchist]

54. Did Libby own stock in Halliburton or something?

I know why DimSon and Crashcart were gung-ho for the war, but why was Libby seemingly angrier about Wilson than the rest of the cabal?

[opihimoimoi]

56. Here is a Libby who will stop at nothing to get ahead...Overly ambitious

He steps on Joes dick....., now, Fritz is stepping on Libby's dick..

What goes around comes around...

Libby is now looking for a dick splint...

[Starbucks Anarchist]

58. He'll need one in prison.

[madeline_con]

60. He was connected to ENRON, but I'm not clear...

how. I'm still researching it.

EDIT: start here:

Enron's End Run
by Sander Hicks

The Washington Post once referred to Kuwait as an "oil company with a flag." Perhaps this is what the Bush White House once thought the USA should be. This administration was intimate with the Enron Corporation, now in ruins of potential scandal and alleged fraud. This slowly emerging scandal leaves us with questions, but one thing's for certain: L'Affaire Enron will build, and haunt the White House for years to come. The Senate's newly announced investigation has a lot of work ahead of it. Will the White House survive intact? Will it sacrifice key officials to appease a Special Prosecutor?

http://www.georgewalkerbush.net/enronsendrun.htm

[saltpoint]

55. You can see where Libby's coming from.

Here he was trying to do Cheney's bidding -- probably the entire WHIG's bidding -- in closing off avenues of debate over whether to attack Baghdad, and damn it all, along comes Joe Wilson telling the TRUTH -- right in the final weeks before the first megaton bombs fell on the unarmed civilians.

What a party-pooper that Joe Wilson is, huh?

I hope Libby, Rove, Rice, Bolton, Cheney, Dubya, Perle, Hadley, and on and on down the roster of corrupt liars are hauled out of their offices by federal marshalls this week and shot to death on the front lawn of the White House. What a good use of tax dollars that would be. Ok, then, if that proposal seems unlikely, how about we forcibly relocate them to any of the Iraqi cities they collectively destroyed? Let them have a go at re-assembling their lives amid the rubble they wrought themselves. 'If you're damn foreign policy is so good and noble, here -- enjoy it first hand for the remainder of your lives."

Mr. Fitzgerald, do your job.

[shraby]

57. They sure are dumping on Libby aren't they?

Does that mean they are trying to salvage Rove?

[mike_c]

59. setting up Libby to protect the undead Cheney....

The thralls are circling the wagons, methinks.