Wittman says Rove's not going anywhere, and he's right!

[edhopper]

Link to TPM Cafe;
http://www.tpmcafe.com/story/2005/7/12/85351/8762

If Rove isn't taken out of the WH in handcuffs, he's not leaving until 2009. He got * his re-election (or stolen election) and * has nothing to gain from losing Rove.
Remember * doesn't care what the public thinks.

[Pirate Smile]

1. So did Dana Milbank.

Washington, D.C.: What odds would you give at this point that this will lead to Rove's firing?

Dana Milbank: My predictions are often comically off, but here goes: This is Karl Rove's town, and the rest of us -- President Bush included -- are just living in it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion...

[warrens]

5. Fitzgerald, alas, lives in Chicago n/t

[Pirate Smile]

7. Fitzgerald will be the only one who can get Rove out of the WH.

[H2O Man]

17. No. Not really.

You can help. I can help. We can all do our part, and Mr. Rove will be gone.

[cestpaspossible]

18. Dana Milbank is a known GOP hack. You might as well be quoting Ken Mehlman

[Pirate Smile]

19. Milbank will snark at both sides. Milbank is not equal to Mehlman.

I just watched Mehlman display his expertise at spin, smear and lie. They aren't in the same league, not that I've forgiven Milbank for his horrid smear of the Conyer's forum.

My point is that Rove has the entire Republican party apparatus afraid of him.

I recall Republicans saying how terrible the CIA leak was and that something should be done about it but since we now know Rove was certainly one of the leakers, they have all been conspicuously silent.

The Republicans are all scared to death of him.

[xxqqqzme]

20. they're not scared.

they R all hoping he will pick their campaign 2 do his evil magic. Even as a traitor, they still want him 2 guide their campaigns. If they say anything, they know saurove will remember and probably orchestrate their defeat. saurove is the modern day j edgar hoover - in every way U can imagine.

[Pirate Smile]

24. They are scared to say anything bad about him. They all definitely

want him to work for them.

Just imagine the Republicans who are going to run for Prez who don't get Rove to work for them knowing they will have all the tricks Rove used against McCain aimed at them.

Hell yes, Republicans are scared to have Rove's attacks aimed at them, instead of working for them.

[cestpaspossible]

25. Please show an example because I don't think that's true.

Let's see some evidence that Milbank is not a GOP hack, please. Thanks in advance.

[Pirate Smile]

30. OK. I'm looking and this is the first thing I found.

"Beat the Press
Does the White House have a blacklist?

-snip-
By general consensus, Milbank -- one of the Post's two White House correspondents -- is the administration's least-favorite journalist. And it's not hard to see why. Over the past year or so, Milbank, who previously covered the White House for The New Republic, has broken a number of stories that made life difficult for Bush. Last summer, he exhumed an administration plan to exempt the Salvation Army from state and local antidiscrimination laws -- a major embarrassment to Bush aide Karl Rove, who played a central role in the discussions. Milbank also broke early stories about the vice president's secret energy-task-force meetings (which prompted angry phone calls from Congress) and Bush's decision to abandon school vouchers (which prompted angry calls from conservatives).

So the White House, in return, has made life difficult for Milbank. According to people familiar with the situation, when Milbank was first assigned to the White House beat -- before Bush was even sworn in -- Rove put in a call to the Post and asked Milbank's bosses to reconsider the decision. The Post declined. Since then, it's been all downhill. Journalists on the White House beat say that administration officials regularly attack Milbank's reporting and on at least a few occasions have logged complaints with his editors.

One rather clumsy swipe at Milbank occurred the week he broke the Salvation Army story, when a communications staffer leaked one of his famously cheeky pool reports (detailed summaries of the president's activities that are shared among all the White House reporters) to the conservative National Review, which brandished it on the magazine's Web site in a pathetic attempt to prove Milbank too biased to cover Bush. "They've been terrible to Dana," sighs one reporter, "from day one. On fairly innocuous things."

The Woodward & Milbank show provides a splendid illustration of how the Bush administration manages the press. Journalists working on projects that fit the White House line -- like Woodward's narrative about a purposeful, well-organized administration Getting Things Done -- enjoy the royal treatment: spoon-fed chronology, high-level interviews, and juicy anecdotes galore. Reporters deemed disrespectful of the party line, like Milbank, get a different kind of treatment: angry calls to the boss, lack of cooperation on routine requests (such as travel schedules), and other petty -- and not so petty -- reprisals.

http://www.prospect.org/print/V13/5/confessore-n.html

[cestpaspossible]

32. That isn't even written by Milbank, it is an example of nothing.

I'd like to see some evidence - evidence as in something he has written - that Milbank is NOT a partisan GOP hack, because of I've seen plenty of evidence that he is.

I don't consider a second or third hand anonymous report that "They've been terrible to Dana," to mean anything whatsover.

[Pirate Smile]

34. Here is one of his articles reprinted at Truthout

"They've Got a Secret -- Lots, Actually
By Dana Milbank | Washington Post

Tuesday, May 21, 2002; Page A15

Since President Bush took office, the press and members of Congress have complained about his administration's extraordinary secrecy -- and the American public has yawned.

But last week's flap, over what Bush was told in August about Osama bin Laden's designs to hijack American airplanes, may be different. Americans don't blame the president for doing too little to prevent an attack, but they are displeased that the White House sat on the information for eight months. In a USA Today/CNN poll, 68 percent said the administration should have disclosed this information earlier.

The guarding of the hijacking information for eight months -- and acknowledging it only after a leak -- brought predictable outrage from Democrats, who had been urged by the White House to postpone and restrict probes. "Why was it not provided to us, and why was it not shared with the general public for the last eight months?" Senate Majority Leader Thomas A. Daschle (D-S.D.) demanded.

Even allies were critical. Conservative columnist Robert Novak wrote that "in a sense, Bush and his team have themselves to blame" because of a "passion for secrecy." Had they agreed early on to a commission investigating Sept. 11, he wrote, it "might have revealed in orderly fashion what is being leaked piecemeal -- fueling conspiracy theories and aiding irresponsible Democratic members of Congress."

For the Bush White House, this has become a common tale. By declining to share information in public or with Congress, it gives the impression it is covering something up when the information inevitably dribbles out -- thus provoking congressional hostility and disproportionate media attention.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_02/05.22C.Milbank.Secret.htm

But, frankly, I'm done. Think what you want. I don't care if you think Dana Milbank is the equivalent of Ken Melhmen. It isn't true but it really doesn't matter to me.

edit to add - OK, I lied, I found one more and the end of it cracked me up so I thought I'd share it.

For News Hounds, TGIF

By Dana Milbank
Tuesday, February 24, 2004; Page A19

The White House is moving swiftly to establish the administration's place in history as the Friday Night Presidency.

Last Friday afternoon, President Bush announced that he was circumventing the Senate confirmation process and appointing controversial judicial nominee William H. Pryor Jr. to the federal bench. It was the second such recess appointment to be made late on a Friday, following last month's appointment of Charles W. Pickering Sr.

The Friday before the Pryor nomination, the White House had two other late-day announcements: word that Bush would testify privately to the 9/11 commission, and a 7 p.m. dump of hundreds of documents from Bush's National Guard files. Other Friday surprises in recent months include the Justice Department's approval of a Texas redistricting plan expected to give the GOP as many as seven House seats; a decision by the Environmental Protection Agency not to regulate dioxins in sewage sludge; and the news from the Commerce Department that household incomes had declined for three years in a row and 1.7 million people had fallen into poverty -- the first time such statistics were announced on a Friday.

It is an old political tradition to dump unpopular news on Friday, because fewer people are reading newspapers or watching television news over the weekend. But the Bush administration has been using the trick so routinely that it is losing effectiveness. "They're not as successful now in hiding these Friday stories," said Robert Lichter of the nonpartisan Center for Media and Public Affairs. "Everybody does it, but this administration has done it too much for their own good."

-snip-

Defined by What He Isn't

Who says politicians try to be all things to all people? Last Wednesday, White House press secretary Scott McClellan said the president, declining to commit to his economists' employment forecasts, declared: "I'm not a statistician. I'm not a predictor."

Such disavowals are not unique. In November 2001, Bush noted that "I'm not a forecaster," and the following month observed that "I'm not a statistician." Here, for those defining the president by process of elimination, are some of the other things Bush and his aides have said he is not:

"I'm not a lawyer." -- Dec. 14, 2000

"I'm not a member of the legislative branch." -- March, 19, 2001

"I'm not a numbers cruncher. I'm not one of these bean counters." -- March 25, 2002

"I'm not a stockbroker or a stock picker." -- July 29, 2002

"I'm not a very formal guy to begin with." -- June 9, 2003

"I'm not an Iraqi citizen." -- Dec. 22, 2003

"The president is not an economist." -- White House press secretary Ari Fleischer, March 13, 2001

"The president is not a rubber stamp for the Congress." -- Fleischer, July 10, 2002

"The president of the United States is not a fact-checker." -- a senior administration official, addressing reporters in the White House briefing room, July 18, 2003

Fog of War

"He volunteered to go to Vietnam."

-- Bush campaign chairman Marc Racicot, yesterday, on National Public Radio

"No, I didn't."

-- President Bush, Feb. 8, responding to a question on NBC's "Meet the Press" about whether he volunteered to go to Vietnam

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&contentId=A491-2004Feb23¬Found=true

[cestpaspossible]

36. You've proven my point. If that's the most critical thing about Bush

that you can find that he's written, I'd have to say you have not shown that he isn't a GOP hack.

This without even mentioning the blatant bias he displays when writing about Democrats.

[tridim]

2. Well then, it's just about time to storm the Whitehouse

[asjr]

6. It is past time. I have long thought

that is the only thing that will work. They won't leave the WH until that happens.

[Goldmund]

3. Agreed -- I was saying the same thing

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4082194

[fertilizeonarbusto]

4. Good

The best thing about all of this: "Karl Rove" is a household word now (only political junkies like us knew who he was before or cared). He's a household word as a political hack and sleazeball. ANYTHING he touches or is associated with from now on is tainted as partisan and suspect-especially White House policy. His biggest power was his lurking in the shadows. This is now over.
Actually, if he had any sense, he'd quit. As long as he stays there, the story stays alive and more digging will be done. I hope he sticks around.

[capriccio]

10. Excellent point

Because all the insiders know that Rove has been behind a whole raft of nasty shit for years. Now that the press has something to hang it on and a face for the public, they'll be more inclined to work up the energy to go after it.

[Pirate Smile]

22. I want them to start doing stories about Rove's past dirty tricks so

more people learn about Bush's sleazy MO. I think Karl is new to many people and the press needs to give them more information.

I don't want Rove gone, I want Bush gone and Rove in jail. I want this to spin larger to encompass Bush and the entire Administration's "fixed" Iraqi intelligence conspiracy.

[mnldis]

8. rove

here's what gets me - why doesn't ANYTHING bring this administration down ? It's a concrete house of cards - flimsy and deserving to fall, but mortared with money, power, greed, oil, corruption. it seems that no amount of huffing and puffing will ever destroy it....

[BeHereNow]

11. Hey, WELCOME to DU

And you are asking the same question we have
been asking for YEARS now.
It boggles the mind, eh?
Check out the thread in GD about
"Bush Eats Babies on White house Lawn"
It is a parody thread about your very point-
WHAT will it take to oust these criminals???
A point to consider-
These thugs have TOTALLY broken international law
with no consequence-
WHAT does that say about domestic law for
the US citizens?
Not looking good, not at all.
BHN

[BeHereNow]

13. Here is the GD link to Eatin' Babies

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4082665&mesg_id=4082665
BHN

[mnldis]

16. back in kansas, er, the us

just got back from the netherlands last week, and it is so tough to be an american in europe. reminds me of the viet nam era when ya lied and said you were from canada. there is no justification for this - waa waa waa 9/11 and we have the biggest balls so we can do whatever we want. if you had a bratty kid in a family that behaved the way the us is you would send the kid away from the dinner table until he/she could behave better. while i was there bush declared that he would do whatever is in the us' best interest. no shit, sherlock - we ARE the most important entity in the universe, um, i mean world.....and THEN, poor London, with their own horror to contend with, and we order our soldiers to avoid going there ! Like, hey, England, howzabout you put yourself out there for us and our lamebrain schemes and totally screw yourselves over for no discernable benefit to you and then we'll avoid the scene because of fear for ourselves !!!! talk about a slap in the face....

[wli]

21. exactly what you think it does

Check out the Michael Ledeen, American Enterprise Institute, Gladio, and Strass connections. There's something going on that's a lot bigger and nastier than Rove and the GOP.

[BeHereNow]

26. Yup, I know all about them.

and you are right- it is much bigger and nastier
than we can even begin to dream.
BHN

[blindpig]

12. yeah, it's been driving us nuts for years

but maybe, just maybe, the teflon is finally getting thin.

Welcome to DU!

[newyawker99]

33. Hi mnldis!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Walt Starr]

9. Everybody is misunderestimating Fitz

from teh article:

"Unless, the prosecutor has the goods on Karl, he stays."

Fitz singlehandedly took down the Illinois GOP when he investigated the licenses for bribes scandal. NOBODY thought anything was going to come from it when it started breaking because this was Illinois and Illinois politics follows teh Chicago model. THEY WERE WRONG!

Fitz may singlehandedly take down the GOP nationwide.

[RiffRandell]

14. I hope you are right. n/t

[Walt Starr]

15. I'm absolutely right about what he did to the IL GOP

HE's definitely taking down some in the White House. Rove, probably Libby.

He didn't even have to convict George Ryan to take him down in Illinois.

This is the big one. The easiest way to tell is that the rightwingnuts are in such denial.

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

23. Walt, I sincerely hope that you are correct. n/t

[ProfessorGAC]

39. He Incinerated The Whole Party

He was so thorough, and his investigation touched on so many tentacles that the whole party went into disarray and still is!

Geez, they ran Alan Keyes for Senate & he got annihilated.

He caught some BIG fish and the fallout is still coming down for the IL GOP.
The Professor

[bklyncowgirl]

31. One thing bothers me. Why would they pick an honest DA?

You'd think they'd want to keep someone as good as Fitzgerald's reputation says he is as far from this case as possible.

[NewJeffCT]

38. this is the White House that vetted Kerik for Homeland Security...

So, maybe they just saw an "R" next to Fitzgerald's name and figured he'd be another Rick Santorum or Bill Frist type, instead of an honest old school Republican, and didn't go any further?

[UTUSN]

27. Sadly, I think the O.P. Will Turn Out Right

Check out these two LBN threads:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1622508

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1622377

NOVAKula is said to have told the S.P. that the word "(CIA) operative" was HIS word, not his sources' whom he named, which is why the OTHER reporters became so critical. And NOVAKula didn't appear to know PLAME's status.

In the other one, COOPER's e-mails differ from how COOPER wrote up the articles.

Yes, I have held back my glee because I suspected Shrub-ROVE-CHEENEE were going to slip out of this noose. I think all we'll get out of it is that ROVE will be a household name, as somebody else posted, and perhaps there will be reporting about his history of dirty tricks.

[lovuian]

28. Its alright to say it but when you have millions in the streets

coming at ya demanding you fire the ass and take him to prison

Your Blowhard statement means shit!!!

The Powers to be won't allow the system to be taken down Rove is expendable... Everyone is expendable

Rove just forgot this!!!

[Melynn]

29. We'll see. Remember Watergate was just a third rate burglary

Until some of the participates were indicted and decided to cut deals. Then all hell broke loose. I would guess it will be the same with Traitor-gate. If they aren't any indictments then nothing will happen. If some people are indicted, then sit back and watch the fireworks.

[edhopper]

35. But during Watergate

you actually had GOP members of Congress who cared about Truth and Justice. And you had Dems in the majority who could force an inquiry. Sadly with all the lying and fraud this WH has perpetrated, not a single Republican has called for any accountability. They are just enabling lackeys.

[Edgewater_Joe]

37. Then Let's Make The New Repub Mascot The RoveAlbatross

Think we can get some mileage out of that bastard on EVERY commercial in '06 and '08?