Hannity...Novak said his source was CIA

[finecraft]

Just said this was breaking....Novak stated that his sources were from within the CIA! Anyone have any further information? If Hannity spews anything else related to this, I'll update.

[Cappurr]

1. I only know what Novak wrote in his column...

And he said it was White House sources. Plus six other journalists have said they, too, were countacted by the White House.

[robbedvoter]

17. He seemed to say today it was Wilson. The column though

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.

[Brian Sweat]

2. This is a lie

If the source were internal, the CIA would deal with it themselves. The source is in the white house. That is why the CIA is raising a stink.

[virtualobserver]

3. novak is digging a deeper hole

This is amazing.

[Cush]

4. CIA isn't the Admin

[candy331]

5. Novak's Column

has it been posted here I would like to read it in it's entirety/ is there a link to find it?

[sonias]

21. Here's a link to Novak's July column

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/robertnovak/rn20030714.shtml
Mission to Niger
"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."



Sonia

[tjdee]

6. So why is the CIA ASKING FOR AN INVESTIGATION?

Novak isn't just a liar, he's a fucking liar.

Why would the CIA play games with....the CIA?
Come ON.

[MoonAndSun]

7. In his first public statement on Crossfire, Novak said it was

administration sources. Not once did he say CIA sources. hannity is blowing crap again. :puke:

[Vitruvius]

8. The Rethugs are blaming the CIA to retaliate for the CIA demanding an

investigation after the Rethugs blew the cover of a CIA agent.

Remember, Novak cited "two senior administration officials", which is NOT the CIA.

This is also a not-so-subtle threat to the CIA that if they press the matter, A$hcroft may put some CIA types in prison for the Bu$h administration's leak.

The Rethug's attitude towards the CIA appears to be: "We'll out your agents whenever we please for our own political benefit -- and if you don't like it, we'll blame you for our leak and you'll be in trouble, not us. And we'll fake intelligence to start a war, sign your name to it, and when it's proven false, you'll be in trouble -- not us..."

There is no honor among thieves -- or Rethugnicans.

Vitruvius

P.S: The CIA is not noted for tolerating this kind of nonsense for very long. Those "two senior administration officials" are headed for trouble -- along with whoever put them up to it.

[WHAT]

12. CIA must be the weak link...

from their perspective.

The Rethug's attitude towards the CIA appears to be: "We'll out your agents whenever we please for our own political benefit -- and if you don't like it, we'll blame you for our (weak)leak and you'll be in trouble, not us. And we'll fake intelligence to start a war, sign your name to it, and when it's proven false, you'll be in trouble -- not us..."

lol/olo for irony...

[qanda]

9. What Novak said was that

His sources inside the CIA are saying that Wilson's wife is an analyst and not an operative. However, some reporter on CNN came on right after Crossfire and debunked that myth by saying that his sources confirm that she is indeed a CIA "operative." Which would only make sense, because what would the big deal be if she were only just "working" at the CIA, even I have friends who work at the CIA and it's no big secret.

[eileen from OH]

10. Ohferpetesake. . .

Novak called the CIA for a CONFIRMATION (when they asked him not to use her name) and that asshole is spinning THAT as "the CIA is the source." I'm bettin' anyway.

eileen from OH

[ewagner]

11. You're right Eileen n/t

[LittleApple81]

13. from the Crossfile blow-by-blow here in DU, that was my take also.

[Brian Sweat]

14. Of course you are correct

but that will not stop them from creating this lie.

[TacticalPeek]

15. Exactly. Hammity misunderstands the world again. Surprise.

On Crossfire Nofacts flatly and plainly said the WH was the source for his article, with one WH source mentioning it during a conversation about Wilson, and Nofacts confirming it with another WH official.

The CIA bit was about trying to paint her as an 'analyst' or secretary or something, not operative.

Nofacts tells a lie on that last point, probably in order to preserve his sources with a faction at CIA.

[symbolman]

16. Looky here..

if the CIA has the goods and I guess they wouldn't make a case unless they had NAMES --

then WHO in the White House SPILLED THE BEANS?

WHY won't the CIA say who the SUSPECT/S is/Are?

THAT's what I want to hear.

[TacticalPeek]

18. Because they are giving the DOJ and WH a chance to get their appendages

stuck in the wringer, first.

Besides, the other five reporters can always blab it whenever they decide to burn their WH bridges, which may come fairly soon.

[stickdog]

19. Rove just leaked to Novak that Wilson was the original leak to Novak. (NT)

[leetrisck]

20. That's not what Novak said on Crossfire

After he talked to his sources in the Administration, he called his source in the CIA to confirm she was with them - said yes and asked him not to use her name - Novak said she was an analyst - said he saw no reason not to use her name. This crap is beyond belief! Fish rots from the head down. Slimy Shrub has got to go.

[Unknown Known]

22. Wilson denied the CIA leaked this

he said this on Buchanan & Press today. Nofacts is a liar! Hell, one of his sources used to be Robert Hanson!

[sonias]

23. Novak can lie about it now

But that does not take away any fire from the story. There are still stories that support that other reporters were called by these WH insiders shopping the story. The Washington Post story cites the SAO source saying that at least 6 reporters were called to give them the story. MSNBC news has a story with Tom Brokaw saying Andrea Mitchell was called with the information and that they passed.

Sonia

[Stupdworld]

24. maybe

Perhaps if this did originate with the WH, having an intermediary do this insulates administration officials and gives Ashcroft a reason not to investigate.

However, Novak may spill exactly who his source is under pressure. He shouldn't because of the 1st amendment, but i think this is an attempt to alleviate pressue on rove.

Its just too retaliatory. the albatross has to be placed somewhere, and some jerk at the cia will get it.