Rove and *Bush will ride this one out.

[msmcghee]

I woke up this morning and logged onto the net hoping to see a new wave of outrage in the press over the Plame scandal. But after reading all the news items and the transcript of McClellan's statements at the Press Conference . . it seems obvious to me that their strategy is to separate themselves from the controversy as far as possible (using McCllellan as a shield) and just ride it out.

If this is their strategy I predict a minimum number of comments coming from anyone but McClellan from now on. They have certainly "focus grouped" this thing over the last two months and know that their base actually condones (and probably applauds) whatever punishment they were able to dish out to Wilson for the crime of embarrassing their pres. - which in their minds is far more egregious than comprimising a CIA operative working on WMD proliferation. (After all, the RW knows that WMD was just an excuse for the sheeple anyway.)

Now they've got their own justice dept. running the investigation - that will discover that there is no evidence of wrongdoing by the WH - other than a claim by some journalists that "some anonymous govt. officials said something."

I really hoped this could be the final straw for those *expletive deleteds to pre-emtively conform to the new posting rules* but I'm losing hope that this will have a lasting impact on this fraudulent regime.

Can anyone else here give me renewed hope - or do you think this is the more likely outcome as Plamegate dies an early death?

[grytpype]

1. There's no way to put a good spin on this.

This is so clearly a crime and an offense against national security there's really no way the Bush Junta can just let it "blow over."

The leakers -- whoever they are -- will be fired and probably criminally prosecuted.

The higher-ups who approved it will also be under tremendous pressure.

[msmcghee]

2. I really hope you are right. n/t

[NoKingGeorge]

11. Homeland Security Dept should be involved.

The CIA's monitoring of WMD related sources has been jeporidized. Terrorists may take advantage of knowledge to slip WMD through borders.

[gWbush is Mabus]

3. American journalists suck!

there are never any questions, nor any investigations

methinks Karl Rove has arranged secret deals with the media conglomerates

[candy331]

21. Democrats and all lovers of TRUTH

and justice must keep this in the forefront. They must stay focused and united, if not, a weakened party will soon be a dead party and
ultimately it's funeral.

I cannot stop mentioning Al Sharpton(and others),but him I speak about for now, is out there in the forefront forecefully speaking the things that need to be said and heard and trying to help bring a new look and an empowering message to the Democrats. He knows he can't win but winning in this instance is not all about the office for him but survival of a party that does not stand only for the wealthy.

The "Bush lites" want to continue as usual. It is not working and will not work. Sharpton knows that in order to defeat this elephant you must appeal to the people who have left the political scene altogether and give them a reason to hope so that they will come back in to the process. I know you want to say Tawanna Brawley, well you can say Mary Joe K. with Kennedy or dig skeletons from any closet. You know the skeletons are not even hidden in Bush's closet and yet they steam roll right over the Dems. Might you ask why? The answers are
obvious.


It is time for new ideas, new leadership or the old leaders must be willing to yield place for new leaders who will take us places or none of us will go anywhere.

It is time to put aside differences and unite. The movement by MLK was not just Afro-Americans but whites too came together. Why? Because this was the right and moral thing to do and it was for the good of the entire country. Pres Johnson recognized that the nation could be torn apart and rose to the ocassion and did what was right when many did not think so.

Now we are now faced with a threat that is even graver. The nation is totally divided. Who will lead this nation and likewise the world to peace? The man who said "let us slap this donkey" is trying to tell us to wake up to cement a new day. We'd better stay awake and think deeply about it or we may go to sleep forever.

Again I say Democrats must not cower nor waiver. Bullies can be beaten.
My emotionally charged thoughts for now.

[salmonhorse]

4. It's time for our vaunted 4th estate to do it's job for a change...

...and not just lap up shit water from the Bush Admin's little kitty saucer ~

[rwork]

5. There is very little that can be done

when they have total control ,although it makes me sick to my stomach. This is why * campaigned furiously in the mid term elections and 200 million dollars will get the devil elected. I do have tremendous hope for the 04 elections.

[HFishbine]

6. High Hopes

The distancing and denials will only add to the fire when the truth is revealed. (It's pretty sickening when we find ourselves in a situation where we are actually expecting lies, but this is the Bush world)

[Maine-i-acs]

7. It can help.

Each little chink in the armor will help lead to the downfall of the Junta that seized power in the Bloodless Coup of 2000.

[Tatiana]

8. I think this one is gonna stick.

Read this:

Speaking of which. At one point at the press conference, the subject shifted to a letter recently sent to Tenet by the House intelligence committee reporting on the committee's review of the prewar intelligence on Iraq's WMDs and ties to terrorists. The committee found that this intelligence--which Bush has said was a solid basis for going to war--was predicated on fragmentary, circumstantial and out-of-date information and contained "too many uncertainties." McClellan noted, "Let's look at what we knew. We knew, just like the United Nations Security Council and intelligence agencies across the world and previous administrations, that Saddam Hussein...had large, unaccounted for stockpiles of biological and chemical weapons....We knew all these facts. Then came September 11th."

Wrong. And since I was there in the White House briefing room, I pointed out this was not the case, noting that Secretary of State Colin Powell had said in early 2001 that there were no stockpiles ("Hussein has not developed any significant capability with respect to weapons of mass destruction"), that the Defense Intelligence Agency in September 2002 had concluded there was no "reliable information" on whether Iraq had chemical weapons stockpiles, and that the UN inspectors had not said there were WMD stockpiles. "Where are you getting your information?" I asked. Referring to the Powell statement, McClellan said, "That's not what he said....I think you're mischaracterizing Secretary Powell's comments." But it was what he said in 2001, I countered. McClellan then claimed "it was well documented by the United Nations Security Council that there were undocumented stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons." No, I said, and referred to Rolf Ekeus, the former executive chairman of the UN inspections in the 1990s. In a 2000 interview, Ekeus said, "There are no large quantities of weapons . I don't think that Iraq is especially eager in the biological and chemical area to produce such weapons for storage. Iraq views those weapons as tactical assets instead of strategic assets, which would require long-term storage of those elements, which is difficult. Rather, Iraq has been aiming to keep the capability to start up production immediately should it need to."

McClellan did not counter facts with facts. Instead, he tossed out rhetoric: "America is safer, the world is better, the world is safer because Saddam Hussein and his brutal regime have been removed from power."

http://www.thenation.com/capitalgames/index.mhtml?bid=3&pid=982

The fourth estate smells scandal. Everyone wants to be famous for breaking Wilsongate.

[Brotherjohn]

14. "unaccounted for stockpiles" is another way of saying "nonexistent"...

... stockpiles.

[msmcghee]

9. Check out this concurent thread started by "Oaf of Office"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=436540&mesg_id=436540

Interesting theory that makes a lot of sense to me.

[Beetwasher]

10. Too bad for them that THERE'S MORE COMING

You can bet on it. The CIA has the whole thing set up. They would not have made this move without all their ducks in a row. They know that to keep this alive the press will need a steady diet of new information. Believe me, these are professionals, they've chosen sides against this admin. If they know what they're doing, and they do, this is far from the end of it.

[Tatiana]

12. Timing is everything!

Tenet timed this one perfectly to do the most damage.

[msmcghee]

13. But I thought Tenet was in the puke's pockets.

Even though Clinton appointed him - he did everything he could to help the pukes impeach and discredit him.

Do you think he really is ready to go after the neo-Cons?

Or do you think that after delaying two months for the WH to get things set up with Asscroft for a fake investigation that will uncover nothing - he's just following the preplanned script that will appear to follow the rule of law - but will end nowhere?

[Tatiana]

15. Bush tried to pin the failed intelligence on the CIA

CIA Director George J. Tenet successfully intervened with White House officials to have a reference to Iraq seeking uranium from Niger removed from a presidential speech last October, three months before a less specific reference to the same intelligence appeared in the State of the Union address, according to senior administration officials.

Tenet argued personally to White House officials, including deputy national security adviser Stephen Hadley, that the allegation should not be used because it came from only a single source, according to one senior official. Another senior official with knowledge of the intelligence said the CIA had doubts about the accuracy of the documents underlying the allegation, which months later turned out to be forged.

The new disclosure suggests how eager the White House was in January to make Iraq's nuclear program a part of its case against Saddam Hussein even in the face of earlier objections by its own CIA director. It also appears to raise questions about the administration's explanation of how the faulty allegations were included in the State of the Union speech.

more....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A48847-2003Jul12?language=printer

[Brotherjohn]

19. This is "personal"... WH against CIA.

The WH has done everything in their power to blemish the reputation of the CIA, and tenet, regarding Iraq AND 9-11; including trying to set him up as the fall guy for the "16 words".

Tenet may have loyalities in various places, but I suggest they are as strong if not stonger for the CIA and old-style republicanism more than the neocon fruitcakes screwing things up so badly today. And as the head of the CIA, he more than anyone has seen how badly they are screwing things up.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

20. Tenet is the appointed CIA Director and nothing more...

...but it's the CIA rank and file that's driving this train. The Bushies betrayed one of their own, and that's not acceptable.

Some think that JFK's lack of support for the Bay of Pigs operation led directly to his assassination. If true, and more indications point that way than not, those guys play rough, and they play for keeps.

[strauss_sucks]

22. George HW Bush Center for Intelligence

Do you really think the boys at the "George HW Bush Center for Intelligence" are going to go after W.?

http://www.cia.gov/cia/public_affairs/speeches/1999/photo042699.html

[Media_Lies_Daily]

17. Yep...my thoughts exactly. The gloves are off.

[Padraig18]

16. The ONLY reasons I don't agree

1.) CIA vs. FBI--- a chance to settle some 'old scores'.

2.) Campaign season--- EVERy Democrat smells blood in the water.

[Brian Sweat]

18. This isn't the mechanical bull at Gilley's that stops bucking after 8 sec.

This bull is going to keep bucking until someone gets thrown.

[Q]

23. Did you know that Ken Lay is still free...

...and that he's a good buddy of the Bush family? Did you know that Bush* used Ken Lay's corporate jet to fly around the country during the 2000 campaign?

- When will Democrats realize that the Bushies will NEVER be held accountable for anything as long as they insist that the US is 'fighting a war on terrorism'? Given that this war is suppose to last for 'generations'...they'll NEVER be held accountable.