Valerie Plum, Valerie Flame, Scooter must be living in his novel.

[kohodog]

Today various media sources (including AAR and CNN) are talking about Cheney giving the name of "Valerie Plum" to Scooter. He talks to Judith Miller about "Valerie Flame" though this is in another section of her notes and she can't quite remember who she spojke to about this. Seems to me that this kind of clumsy "spy" stuff shows that Cheney and Libby knew exactly what they were doing and they were tyring to maintain deniability.

Even though they may have had clearance and could leagally talk to each other, it seems to me like they are both going to be implicated in a conspiracy to out a NOC.

[meg]

1. Having clearance does NOT mean

that you can discuss any and all information or data. There is a need-to-know component. Did Scooter have a need to know that Wilson's wife worked for the CIA? Did Scooter need to know that fact in order to punish Wilson?

If Scooter needed to know in order to evaluate Wilson's report, maybe. But there is no valid need-to-know in order to punish Wilson.

Hummm. Maybe the Rove and Libby spin that they weren't out to punish Wilson should be interpreted in the need-to-know light.

[LiberalEsto]

2. It was VP Mustard...

in the drawing room...with a set of leaky notes