Wilson: Bush* Not Party to Leak

[kskiska]

Ex-Diplomat Says He and Wife Are Taking Security Precautions

By Walter Pincus

Former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV said yesterday that the leak of his wife's name as a covert CIA official by Bush administration officials last July could have been for revenge or to undercut his criticisms of the Iraq war or to intimidate other government insiders from talking to journalists.

"I do believe, however, that the president would never have condoned or been party to anything like this," he said yesterday on NBC's "Meet the Press."

The Justice Department has begun an investigation into the unauthorized disclosure of the name of Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame, who served in the CIA's operations division and acted clandestinely under what is called non-official cover. That means she worked in a position not associated with the U.S. government and when overseas on a spy mission was not protected by diplomatic immunity.

(snip)

He also said on "Meet the Press" that he had been contacted by a publisher about writing a book and will attend a book fair in Germany next week to test the market. He said he first turned down the suggestion that he go, but changed his mind after publication of the fact he was considering it.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47562-2003Oct5.html

[goforit]

1. You do what you have to do!!!!........WE're proud of you!!!

Go wilson!!


:bounce:

[diplomats]

2. This kind of statement helps undercut the argument

that he's partisan. Also, it implies Bush has no idea what the people in his admin. are doing - not exactly a compliment.

[Gman]

15. Exactly, it takes partisanship out of it. But...

Wilson's statement in no way means the FI wasn't involved. I think he likely was as he has a known penchant for dirty tricks politics. He was very close with Lee Attwater, you know.

[arwalden]

16. My Thoughts EXACTLY....

Thanks for expressing them BETTER than I would have been able to.

Bush is definitely clueless. This is ever so apparent whenever he does a cold-reading of a speech or "prepared remarks" that is shoved into his hands as they shove him out on stage or in front of a microphone. --- The lack of his extemporaneous remarks and unscripted press conferences is just appaling... but expected. (But, I digress... sorry.)

-- Allen

[PurityOfEssence]

3. This is the same mistake that Clinton made

Why say anything? If asked, why not just say: "I have no idea whether he knew or not". One doesn't have to suck up to these scumbags by once again chorusing what a fine fellow Junior is and how he's above such things. It's not like they're going to play nice, after all. It can easily be fluffed, and if asked directly it can be dismissed out of hand.

This "Junior's a sterling chap" bullshit needs to stop. There's no reason to even comment on it.

It's imperative that Junior is seen as the vicious little dick that he is; giving him cover is completely counterproductive.

Lest we forget, this kind of statement is also dangerous: it could lead to having Wilson attacked for making assumptions about things of which he really has no idea.

He's a smart guy and a decent person, and even though he speaks well and has a truthful persona, it's obvious that the public forum isn't his home turf.

[TacticalPeek]

7. Or its a perfect diplomatic finesse.

With no clear evidence that aWol's prints are on the gun yet, its wise to inocculate yourself by granting benefit of the doubt, particularly as your opposition's main move now is to try politicizing this. When the prints are later found, this increases the shame and ignominy for Shrub.

Clinton's move also was appropos the long-term strategy. You may recall the dismay that the Big Dog was seemingly making the sixteen words go away. Misplaced dismay, it was simply a matter of duck lining-up. You do notice that the sixteen words have not gone away, and the way is being made clear for this maladministration to crash and burn.

Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast. Slow is fast.

[PurityOfEssence]

11. Why not just say nothing?

We've already heard the endless chorusing about him having "changed his story"; why open himself up to further correction?

Your point is well taken, but the idea of giving them the benefit of the doubt so one can claim impartiality or gentlemanliness is premised upon fairplay and decency from the other side. Wilson's hated and dismissed by the conservatives now, and nothing will ever change that. The fact that even a rabid anti-American Bush basher still presumes ethical behavior from Junior just serves as more proof of the King's honorable nature. This is unnecessary.

It would have been better for Wilson to have fluffed it completely and said nothing. That would have given them no sound bite, no furtherance of the honorable character myth and no reason to besmirch Wilson if he decides to sue.

It's really simple: say nothing.

Bush should be part of the investigation, too, since he is a high administration official.

[benfranklin1776]

27. I agree. Far too soon to draw that blanket conclusion.

Remember Junior has a control fetish so his underlings would not likely do something that Junior did not approve of explicitly or implicitly. Like Nixon Junior could have given some vague instruction to "get" that "SOB" and his underlings did what they thought would please the boss. Who knows where a complete investigation by a truly independent counsel would lead.

[Unknown Known]

4. Chuck Hagel said that the government should protect Wilson's wife

But, then again, I don't think I'd trust Chuck Hagel:scared:

[Nottingham]

5. Write a Book Wilson and its gonna be a #1 Best seller

:bounce:

Thanks Rove!

[tlb]

12. Book talk opens Wilson to the Linda Tripp comparison.

Many disregarded or discredited her on the basis she and Lucianne Goldberg just wanted a book out of attacking the president.

[madrchsod]

6. they are treating bush the

same way they treated reagan-need to know-don`t wake him up after nine,and make sure he makes the next fund raiser

[kentuck]

8. Some said the same about Nixon...

during Watergate..

[leetrisck]

9. Of course Slimy Shrub would do it

and probably did - he placed the Wilson children in danger also for the rest of their lives.

[booksenkatz]

10. Ah, yes, the Bush family

is always "out of the loop" at the most convenient times, isn't it?

[Jinx]

13. Needs to stop changing his story.

This guy needs to just sit back and let the investigation run its course. All these comments he makes, and the subsequent backtracking, makes him look like an unstable kook. And comments like "We were just wondering who was going to play my wife in the movie" or how he's going to write a book about it just make him look like a profiteer.

He needs to let the CIA do the complaining, and stop making himself look, well, unreliable. I don't want to see this opportunity get screwed up by someone who doesn't know when to shut their mouth.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

18. "Stop changing his story"?? Where exactly has he changed his story?...

Has he said anything that would contradict the basics of his story to date? Where has he backtracked and when? And guess what? It doesn't matter what he says in public, or what the media reports he says...it's what he has sworn to in the official documents that counts.

"Unstable kook"?? "Unreliable"? "Profiteer"? Interesting comments.

[spooked]

14. THAT'S how SCARED he is!

He knows he's got to come out protecting the Resident. Sad.

[Cheswick2.0]

17. I disagree with him

Does he really think bush was not party to this? He is in denial.

[Frodo]

19. How could he know one way or the other???

Why make susch a statement? First he comes out as sure that Rove was behind the leak, then he says he made that part up in the heat of the moment (but was sure he at least knew about it), now he's sure Bush had nothing to do with it?

This just confuses the whole issue. Why not just let it play out without additional comment? Is he a news seeker or something?

I'm not sure that Bush & Rove sleep in seperate rooms, let alone have one of them leak something that the other on knows nothing about.

[janx]

25. Wilson is a diplomat. Think about it. If he knew Chimpy

had condoned such a thing, it might be in his interest currently to pretend that he did not know it.

[Frodo]

26. Maybe... but he hasn't acted very "diplomatic" up until now.

Not a knock, but he's been pretty vocal about what he thought happened. I can't imagine going easy on Bush while skewering Rove.

[msmcghee]

20. I think it's highly probable . .

. . that Bush* signed off on the existing WH program to use political punishment against those they suspected of leaking information. That program of harrassment and intimidation of some congressmen has been ongoing and has been covered in the news.

I also find it reasonable to believe that Plame's outing was discussed with Bush* - at least after the fact in a "high five" kind of discussion with whomever executed the actual leak to Novak, or possibly that person's boss.

I am almost certain he was informed of the first notice from the CIA back in July that they were a bit upset that one of their operatives had been outed - and was probably reassured at the time that "this would go away" if we ignore it.

I mean, I have watched West Wing a few times. :donut:

On edit: After reflection, I guess it's also possible Cheney's running this operation and keeping Bush* out of the loop.

[havocmom]

21. Has anyone considered his remarks may be an attempt to offer peace

instead of outright war between CIA and the excutive branch? Johnson's message to bush* when on Nightline was to "call off the dogs" and Wilson comes out next day and suggests he doesn't think bush* was involved in the outing. Like, 'Give us the guilty parties and we will fix the situation. Stonewall and we take the gloves off.'

Perhaps the spooks are trying to play within the rules and trying to get the office of the President to start being in charge as it is supposed to be. Sort of a "get your troops under control" firm suggestion. If so, I would guess it was a last chance warning shot.

Any further stonewalling will probably be considered proof that the whole executive branch will have be taken down. As many of the CIA lifers seem to be geunine in their devotion to this nation and the principles is was founded on, wouldn't it be fair to assume they would try diligently to avoid a coup. Problem is, this malAdministration just doesn't share their respect for the instutuions of governance and the 'Office of the President' like they claimed to when they were attacking Clinton all the time.

[BQueen]

23. Intriguing and credible theory, havocmom

I don't have the link, but someone here posted a William Kristol editorial (?) which contained all kinds of veiled advice beneath the obvious message to act decisively now.

I worked with slimy Rethugs for many years, and what you describe is exactly how career public servants attempt to rein in "problem" leaders. You gradually force them to realize that their only option is to do the right thing, even if for the wrong reason, like to save their sorry butts. They seem incapable of seeing the rippling consequences of their actions, so those repercussions have to be spelled out to them in the language of veiled threats that they traffic in and understand.

I believe the spooks generally are devoted, and are uniquely positioned to understand how Dubya's war(s) have destabilized everything, here and abroad. They know taking on the WH would divert resources and attention from hot-spots Dubya has created or exacerbated. They may even think that it's just "one more year until we're rid of him." (Which I think is a dangerous gambit. A year is a long time.)

It is noteworthy that Wilson made such a definitive statement, rather than just saying that he "couldn't imagine that" or even "would be astonished if" it went up to Dubya. (When people say they trust that idiot to do the right thing, I can't help but ask "On what evidence?") I'm sure Rove got a guffaw out of that - it's a red flag.

It does seem like that's the code, sort of like a veiled public offer of immunity. "Give 'em up and we'll just say Wilson was right about you. Stonewall and you're a suspect doing the perp walk."

Your call feels right to me.

[On the Road]

22. He's a Career DIPLOMAT !

So no one should be surprised if Wilson gives a DIPLOMATIC response. Of course he doesn't know one way or the other.

I'm surprised at all the things people are reading into Wilson's comments. He is getting trememdous publicity for the scandal. He has been on talk shows a lot. He is asked questions to which he has to reply. There's nothing particularly wrong with any of his responses.

What struck me this morninng listening to a CSPAN call-in radio program on the Wilson/Plame affair was the anti-Wilson callers. My God, these people have to contort themselves into pretzels to come up with any defense! I can't believe I'm the only listener who thinks it strange that RW's are blaming the CIA -- for not objecting strongly enough to publishing Plame's identity. This is not going to wash with too many independent-minded voters.

[enki23]

24. remember waaay back when shrub was just a candidate...

and any qualms about his inexperience were responded to with something like "i will surround myself with capable people?" the idea was that shrub would be ultimately responsible for all the good his "people" did. that's how being a "manager" works. (god i fucking hate "managers")

so, just a stupid question, but WHY THE FUCK DOESN'T APPLY WHEN THEY DO BAD THINGS?

he appointed them, or appointed the people who appointed them. or so the theory goes. when his people do wrong, it IS his fucking fault. the party of "personal responsibility" needs, finally, accept some personal fucking responsibility for once.

enki
(is getting pissed off just before heading off to work and to school, where he will likely get to read a o'reilly column in the university newspaper telling him how this all proves the integrity of the bush whitehouse, and who wishes like hell he were going to school someplace that isn't the deep fucking south. /rant)