Bush says he expects thorough leak probe

[diplomats]

WASHINGTON - President Bush, under pressure from Democrats to name a special prosecutor, said Monday he is confident the Justice Department can thoroughly investigate the leak of an undercover CIA officer's identity.
"We will cooperate fully with the Justice Department. I have every confidence in the world that the Justice Department will do a good, thorough job," Bush said during a joint news conference at the White House with Mwai Kibaki, president of Kenya.
Bush, who called the leak a "criminal matter," said he did not know who leaked the information. "You hear all kinds of rumors," he said. Leading Democrats have called for a special prosecutor, saying the administration cannot investigate itself.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan said if the leaker is identified, he or she will be dismissed.
"If anyone in this administration was responsible for the leaking of classified information, they would no longer be working in this administration," he said.

more ...

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=544&e=4&u=/ap/20031006/ap_on_go_pr_wh/cia_leak

I noticed they've started calling this a serious matter and have stopped smearing Wilson. Hmm...

[Beetwasher]

1. Umm, am I the only one who finds something a little "off color" about

that title? :shrug:

[RobertSeattle]

6. Ouch

Q: What did Novak say to his Secretary prior to meeting with "2 High Senior" administration officials in July?

A: "I'm going to go take a leak"

[diplomats]

8. That's the title of the article verbatim

believe it or not!

[CO Liberal]

2. Are They Gonna Catheterize Him????

:-)

[radfringe]

3. yup

he's going to find the leaker and then PLUG him

[Flubadubya]

4. His luck finding bad guys...

is flat out zero. That must really have him stoked! He can't find Saddam, hasn't smoked out Osama... hell he doesn't have anything to worry about.

[Evil_Dewers]

5. Bush consents to anal probe

anal leakage cited as source of CIA officer's identity.

Others anally probed by John Asscrack's Justice Department investigation:

Scooter Libby
Ari Fleischer
Richard "Dick" Cheney
KKKarl Rove

[davidinalameda]

7. can we all say

BULLSHIT!

I wonder if Bushie kept a straight face while he was saying this

[diplomats]

9. That's why I posted this

As Josh Marshall said, all Bush has to do is find out who the leaker(s) is himself and turn him or her over. But he obviously doesn't want to do this because it's someone very high up in the administration.

[izzie]

10. Why worry the guy will have a job in the next GOP in WH.

Every one they let off from one group of crooks the next hires him on. If you do not win the election you run in you are also on for the next 4 years. As if the voters do not count. We do not wish you in our state so Bush's put him into the federal gov.

[Jinx]

14. straight faces

I dunno, I didn't see it so I couldn't count the number of times he sneered or smirked while saying it.

[skip fox]

11. Wait til he finds out Lewis (Scooter) Libby prob, leaked.

Reports originally said (erroneously, as it turned out) that Wilson was sent to Niger directly at the behest of the Vice-President's Office. Who would Novak have called first in those days following Wilson's July 6, 2003 Op-Ed in _The NY Times_? The Office of the Vice-President, naturally. The initial leak most like came from this office. Full argument with links:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=15184

[bigtime]

12. yes he expects the probe to be thorough

very very very thorough. so thorough it could take years. or at least until people forget about it. that's what he wants and expects.

[DoYouEverWonder]

13. When someone on your staff commits a felony

Isn't it your job to find out who it is?

There shouldn't even be a need for a DOJ investigation. W should tell his staff he is holding a press conference in the morning and that at that conference he will be announcing the resignation of the two high level officials that Novak quoted. Then between now and then it is up to the parties responsible to see him in his office. Nothing less will do.

[PurityOfEssence]

15. Will he be PERSONALLY investigated? He IS a high administration official

after all.

Especially after the sun's over the yardarm and Karl comes in with that big ol' pick-me-up.

I'm serious about this: they keep saying "the staff" and whatever, well, he works at the White House and he is our employee; he needs to be wired up to the machine too, if that's the plan.

[0007]

16. Jays'us this is worse than the WWF!

Maybe junior can ask Novak confidentially to help liminate those two rats, and take a hit for the Grand 'Ol Party?

The moon walking clowns.