WP: Magazine: Bradlee Knows Woodward's Source on Plame

[sabra]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/13/AR2006031301904_pf.html

Magazine: Bradlee Knows Woodward's Source on Plame

By Jim VandeHei
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 14, 2006; A02


Vanity Fair is reporting that former Washington Post executive editor Ben Bradlee says it is reasonable to assume former State Department official Richard L. Armitage is likely the source who revealed CIA operative Valerie Plame's name to Post Assistant Managing Editor Bob Woodward.

In an article to be published in the magazine today, Bradlee is quoted as saying: "That Armitage is the likely source is a fair assumption." Armitage was deputy secretary of State in President Bush's first term.

In an interview yesterday, Bradlee said he does know the identity of Woodward's source but does not recall making that precise statement to a Vanity Fair reporter. He said he has no interest in unmasking the official who first told Woodward about Plame in June 2003.

"I don't think I said it," Bradlee said. "I know who his source is, and I don't want to get into it. . . . I have not told a soul who it is."

[Jacobin]

1. smoke and mirrors

Armitage doesn't seem the type to me at all.

I think Bradless is a neo con enabling asshole and a lying motherfucker

[hatrack]

2. You got it, Jacobin

This most definitely does NOT pass the smell test. Armitage is to hell and gone from the Neocons, and I just plain don't buy it.

[Born Free]

12. What does it matter?

It doesn't matter, it means nothing, as long as they run the show nothing will come of it. If they find law breeaking, they just change the law

[lala_rawraw]

3. Ah no, if you read it, he denies

Saying that VF and even if he did say it, he did not name him as source in VF piece. It is a mess. I know the source. I stand by what I wrote. Armitage is an easy target.

[sabra]

4. lala there seems to be much Plamegate talk of late, is something brewing?

Rove indictment? :-)

[lala_rawraw]

5. you are right to say something is brewing

[sabra]

6. any teasers ? :-)

[lala_rawraw]

10. nope... not because I don't want to report something, bt

because until things are verified, there is no news to report... so we all wait together:)

[Barrett808]

22. Now I'm cuious -- Lala, are you a reporter?

Because that would be cool.

[jaysunb]

7. I thought Armitage was one of the half decent ones

maybe I got him mixed up ??????

[lovuian]

8. Woodward is going to have to do better than that

all I can say is I hope they have the proof and not hear say!!!

[bain_sidhe]

9. He said it was *reasonable*

He didn't say it was *true*.

My take is, he's blowing smoke, by seeming to agree without actually agreeing.

[sandnsea]

11. Oh for chrissake it's Bolton

No way in hell is it Armitage, I wouldn't believe he'd do that for one minute, especially at the time it was done. This has Bolton all over it. Maybe Fitz can haul Bradlee in and question him too.

[Lerkfish]

21. I agree its Bolton. why else the jailcell visits to Miller?

Armitage is a red herring being thrown out to muddy the trail.

[Dogmudgeon]

13. It was Colonel Mustard - in the Conservatory - with the Candlestick

The CIA is hot on the trail even as we speak.

--p!
They're not Clueless.

[DemReadingDU]

14. It was Cheny in the White House with a shotgun! n/t

[kysrsoze]

17. Hehe! Outstanding!

:yourock:

[sandnsea]

24. Clue, The White House Edition

now that's a boardgame!

[stop the bleeding]

15. Armitage makes a stronger case for Fitz to get Rice, Rove and Cheney

see this thread and in particular starting at 06/10/2003 and then Armitage comes in at the next date.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=501914&mesg_id=508795

This article(VF/WP) is trying to make it sound like Fitz's case against Fibby is weak.

Oh no no no no...

Fibby is charged with Obstruction of Justice, Lying, and Perjury when the leak happened and who the source has nothing to do with this case.

Now look at the Armitage/memo/Rice time line - Armitage makes a pretty good witness for Fitz's case if you ask me.

If you are really interested read the whole counterpunch article it is full of details, also the thread that this response is on is also worth reading.

[stop the bleeding]

16. .

Kick!

[DeepModem Mom]

18. NYT: Ex-State Official (Armitage) Called Likely Leak Source (by Bradlee)

Ex-State Official Called Likely Leak Source
By DAVID JOHNSTON
Published: March 15, 2006


WASHINGTON, March 14 — A former executive editor of The Washington Post was quoted in a magazine article published Tuesday as saying that Richard L. Armitage, a former deputy secretary of state, likely was the official who revealed the identity of the intelligence officer at the center of the C.I.A. leak case to Bob Woodward, an editor and reporter for The Post.

Benjamin C. Bradlee, the Post editor who guided Mr. Woodward's Watergate reporting, is quoted in the article about the leak investigation in the April issue of Vanity Fair as saying, "That Armitage is the likely source is a fair assumption."

The assertion attributed to Mr. Bradlee added the weight of one of the country's best-known editors to months of speculation that Mr. Armitage could be Mr. Woodward's source....

***

In an interview, Mr. Bradlee said that he had been told about Mr. Woodward's source although he did not recall saying the exact words attributed to him by the Vanity Fair reporter. Mr. Bradlee said his information about Mr. Armitage was imprecise, although he said Mr. Armitage's identification as Mr. Woodward's source was "an inference that could be drawn."

A spokesman for Vanity Fair defended the accuracy of the quotes, saying that the author of the article, Marie Brenner, said that she had tape recorded Mr. Bradlee's comments....


http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/15/politics/15leak.html

[Cocoa]

19. I smell bullshit

[npincus]

20. Richard Armitage Likely Plame Identity Leaker

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/15/politics/15leak.html?ei=5090&en=9c7b0d243e8843be&ex=1300078800&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=print

So, Armitage is probably Woodward's source. Was he Novak's source (along with Rove)? Why would Armitage be blabbering about this? Wasn't he aligned with Colin Powell and not the neocon hawks, so less inclined to want to smear Joe Wilson?

Thoughts?


WASHINGTON, March 14 — A former executive editor of The Washington Post was quoted in a magazine article published Tuesday as saying that Richard L. Armitage, a former deputy secretary of state, likely was the official who revealed the identity of the intelligence officer at the center of the C.I.A. leak case to Bob Woodward, an editor and reporter for The Post.

Benjamin C. Bradlee, the Post editor who guided Mr. Woodward's Watergate reporting, is quoted in the article about the leak investigation in the April issue of Vanity Fair as saying, "That Armitage is the likely source is a fair assumption."

<snip>

In an article last November, Mr. Woodward said he would not name his source, but he has written that the person who told him about Ms. Wilson was a former or current government official and longtime source who told him about her in an offhand manner at the end of a lengthy interview.

<snip>

Mr. Novak has also been silent about his source, although he has written that the person was a government official who was not a "partisan gunslinger." Mr. Novak named Ms. Wilson in a column on July 14, 2003, after Ms. Wilson's husband, former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, publicly criticized the Bush administration as twisting intelligence about Iraq's weapons programs in months preceding the war.

[depakid]

23. Like anything coming out of the Post has the slightest credibility

Just another in a long series of sorry events in their decline.

Good thing Katherine Graham isn't alive to see it.