Bush Tells Staff to Cooperate on CIA Leak (but no demand for reporter)

[papau]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=544&ncid=703&e=6&u=/ap/20040106/ap_on_go_pr_wh/cia_leak

Bush Tells Staff to Cooperate on CIA Leak
By DEB RIECHMANN, Associated Press Writer

ST. LOUIS - President Bush wants his staff to cooperate with investigators trying to find out whether a Bush administration official leaked a CIA operative's name, but the White House won't say whether he'll ask staffers to release reporters from confidentiality agreements.

Signing such confidentiality waiver forms could persuade reporters to disclose their confidential sources. That might help investigators find out if a Bush administration official leaked the name of Valerie Plame, an undercover CIA officer, to syndicated columnist Robert Novak in July.

Plame is married to former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson, who has said he thinks his wife's identity was disclosed to discredit his assertions that the Bush administration exaggerated Iraq's nuclear capabilities to build a case for war. <snip>

[Kayla]

1. This stinks!

It is a direct attack on the press.

Coersion.

It's all twisted up. Reminds me of the rationale that we have to give up liberty for safety. Yeah? Give up liberty, you won't have any safety!

Hold on...this is going to be a bumpy ride.

[JasonDeter]

2. I thought bushie already told his staff to cooperate with johnny ashcroft

Why does he need to tell them again?

[truthisfreedom]

3. i like the request, no matter the result. if they refuse to sign releases

for the confidentiality agreements, they look like they are hiding something. if they do sign the releases, we might find out something. yes, it's tough on the reporters, but it might be worth the outcome.