StarTribune: Spinning/Full bore on Wilson-Plame

[scarletwoman]

Latest StarTribune editorial -- they are SLAMMIN' the Bushies!

http://www.startribune.com/stories/561/4130790.html

The White House and its friends are a wonder to behold when they're trying to spin the truth into something more politically convenient. They're going all out on Wilson-Plame-Gate.

<snip>

A prominent part of the spin-and-smear operation is the argument that Wilson was a Clinton appointee and gave money to both Al Gore and John Kerry. As Wilson points out, he was originally appointed by the first President Bush, who held him in high regard, especially for putting his life on the line to shield hundreds of Americans from Saddam Hussein during the Gulf War. And what the spin-and-smear practitioners don't tell is that he also donated to the current President Bush and other Republicans.

Be aware also of the White House effort to turn this whole thing into a general "classified information" issue. It's not. There is classified information -- from confidential to top secret and beyond -- and there's classified information. Blowing the cover of an intelligence operative is both morally and legally indefensible. Consider, too, that Novak used the name "Valerie Plame" when she now goes by Valerie Wilson. She used her maiden name when she worked undercover abroad in what is called "nonofficial" status. That means she wasn't using an embassy cover; she was out on her own, without a safety net for herself or her informants. How many informants were blown by Novak's column?

<snip>

Bush changed the subject, from Wilson-Plame to too danged many leaks in Washington. He didn't say whether a special counsel would be better, and in the end, he fell to meekly asking people to come forward if they have information. What does it take to get Bush fired up and ready to take names and kick backsides? Blowing the cover of a CIA agent apparently doesn't meet that test.

:evilgrin:

sw

[gristy]

1. Now THAT is going to generate a few letters to my beloved

Star Tribune. I find this sentence particularly interesting:

Be aware also of the White House effort to turn this whole thing into a general "classified information" issue. It's not.

The editorial writer is writing as if she is speaking directly to the reader, and is actually imploring the reader to "be aware". That is a level of involvement that doesn't usually get expressed on the editorial page. The sentence would normally get written like this:

The White House is making an effort to turn this whole thing into a general "classified information" issue. It's not.

Very, very interesting.

[agates]

2. Another excellet editorial

from the Star-Tribune.

<snip> The person who blew Plame's cover is columnist Robert Novak, in a July 14 column. What he did was irresponsible in the extreme, and now he's frantically trying to cover his backside. <snip>

I watched Yohack, I mean Novack, stretching to try to cya on Wolf on CNN this afternoon. Pathetic.

[Rebel_with_a_cause]

3. Outstanding must read

Go MN!

[Francis]

4. Falling Meekly ?

<< Bush changed the subject, from Wilson-Plame to too danged many leaks in Washington. He didn't say whether a special counsel would be better, and in the end, he fell to meekly asking people to come forward if they have information.

That wasn't my take on this. it's a strategy that was first aired at the WH press conference. It's a challenge to the reporters, they know who leaked and it's the white house saying come forward if you dare
knowing that should the hapless hack come forward his/her career as a political journo is finished