A question about Karl Rove "releasing" Cooper from his source?

[kentuck]

It has been reported that Karl Rove or his attorney released Matt Cooper from refraining to expose his "source. But, wasn't that after the fact? Wasn't Cooper already going to say that Rove was the source? What reason could there be to release him after the fact? Perhaps to make it appear that Rove is cooperating with the special prosecutor and that he has nothing to hide? Would he have "released" Cooper if he didn't already know Cooper was going to expose him? Just curious about this little point...

[Goldmund]

1. Yes

He released Cooper after TIME had already handed over his notes, which clearly implicated Rove.

[damntexdem]

5. But if he wants to make it look like he's cooperating, ...

even belatedly, then that suggests that he has a reason to need to look like he's cooperating.

[arwalden]

2. Posturing. Embarrassment.

Like the little boy who trips over his own shoelaces... and when his friends giggle at his situation, he responds with "I-meant-to-do-that-on-purpose" to hide his own clumsiness.

[cally]

3. Cooper was going to jail because he would not testify

Time released their notes from Cooper but Cooper did not release his. Time would have been liable for large fines if they didn't abide by the law. Some have speculated that their lawyers were worried that they could be sued by stockholders for not doing their fiduciary duty.

My speculation is that Rove released him because many reporters knew Rove was the leaker and their sympathies were with Cooper. The press might have turned on Rove (like that would ever happen.) Most hate Miller so there's less chance of press retaliation with her.

[eleny]

4. I've pondered this and pondered it

Someone recently wrote that this kind of game is up Rove's alley. To beat the odds. A "come and get me" attitude. I think that Rove may be banking on the ace in the hole - the word "knowingly". Rove may be concentrating on the treason aspect of all this. Meantime, Fitzgerald is trying to lock down perjury and obstruction of justice instead.

Besides, Rove knows that Bush can pardon him. Rove is used to being on the outside of normal life anyway. Weinberger never suffered in his life after his pardon. Why should Rove? A pardon wipes the slate clean as it's the final act of defiance, the last thumbing of the nose. So long as he doesn't have to go to jail, what does he care? He'll go back to Texas and live among his sycophants.

[damntexdem]

6. But a Dubya pardon of Rove ...

would look just a tad bad. Hey, the pardon's generally get handed out, when the game is about over.

[eleny]

9. Daddy Bush pardoned Casper Weinberger before the fact

About it looking "just a tad bad" - let me say this. I don't think that sociopaths like Bush and Rove give one good god damn about how it looks. They lied us into war and they don't care.

These people live in a whole different realm than folks like you and me. We would worry about how our reputations affect our families. We worry about facing our neighbors when we go to the store. But Bush, Rove and that sort don't live in our sort of world. They'll live on their enormous ranches or behind the walls of gated communitites. Their neighbors aren't like us, either. These people are the super rich and powerful of the world. They walk and live amongst themselves. Do you think Rove ever goes down to the corner for a pack of smokes or a quart of milk?

All Rove cares about now is staying out of jail and thumbing his nose at us while he's at it. And after this episode, when it's all over - he'll spend the rest of his miserable life trying to get even with us. And he'll start with Fitzgerald.

[Pithy Cherub]

7. Rove wants it to appear that the WH cooperated

all through the process. He probably had signed that release before when asked early in the investigation.

A question for the prosecutor to ask Cooper:
Once the release was signed, what was the nature of the subsequent discussions you had with Rove about what that release signature meant?

Hmmmm, interesting answer could come from that. :freak:

[pk_du]

8. In typical Rove fashion - trying to put the "Blossom" on the "Turd"

Time had already handed over the goods. Cooper was going to martyr himself..for little reason , once his emails/notes were handed over. Rove then saw the chance t make himself look "good" by releasing him.

[wurzel]

10. Making a virtue of necessity?