Top Rove and Cheney aides set out to destroy Ambassador......

[whistle]

...Joseph Wilson's credibility when his findings failed to agree with the White House rationale to go to war with Iraq. And guess what other name pops up as co-conspirator in this White House thieves of Staff cabal to destroy Wilson....Ari Fleischer! Good read.

<snip>
From the Los Angeles Times
THE NATION

Top Aides Reportedly Set Sights on Wilson
Rove and Cheney chief of staff were intent on discrediting CIA agent's husband, prosecutors have been told.
By Tom Hamburger and Peter Wallsten
Times Staff Writers

July 18, 2005

WASHINGTON -- Top aides to President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney were intensely focused on discrediting former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV in the days after he wrote an op-ed article for the New York Times suggesting the administration manipulated intelligence to justify going to war in Iraq, federal investigators have been told.

Prosecutors investigating whether administration officials illegally leaked the identity of Wilson's wife, a CIA officer who had worked undercover, have been told that Bush's top political strategist, Karl Rove, and Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, were especially intent on undercutting Wilson's credibility, according to people familiar with the inquiry.

Although lower-level White House staffers typically handle most contacts with the media, Rove and Libby began personally communicating with reporters about Wilson, prosecutors were told.

A source directly familiar with information provided to prosecutors said Rove's interest was so strong that it prompted questions in the White House. When asked at one point why he was pursuing the diplomat so aggressively, Rove reportedly responded: "He's a Democrat." Rove then cited Wilson's campaign donations, which leaned toward Democrats, the person familiar with the case said.

The disclosures about the officials' roles illustrate White House concern about Wilson's July 6, 2003, article, which challenged the administration's assertion that Iraq had sought to purchase nuclear materials. Wilson's article appeared as Rove and other Bush aides were preparing the 2004 reelection campaign strategy, which was built largely around the president's response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein.


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<link> http://ktla.trb.com/news/nationworld/nation/ktla-na-leak18jul18-lat,0,5891639.story?coll=ktla-news-1

[Ganja Ninja]

1. Seems like everybody was involved but Bush.

What are the chances of that happening?

[Brotherjohn]

2. So he really IS like Reagan! (nt)

[mmonk]

4. similar to a snow ball's chance

in hell.

[whistle]

7. Bush is too stupid to be let in on such secrets.....

....BushCo knows that he can't be trusted to keep the secrets under his hat.

[dogday]

3. I like this part

Activities aboard Air Force One are also of interest to prosecutors — including the possible distribution of a State Department memo that mentioned Wilson's wife. Prosecutors are seeking to find out whether anyone who saw the memo learned Plame's identity and passed the information to journalists. Telephone logs from the presidential aircraft have been subpoenaed. Among those aboard was former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, who has testified.

One of the sources familiar with the investigation said Saturday that prosecutors had obtained a White House call sheet showing that Novak left a message for Fleischer the day after Wilson's op-ed article appeared and the day Fleischer left with the president for Africa. Fleischer declined to comment for this article but has flatly denied being the source of the leak.

[donco6]

5. This only makes things worse for them.

Why do they keep bringing up Wilson? All that does is lead to Iraq and Niger and the yellowcake, which most people know was all a lie. I think this is a stupid strategic move for them.

[Triana]

6. drip, drip, drip....

:evilgrin: