"for most conservatives . . . outing a CIA agent is perfectly acceptable"

[swag]

A very solid summary of a most disturbing reality about 21st Century Republicans from The Washington Monthly's Kevin Drum: (via http://www.warandpiece.com )

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2005_07/006798.php
. . .

Senator Pat Roberts, the Republican chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, announced that he "intends to preside over hearings on the intelligence community's use of covert protections for CIA agents and others involved in secret activities."

Let that sink in. Does it sound like Roberts is concerned about CIA agents being exposed in the press? Of course not. Instead, Roberts is preemptively defending Rove by implying that perhaps the real problem is that the CIA overuses clandestine cover for its agents. The gall is almost beyond belief, especially coming from the party that keeps telling us they're the ones who are serious about national security.

Until Patrick Fitzgerald finishes his investigation, we won't know everything that really happened here. In fact, we still might not know even then. But we've learned one thing already: when presented with even a hint of evidence that someone on their team has treated national security with cavalier disdain, conservative concern with national security gets thrown overboard without a second thought. Dealing with Plamegate as a factual matter — did someone in the White House expose Valerie Plame's identity to reporters? — is no longer acceptable, because, after all, when facts are involved, there's a chance they can turn against you.

Instead, for most conservatives, Plamegate has now turned into the public relations task of convincing the public that even if Rove did out Plame, outing a covert CIA agent is a perfectly acceptable thing for a White House aide to do.

Welcome to the modern Republican Party.

[ClassWarrior]

1. Thanks for the article, but the phrase is "blowing the cover..."

When you say "outing," you turn Ms. Wilson from a covert agent of the US into a surrogate lesbian. Please don't advance the Radical RW agenda by using their language!

:rant:

NGU.

[swag]

4. Edify your mind with the grand actuality of fact.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outing

[AtomicKitten]

2. Yup, CYA is on the menu

More disturbingly is that the rank and file Republican won't understand the nuance of this "investigation," that they intend to actually "look into" Fitzgerald himself - god forbid he ever donated to a Democrat - and will think they are actually investigating the leak itself. Pat Roberts is a tool.

[gademocrat7]

3. The CIA needs to strike back

They have been the patsy for shrub since the war in Iraq began. When is enough for them? They should investigate Roberts.

[The White Tree]

5. The new Republican Theme song should be:

"Born to Hand Jive"

from the movie Grease.

I keep humming the refrain:

How low can you go?:puke:
How low can you go?:puke:
How low can you go?:puke:
How low can you go?:puke:

[tabasco]

6. They are loyal to their party, not their Nation.

They are snakes in the grass and criminals.

But millions of gullible people still believe their lies.