Blitzer on CNN burning up the Wires with WilsonGate Story! Hard News!

[KoKo]

He starts his show with Promo: "CNN here for Hard News" (something new?) and takes off like a rocket on the Wilson story! He was all over it earlier today....and I'm really Amazed that they are on top of this like they are considering that Novak is "Their Guy."

Anyway, to summarize: They say that all Dem Candidates plus Congress Dems are calling for a Special Council to Investigate....and that the outcry is huge.....

They say that WH.....has not asked anyone to investigate....and show Scott McClellands Press Conf. where he is "stonewalling" about the WH doing any investigation and where he denies everything.

Blitzer asks "Why has this investigation taken so long to get off the ground and why are people concerned?"
He says: "Because this broke in July with our own Robert Novak, and the CIA started to investigate but the WH house refused to start any inquiries into this." CIA was frustrated and so they have asked the justice department for formal investigation since they have not gotten cooperation from WH.

About Novak: Blitzer showed clip of their Novak interview where Novak says that Valerie Plane (Wilson's wife) was only an "ANALIST" with the CIA NOT and Operative. Novak says there's nothing to the story and it's overblown about the Plane having undercover operatives who could be exposed, since she was only an ANALYST.

Blitzer then goes to David Ensore (CNN special Reporter) ans asks him right out: "So, was Ambassador Wilson's wife "only an Analyst for the CIA....as Robert Novak has suggested?" Ensore replies: WOLF, I have it ON AUTHORITY that WILSON's WIFE WAS UNDERCOVER and not just an ANALYST!"

Blitzer then goes on saying this story is really big and David Ensore agrees!

NOTE: My quotes are not exact.....but I typed this as I heard it as an "average viewer" would hear trying to type. But, I'm telling you I was falling off my chair hearing CNN CRAWLING ALL OVER THIS STORY! Blitzer also did an "early afternoon" report which was making this sound like WATERGATE II!

Not to sound too "pumped up, here!" But this doesn't sound like a storyl that's going away. When BLITZER Contradicts NOVAK......then we know something is "afoot."

Just reporting this for those of you who don't watch cable. (I've gotten suckered back into it lately )_

[Cush]

1. Novak blew it

he tried to backtrack and say he never said (err wrote) what he did.

But others know, so it can't be so easily dismissed

[alfredo]

39. He has gone from an innocent reporter to a criminal by

taking part in a coverup.

[Loyal]

2. I like Wolff

He's one of the few good journalists left out there, imo.

[thebigidea]

7. what good journalism has he done?

This comes as a surprise to me.

[RobertSeattle]

8. He get's plenty of grief from some DU'ers though

I suppose if both sides hate a journalist perhaps he's not doing so bad!

[MoonAndSun]

12. Sorry, but in my opinion Wolfie is a media whore who is going

after this story only because he knows it will bring in the viewers. This involves spies, treason, CIA, stuff that average Americans will tune in to his show to hear about. And that is the only reason.

[FlemingsGhost]

24. Dammit... now I need a new keyboard!

$pit my coƒƒ33 @ll ()ver it, ju$t now.

Thannnnnnnks for th £aµgh, thoµgh, £ØYal.

[SayitAintSo]

36. You have to be kidding ..... Wolfie is a whore ....

BIG time... He just smells a good story and wants to be in the thick of it.

[cjbuchanan]

3. This can't die like the yellow cake story

That made life for Bush & Co. a little hot, but there was not even one resignation. This time, we must keep pushing till they fall over.

[Warren Stuart]

13. This is the Yellowcake story

And it sure ain't dieing

[KoKo]

26. My Gut tells me: This could be the equivalent to "Hutton Inquiry" GB!

I think the similarities are overwhelming......Wilson and his wife..could have been David Kelly if they hadn't been together.......and yet.....they are VICTIMS......WHISTLE BLOWERS.....like Kelly.......

The "Hutton Inquiry" has really hurt Blair while accomplishing the resignations of many of his "enablers."

This is similar.......If we can get an investigation!

[annagull]

4. Wow--contradicted Novak within MINUTES!!!!

That is really unprecidented, him being their big gun on this. Novak screwed up by lying--big time
Thanks for the update, KoKo!

[gristy]

5. Good summary post!

show Scott McClellands Press Conf. where he is "stonewalling" about the WH doing any investigation and where he denies everything.

I watched MC's briefing, and "stonewalling" was the very word going through my mind for the 20 minutes the press pushed him on this issue. He kept saying the only info he has is what he reads in the media. WTF?? He might as well say "I'm not telling you guys squat".

[KoKo]

35. Saw that! McClelland acts like they don't even talk to him.....Clueless!

Can't imagine why Rove gave that guy the job.....It's good for us because he seems incompetent.....but they lost alot when they lost Ari.....

[kstewart33]

6. Great post Koko01

Good to hear for those of us with no access to TV now. Novak is attempting to brush it off but it's far from over. Good that Blitzer is ignoring Novak's attempts.

[wryter2000]

9. And get this...

They cut away to a White House reporter, who said the CIA had asked for an investigation "some time ago." Not just last Friday. They asked a while back and got stonewalled. More evidence that AssKroft is covering up.

I smell Watergate, folks.

[boxster]

10. You don't suppose that CNN is trying to distance themselves from

their own reporter, do you? In case it turns out that he's full of it?

[J B]

11. I do suppose.

They are very intelligent to do so.

[Minstrel Boy]

34. excellent observation

They're abandoning the SS Novak before he sinks with all hands lost.

[section321]

14. Thanks for feeding the cube rats!

:hi:

[leftchick]

15. don't forget John King.....

reporting from the WH saying (rove meme, no doubt!) "This will all blow over in a couple of days." !!! ...LOL ,you * administration bastards Wish!!

[section321]

16. Oops. Dup. Thanks for feeding the cube rats!

.

:hi:

[linda d]

17. blitzer v novak

that's the 2nd time today that blitzer has taken a shot at novak.
in an earlier report w/david ensor, blitzer characterized the info as a 'bad leak' given to novak and the other journalists. the others decline to go with the story, but "bob novak went ahead and did so."

[fishnfla]

18. McClelland cracks me up

'We dont have any information. Do you have any specific information? The only information is what is in the report. We havent looked or asked anyone for any information, so that is why we dont have any information'

when he asked Helen Thomas "do you have any specific information, Helen?" i just about fell out of my chair, what a buffoon!

[fizzana]

19. Their denials are only making them look more guilty.

n/t

[Padraig18]

20. My boyfriend is a cop...

... and he says these guy's have 'guilty knowledge'. I diodn't get to ask him exactly what that meant before he left for work, but it seemed to me that he found their denials so disingenuous that that in and of itself is suspicious. He also said, "The man on the street knows more than that goon (McCleland) admits to."

[J B]

25. It means that the 'no criminal intent' defense is laughable.

I think, anyway. (not a lawyer) Criminal intent is an important thing in the justice system. In other words, whatever they did, whether or not every specific portion is a crime in itself, but their intent is so foul, on its face, that the 'I didn't mean to' defense is not gonna fly.

In other words, they broke the law because they either a) meant to with full knowledge or b) did so with callous disregard for the consequences.

We're talking about people possibly dying over this. Maybe agents, maybe sources, maybe people in that big mushroom cloud Rice talks about.

[KoKo]

32. Kick...for night crowd!

:kick:

[kskiska]

21. Brit Hume

just devoted all of 7 minutes to the story on Faux News Tonight.

[SoCalDem]

22. Hard news... Better late than never

:)

until Rover pays him a visit..

[Beetwasher]

23. Lou Dobbs is ALL OVER THIS

Has Woolsey on. This is Big BIG BIG...Treating it very seriously...

[stickdog]

28. Novak aided and abetted the proliferation of WMDs.

As such, he is an enemy combatant.

Perhaps a cell in Gitmo would inspire him to tell the truth?

[starscape]

27. Sounds like CNN is simply jumping on board..

... being opportunists.

"You heard it from OUR RObert Novak"

gag me.,. CNN's coverage has been really bad, since during and after the war in my opinion. If they jump all over this, I won' tcomplain a bit ;) but Wolf and Co. still aren't going to be my first choice for "hard news".

[LittleApple81]

29. Thanks for reporting it. I don't want to get extended cable and

you and every other DUer reporting events all of you are helping. Thanks again.

[jobycom]

30. Blitzer's always been a decent journalist stuck in a bad network

When he first emerged during the first Iraq invasion, he was decent and reasonably objective (meaning I didn't curse at him every time he spoke), despite his hammer-fisted nomen. Even the last couple of years when DUers have been inventing rather raunchy varients of his name, I've thought he was closer to objective and even insightful than most on the major networks. That's not saying much, of course, but I believe he wants to do better stuff but isn't given the opportunity. He loves this kind of story.

He may not be a liberal, but he's more neutral towards a story than we give him credit for, when the CNN gods let him be. Blitzer wants to be a good journalist, and right now that means he's batting for our club. Until CNN whips him back into line and runs Operation Sweep-Under-Rug, or the stronger Operation Let's-Change-Course-and-Completely-Exonerate-the-Moron-Who-Gives-Our-Corporate-Owners-Huge-Tax-Boondoggles.

BTW, if you ever watch the polls he puts on his page, notice that they tend to allow a responder to give a dissenting opinion. While CNN runs "Do you think Bush is doing an excellent job or has his job performance slipped from the perfection he showed earlier in his term?" Blitzer will run something more realistic, like "Has Bush done a good job?" He at least lets the audience decide, a little, rather than using polls to tell the audience what to think. We all want someone on our side, but he's even better. He's someone who tries not to take sides, though he's sometimes ordered to. Remember, he works for the network which ordered it's "reporters" to not give a negative impression of our military operations. When the bosses write the story and only let the employees color in the details, no one looks good.

[SilasSoule]

42. Hi jobycom....

Either I've missed your posts or you havn't been posting much lately. I was concerned that you weren't around DU anymore. Glad to see you back. Missed you at last DU Austin get together with Will Pitt.

[proud patriot]

31. It's everywhere

:bounce:

[frank frankly]

33. kick

[Gloria]

37. KICK

I saw Blitzer-Ensore as well...I was expecting a whitewash, but when Ensore said his sources said Plame was an operative, not an analyst, I almost fell off my chair.

[opihimoimoi]

38. When the LeakyGate dust settles, Novak will be FIRED.

He should be as he knowingly exposed an undercover CIA agent to life and limb. I don't believe his excuse either. Pure Bullshit.

FIRE NOVAK

[PurityOfEssence]

40. They ran an online poll during the show, but didn't show it at the end

The poll was asking whether there should be an independent prosecutor, and he said they'd announce the results at the end of the show. When I voted (about 10 minutes before the end) it was 80% yes, 20% no.

For some reason, though, they didn't announce the results.

Was there a repeat?

[alfredo]

41. I'm getting a

chubby just thinking about it. We knew they would put their foot in it sooner or later. I was hoping they did it before much damage was done to America, but I will take what I can get.