How long before they personally attack Fitzgerald, the prosecutor?

[kentuck]

Right now, they probably don't want to do anything that might piss him off, especially since they don't know exactly which direction he is headed. If he gives the slightest hint that he is serious about this investigation, they will start their character assassination, in my opinion. But, you can bet that they will stick with their tried and true methods...

[ThoughtCriminal]

1. When the indictments come out

October?

[greekspeak]

2. When the current strategy fails them

And it will quite soon. No doubt Rove himself is sculpting the talking points about all this. Those of his low calibar stoop to new lows, one after another, when the previous low fails.

[autorank]

3. If he's going to indict and they can't stop him, immediately.

You know that they have a "package" ready. Good luck to them if he's as tough as his record indicates. He'll punish them with victory.

[kevsand]

4. That would be so transparent as to be enormously risky for them.

Which is not to say they won't try it, but it will be a last ditch, nothing-else-to-lose, desperation tactic.

[gratuitous]

5. Well, the GOP has been using transparent smears for years

And they always seem to work well -- or if the smear doesn't quite work out the way they want it, none of the smearers suffers any repercussions. Why not keep using it?

[demgrrrll]

6. I agree. Fitzgerald has not really given them anything to use has he?

I imagine they are more than a little skeert of the big guy.

[zara]

7. never use a smear before its time!

[leveymg]

8. The USA from Chicago is untouchable. Bad move to attack prosecutors.

That doesn't go over well in the heartland. Never has. Really.

[dansolo]

11. Especially one with his impeccable reputation

He is a Republican, though he is notorously non-partisan. He has successfully prosecuted mobsters and terrorists. Apparently this guy has no skeletons in his closet. He also has no political aspirations beyond his current job, so they can't even entice him with a cushy job or threaten to cut him off. They would be making a huge mistake if they try to smear Fitzgerald.

[givemebackmycountry]

9. Look for a new "Product" to be rolled out in September...

Remember what they said...

"No one rolls out a new product in August"
You wait until September or October.

God only knows what they have in store for us.

I hope this thing gets so bad, and that they get so desperate, that it ruins their miserable party for years to come.

[GreenPartyVoter]

10. Ayuh

[notadmblnd]

12. soon, very soon

I could swear I heard some talking head accuse him today of leaking info from his office. I listened to so many people talk today that I just cant remember if was a senator or who?

[djg21]

13. It has begun!

I recall reading yesterday that one of the Republican talking points being floated out was that Fitzgerald was behaving like a "misguided missle," and was oversteppinh his authority as a prosecutor. It probably didn't get too far because it sounds like "sour grapes." I couldn't find the link to the article that I read.

Also DailyKos has the following:

Todays Chicago Tribune has, on the front page, a story about how Rep. James Sensenbrenner, the chair of the House Judiciary Committee, sent a somewhat threatening letter to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals because he didn't like how they dealt with a case...

(nb: I did do a search, and there weren't any mentions of this story, as of 7:15 Central time)

Update <2005-7-10 13:4:49 by dmsilev>: In the comments, it was pointed out that I may have missed the most significant impact of this story, that this may in part be an attempt by the GOP leadership to intimidate or rein in US Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, who is the lead on the Plame leak investigation. . . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/7/10/84255/7305

It's a good read!

[atre]

14. July 12, 2005

Woodward on the Diane Rehm Show said that Fitzgerald was out of control and the prosecution was "abusive."

[leveymg]

15. Woodward is jealous. He wants to be The Hero again.

The times (and WashPost) they are a changin'. Afraid the era of neocon Repug-dominated Big Suit news is over, Bob.

Go spin another book. You and your unnamed Washington sources have become irrelevant or are about to be indicted.:bounce: :yoiks:

[murielm99]

16. Even * would never get away with another Saturday Night

Massacre. Smear is the only thing they have.