Kerry on Leak News: Bush Needs to Look in the Mirror

[kerrygoddess]

John Kerry: The President’s Search For The Leaker Needs to Go No Further Than a Mirror
April 6th, 2006 @ 2:59 pm

The MSM and the blogosphere is abuzz with the news about Bush authorizing the leak of classified intelligence to justify his case for going to war in Iraq. It’s interesting this story came out today not long before Kerry spoke on the Senate floor calling for “two important deadlines for Iraq.”

John Kerry on the news that President Authorized the Leak of Classified Intelligence to Justify Case for War:

“The buck doesn’t stop anywhere with this White House. Now we know why the president hasn’t been straight with Americans.

Two and a half years ago, President Bush said, ‘If there is a leak out of my administration, I want to know who it is.’ He said he’d fire whoever leaked classified information, and now we know the President himself authorized it.

Now we know that the president’s search for the leaker needs to go no further than a mirror. It’s time for the White House to stop hiding behind legalese and start telling the truth.”

MORE - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=2549

[C_U_L8R]

1. Yes - Bush needs to START telling the TRUTH !!

[oasis]

2. Bush must explain why he never had a clue who leaked Plame's identity.

Let's have a WH press conference. Helen, sharpen your pencil.

[mediaman007]

3. to the Hague...

When he's done the Republicans will hope to have 20% of the popular vote!

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

5. To hell with the Hague.

Mobs. Pitchforks. Rakes. Torches.

A far more graphic reaction.

On the other hand, the probability of that happening is nil, especially on American Idol night.

[rodeodance]

4. "He's been looking for himself for 2 years" says Kerry ealier on cnn.

[ALago1]

6. Quick question

The papers released today suggest that Scooter testified that Cheney told him that Bush OK'd the leak. Is it wise, given this information, to directly attack Bush and not Cheney? Given this testimony, Cheney is the proven leaker and Bush is only an alleged leaker from secondhand testimony.

Why not just take out Cheney first since it would be much easier?

[rodeodance]

7. here--Libby says approval came from Bush

http://news.nationaljournal.com/articles/0406nj1.htm


ADMINISTRATION
Libby Says Bush Authorized Leaks
By Murray Waas, National Journal
© National Journal Group Inc.
Thursday, April 6, 2006

Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff has testified that President Bush authorized him to disclose the contents of a highly classified intelligence assessment to the media to defend the Bush administration's decision to go to war with Iraq, according to papers filed in federal court on Wednesday by Patrick J. Fitzgerald, the special prosecutor in the CIA leak case.

I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby testified to a federal grand jury that he had received "approval from the President through the Vice President" to divulge portions of a National Intelligence Estimate regarding Saddam Hussein's purported efforts to develop nuclear weapons, according to the court papers. Libby was said to have testified that such presidential authorization to disclose classified information was "unique in his recollection," the court papers further said.

Libby also testified that an administration lawyer told him that Bush, by authorizing the disclosure of classified information, had in effect declassified the information. Legal experts disagree on whether the president has the authority to declassify information on his own.

The White House had no immediate reaction to the court filing.

[rodeodance]

8. but whether or not Libby is lying is another matter.