..."it was meant purely and simply for revenge," the senior official said.

[quiet.american]

As the Bushco spin machine goes into the usual "if the President does it, it's not illegal" mode, I harken back to one of the earliest reports from the Washington Post, which, in four paragraphs, with only the names missing, tells what went down and why. Who can forget the words of the "senior official" at the time who clearly stated revenge was the motive.

Blast from the past:

CIA Agent's Identity Was Leaked to Media

Yesterday, a senior administration official said that before Novak's column ran, two top White House officials called at least six Washington journalists and disclosed the identity and occupation of Wilson's wife. Wilson had just revealed that the CIA had sent him to Niger last year to look into the uranium claim and that he had found no evidence to back up the charge. Wilson's account touched off a political fracas over Bush's use of intelligence as he made the case for attacking Iraq.

"Clearly, it was meant purely and simply for revenge," the senior official said of the alleged leak.

Sources familiar with the conversations said the leakers were seeking to undercut Wilson's credibility. They alleged that Wilson, who was not a CIA employee, was selected for the Niger mission partly because his wife had recommended him. Wilson said in an interview yesterday that a reporter had told him that the leaker said, "The real issue is Wilson and his wife."

A source said reporters quoted a leaker as describing Wilson's wife as "fair game."

[electropop]

1. The "discrediting" story, bad as it is, never made sense.

Revealing Wilson's CIA connection (his wife) only bolstered his story. It's obvious to me that it's about revenge, pure and simple. By endangering and ruining Wilson's wife they hoped to intimidate other potential whistleblowers.

[quiet.american]

2. Bingo. n/t

[Dhalgren]

3. This kind of punishment for it's intimidation value has worked

for these fascists before. The anthrax murders, Wellstone, the murders of reporters in Iraq, the list could go on and on...

[electropop]

4. I think you're right.

Frist got the "Patriot" Act through with Anthrax, and I think he's used the threat ever since to make the Dems behave like sissies.

[okieinpain]

8. wellstone. you mean the memorial. not the accident right.

[Doctor_J]

14. No, he means the murder

Anyone who is a major threat to the Bushies ends up dirt surfing

[tsuki]

5. I truly believe that the traitorous spawn of Prescott Bush

outted Brewster-Jennings to protect the Saudis. pResident Camel Boy has higher priorities than the United States and its peoples.

[Sinti]

6. Not just the Saudis

It takes eyes in the Middle East watching for WMD out of the picture. So, now how are we supposed to know what Iran or anyone else has in that regard, especially after the purging of the CIA under Porter Goss.

[tsuki]

7. Yeah, but the Saudis hated the secularism of Iraq. They wanted

Saddam out.

And Camel Boy can write all the laws he wants, but what he did SUPPORTED THE TERRORIST.

[xchrom]

9. if bushco is capable of lying to bring an illegal war to the iraqi people

he is capable of leaking for revenge.

he knew about 9-11 and did nothing - and he leaked about wilson's wife because he is petty little tapeworm

he even knows he is a tapeworm.

[k-robjoe]

10. Kicked n/t

[quiet.american]

11. dupe

[quiet.american]

12. Thanks for the kick. :) As the spin revs up, it's important to remember.

As the spin paints Bush's despicable actions as noble, I think it's really important to remember how this whole thing came about, and what was first reported.

Revenge for being caught in a lie was the motivation, pure and simple.

[happydreams]

13. In early 90's Novak and Rove slurred Poppy's

campaign manager Mosbacher. Rove was fired

Rove fired from Bush Sr's '92 campaign over leak to Novak. Karl Rove was fired from the 1992 re-election campaign of Bush Sr. for allegedly leaking a negative story about Bush loyalist/fundraiser Robert Mosbacher to Novak. Novak's piece described a meeting organized by then-Senator Phil Gramm at which Mosbacher was relieved of his duties as state campaign manager because "the president's re-election effort in Texas has been a bust." Rove was fired after Mosbacher fingered him as Novak's source.
Rove was the "only one with a motive to leak": Mosbacher says: "I said Rove is the only one with a motive to leak this. We let him go." The motive in question? Mosbacher had given Rove only a quarter of the $1 million spent on direct mail contracts for the 92 campaign; Rove, who in 1988 had the entire direct mail contract, therefore had an axe to grind with Mosbacher. Novak's column stated: "Also attending the session was political consultant Karl Rove, who had been shoved aside by Mosbacher."


http://www.mydd.com/story/2005/7/11/155029/380