I hate to be a bummer, but

[MadHound]

I really don't think that this admission by Libby is going to go anywhere. I know, I know, it is a high crime. But bear with me.

We've watched as time and again Bush has gotten away with actions that any other president would have fried for. From lying about Iraq to spying on Americans, Bush has proven that won't be held accountable, either by the media, Congress, or the American public.

And why should he be? He has virtually all of the media in his back pocket, they won't do anything beyond reporting what Libby said. There will be little or no analysis of what this admission truly means, not in the mainstream press. Congress is also in his back pocket. Going to be mighty hard to bring impeachment resolutions, much less pass them, when the opposition outnumbers you. And frankly, the American public isn't going to give much of a damn. The issue is an esoteric one for the majority of Americans, too complicated, too convaluted for them to follow easily, and thus they will lose interest and sink back into their sheep like stupor.

What I think is going to happen is what has happened all too many times before is that this is going to be a one week wonder. We on the left will keep this story alive, with the help of the internet and the remaining modicum of uncowed journalists. The MSM is going to spin this whole issue like a dervish, possibly devoting entire news shows to it, like Meet the Press. Spin is going to be picked up and amplified by the RW echo chamber, Limbaugh, Hannity, et al, who will add their own outrageous and dismissive twist on it. And then sometime next week, some other major issue, whether real or manufactured, will come up and divert the publics' attention away from this matter, and down the memory hole it will go.

I really really hope that I'm proven wrong. But having watched this play out time and again the past five years, I really have no hope that this time will be any different.

So I suppose what I'm saying is yes, keep working to make our wishes into reality on this. Spread the word, shout it out. But don't get your hopes up too high.

Peace:hi:

[helderheid]

1. Maybe... my only hope is that the MSM is actually talking about it. I

take my cues from them in how the corporations are feeling about their puppet.

[MadHound]

17. NPR news just came on,

And sadly the final comment on this story at the top of the hour was that it was unclear whether this authorization from the president applied to the Valerie Plame situation.

My guess is that they're going to spin this as Libby completely misunderstanding Cheney/Bush, and he went out too far on the limb. They're going to hang it on Libby and leave him to swing.

God I hope I'm wrong. I'm tired of being a cynic who has my worst fears surpassed on a regular basis by this administration.

[lukasahero]

2. Right there with you, MadHound

These people started a war on a lie and they are still in office. Every scandal, every lie, every crime, and yet, there they are - in power. I hope we are wrong. I fear we are not.

[gratuitous]

3. Another straw for the load on the camel's back

Bush's approval ratings are no better than 35%. I'd say he's pretty crippled already. He runs around giving meaningless speeches before dispirited and dwindling crowds of supporters. Got so bad today, someone actually snuck in to ask Stupidhead if he wasn't ashamed of his dismal record.

We'll see. He may not have gone straight down the drain, but his circles are getting tighter and tighter with each go-round.

[helderheid]

6. well said

[pointblank]

25. Do you happen to have a link to this?

"Got so bad today, someone actually snuck in to ask Stupidhead if he wasn't ashamed of his dismal record."

I'd LOVE to see that one!

Thanks :hi:

[gratuitous]

26. Here's a link with video (I think)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x864040

Enjoy.

[underpants]

4. At this point it is the volume of punches

keeping them off balance. They are great (courtesy ofMSM) of being on the offensive even when that offensive is more absurd than their defensive manuevers. This is just keeping them backing up.

Time and pressure time and pressure.

[MadHound]

22. Yeah, it's keeping them off balance

And that has been somewhat effective in keeping Bushco from enacting some of their more heinous programs. But I think that the public is starting to suffer from scandal fatigue with this bunch. The public has let domestic spying go on with hardly an outcry, the Veep actually shot somebody under questionable circumstances, and the biggest splach that made was in late night comedians' routines.

I really, really hope that this is the last straw, but sadly, I don't think it will be. It is a concept that your ordinary person will be at least somewhat confused by, and I think that they'll just ho hum with it and go back to American Idol.

Here's hoping though:toast:

[Jane Austin]

5. This is the biggest story today, but

Republican Corruption is in every branch of government and at every level.

It is up to us to keep reminding people of the complete corruption of that party.

[leftstreet]

13. Actually, the biggest story today is the Senate compromise/immigration

But no one wants to talk about it.

UPDATE 1-U.S. Senate strikes deal on immigration bill
Thu Apr 6, 2006 11:54 AM ET

WASHINGTON, April 6 (Reuters) - U.S. Senate leaders on Thursday announced a bipartisan compromise on an overhaul of U.S. immigration laws, giving some illegal immigrants a path to citizenship and creating a temporary worker program.

"I think we're looking like we may be able to dance this afternoon," Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada told reporters.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Tennessee Republican, appeared with Reid and said "We have a great opportunity to deliver to the American people what they expect, what they deserve," a comprehensive border security and immigration reform bill.

The deal, which would include a temporary worker program backed by President George W. Bush, would allow illegal immigrants who have been in the United States more than five years a chance to become citizens if they meet a series of requirements and paid a fine. Other rules would apply to people in the country less than five years.

http://tinyurl.com/ojf5d

[sadiesworld]

23. Yep, the Libby business is being used as a distraction...

and it's not the first time.

[sable302]

7. Great

The longer he stays, the worse it gets. That trend's been going on for about 5 years now.

[BlooInBloo]

8. 30 sec to go in the fourth, we're on their 40 and America is down 6 points

We've gotta go for the Flutie. There's not really much choice, and not not much point in poo-poo-ing the choice.

EDIT: Clarified subject line

[TomInTib]

9. Peter Daou lays it all out. There is a method.

http://daoureport.salon.com/synopsis.aspx?synopsisId=a6da2e05-c808-4f7e-9ab2-3d2a01a82a15

[linazelle]

19. Yes this is timely. "Rinse and repeat" indeed. n/t

[Ron Green]

10. It really has to be this way, doesn't it, or we must wake up and change

as a nation. And that's asking too much, because it entails:
1) Election reform
2) Health care for all
3) Environmental protection
4) Sustainable energy, transportation and housing
5) International cooperation
and on, and on, and on.

As long as we can shop at Wal*Mart, watch TV and vaguely fear foreigners, why should we do all of the above?

[MissMillie]

11. Well, and I hate to agree but

The article I read on the case (NY Sun, linked in LBN) says that Fitz does not argue that Bush was committing a crime by releasing this information.

However, why is it that it goes NO WHERE that he has misled us YET AGAIN. If he was w/i his legal authority to release the information, and if releasing the information was not a threat to national security, why not just admit that he released the information.

How many millions of taxpayer dollars are being spent to find out that Bush acted within the law when all he had to do was say, "yep, I released that information, and Exec. order XXX is what gives me the power to do that." He stood in front of the American people and said, "we're going to investigate this...."

What a FREAKING JOKE that anyone still trusts this guy.

[AtomicKitten]

12. Haven't you heard? Bush is king and can do anything he wants.

Nothing to see here, folks. Move along.

[Faygo Kid]

14. I agree. It is disheartening, but you are right.

You have spelled out what I have been thinking and know in my gut. Tweety et al will find some minor Dem transgression to "balance" this story out, and Dem leadership (most of them) will run from it. I pray I am wrong.

[fishnfla]

15. My hopes have been dashed upon the jetty of lies too often

One week, page a-2.

Pretty sad, betraying our country, violating your own fathers law for political reasons about an illegal war.

Pretty sad

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

16. I totally agree.

As I said on another thread, "All politics is local" (Tip O'Neil). The average citizen will see this as more partisan "gotcha" politics. They may believe it, they may not, but because it doesn't affect them personally they'll switch to whatever big game is on and have some more potato chips and beer.

But, it is a part of the slow drip process of dethroning the neo-fascists.

[melody]

18. The Bush Crime Family runs the country

That said, there are other forces opposing them as they've gotten cockier. I rather suspect
Junior may need to be sacrificed to keep the Royal Family above water. lol

[fond DU]

20. I think we're responsible for some of that.

We hype every possible nugget, tout it, blow it up, magnify it, and hope it 'takes'. We shoulda just stuck to the most important--and prosecutable.

[Gato Moteado]

28. um.....no WE don't

it only seems like that to you. every crime this administration has perpetrated is impeachable. and every new crime is worse than the previous.

now, the filthy freepers blew clinton's affair with monica out of proportion. it might have been in poor taste but it wasn't a crime. yet we heard about it 24/7 on the corporate run media.

so, open your eyes and you'll see the serial treason within this administration.

[walldude]

21. Agreed... this guy is damn near untouchable, and this news

while not really new to us at DU, isn't going to affect anything. The media will not produce any quotes to show Bush lying and the story will get spun into Bush was protecting National Security. However, you can bet Olberman and Stewart are going to have a field day with this...

[MadHound]

24. And it's already starting to happen

Spin! Spin! Spin!

<http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=1813491&page=1>
<http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/04/06/ensor/>
<http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,190843,00.html>
<http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12187153/>

Yes, Bush and Cheney authorized Scooter to leak things, but they didn't specifically authorize him to leak Plame's name:eyes:

Here we go, that's how this is going to be played out and played down. Gone in a week folks, gone in a week.

[cartach]

27. It would help a hell of a lot

if there where more Howard Dean types in the Democratic party who,if nothing else,might speak out loud and clear.It's a cop-out to always blame the media,they want something newsworthy to report and there's nothing much exciting,interesting or new coming out of the mouths of high profile Democrats these days.They're preoccupied with sitting on the fence and worrying about maybe saying the wrong thing.