White House defends intelligence leak as `in the public interest'

[norml]

White House defends intelligence leak as `in the public interest'

BY KENNETH R. BAZINET
New York Daily News


WASHINGTON - The White House insisted Friday President Bush did nothing wrong in authorizing a leak of prewar intelligence because he had allegedly declassified the secret information.

The White House was silent about the leak for almost 24 hours before spokesman Scott McClellan said the President - who has repeatedly trashed government leakers - slipped the information to the New York Times "in the public interest."

The furor over the leak erupted when court documents revealed that I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff, had told investigators that Bush had authorized him to leak parts of the CIA's secret National Intelligence Estimate to the Times.

McClellan argued yesterday there was nothing wrong in what the President did because Bush had declassified the information.

"Declassifying information and providing it to the public when it is in the public interest is one thing," McClellan said.

"But leaking classified information that could compromise our national security is something that is very serious, and there's a distinction," he said.

McClellan was pressed, however, on whether Bush leaked the information before it was declassified.


snip


http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/14295291.htm

[Solly Mack]

1. Translation

George Bush will leak anything and everything he chooses to leak as long as it serves him politically

But if you expose George Bush's criminal behavior (which actually is in the public interest), then that's bad.


Criminal behavior - classified
Catapulting the propaganda - in the public interest

[rodeodance]

2. good analysis of the timeline errors also (that Scott can not explain)

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/14295291.htm

"But leaking classified information that could compromise our national security is something that is very serious, and there's a distinction," he said.

McClellan was pressed, however, on whether Bush leaked the information before it was declassified.


On July 18, 2003, McClellan had announced that parts of the National Intelligence Estimate had been declassified that day. But Libby testified before a grand jury that 10 days earlier he had been authorized by Bush and Cheney to leak the information.

McClellan declined to address the conflict between his and Libby's time line.....

[kentuck]

11. Exactly ! de-classifed after the fact.

not that it matters. It is still criminal.

[B Calm]

3. You know what is sick about this defense?

The right-wing corporate owned press will run with it!

[roguevalley]

4. simple question: how does this benefit the public? How does making

it harder to prevent suitcase nukes benefit the public? Clarify.

[annabanana]

7. This is it!

What is the "public interest" served here?

How is it good for America, or National Security, for a cover operation that investigated rougue nukes to be destroyed?

Scottie tries that again he sould be POUNCED on!

[mrcheerful]

5. Also remember shrub saying that he was against information being

leaked and he was going to go after who ever the leaker was? If everything is above board about shrub being the leaker, then why the big speech? How can this type of logic work? Only fools, the brain dead or freepers would believe the lies coming out now.

[ktlyon]

6. I agree. How did leaking the name of an undercover agent

help their position on refuting the Ambassador's statements? Proving that he and his wife were experts shoots their position down, it doesn't boost them up. Makes them look out of control and just plain mean to me.

[ClintonTyree]

8. All the time knowing....

that the "Yellow Cake" uranium claims were fabrications. I hope Fitz finds out who developed the "Yellow Cake" lie. If he can do that, the entire Bush house of cards comes tumbling down. If it isn't already anyway.

[keopeli]

9. Plame Investigation's Value In the Details

The reason the Plame case will prove pivitol in this mess is because Fitzgerald spent 2 years documenting every detail possible. He knows the timeline and he can prove it. And lies are much more difficult when people are paying attention.

link

[Mel]

10. If I was undercover

I would be getting OUT now! I can't believe the people in the CIA aren't going to do something about this it's insane! I know some of them are and that former CIA are standing up but enough is enough!

There is No way I would continue to serve under dictator George he's bat shit crazy right up there along with the rest of them (Dick, Condi, Rummy, and McClellan) they all need to be SHUT DOWN

King George is freaking bonkers! He/they are trying to live out some sort of twisted neo-con Strauss '1984' on we the people and in their twisted sick minds they think they make the truths. What they need is to be put into Prison so that they may not cause further harm to us or theirselves!

Hell, there's word from Sy Hersh that they are considering using Nukes in Iran!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060408/wl_mideast_afp/usirannuclearmilitary

For, goddess sake what in the hell is it going to take to stop this madness?

[jimshoes]

12. The trouble is

when they say "public good" the only public they mean is themselves. Not the ordinary Joe's and Jane's of America. So anytime they say "public good, or "public interest" substitute the word "our own" or "ourselves" and you will better understand their true intent.