The deception Bush can't spin---By Joe Conason

[kpete]

The deception Bush can't spin
Libby's testimony shows that Bush disclosed national secrets for political gain -- and makes Bush's statements about finding the leaker ludicrous.

By Joe Conason


April 7, 2006 | If we are to believe the grand jury testimony of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby -- as reported by special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald in court papers (PDF) -- then the president of the United States has been deceiving the country ever since the CIA leaks investigation began in 2003.

Compared with other deceptions that George W. Bush has perpetrated in the years since he promised to restore honor and integrity to the Oval Office, this one cannot be spun away as a misunderstanding, a "misunderestimate" or a mistake. From the moment that the Justice Department opened its probe of the disclosure of Valerie Plame Wilson's covert CIA identity to the press, Bush insisted that he wanted to find and punish the culprits, especially if any of them were among his White House staff. He claimed to consider the leaking of classified information to be a matter of the utmost seriousness.

And he let his press secretary insist repeatedly that the White House had absolutely no idea how this terrible thing had happened.

We have come a long way since then, of course. We have learned that at least two of the highest-ranking White House staff members leaked Plame's identity to reporters as part of a broader effort to discredit her husband, former ambassador Joseph Wilson, for daring to draw attention to White House misuse of intelligence on Iraq in an Op-Ed in the New York Times. We know that Libby, then the vice president's chief of staff and national security advisor, and Karl Rove, the White House deputy chief of staff, both participated in that effort -- and that both have lied repeatedly about their roles in the scheme.

more (short ad) at:
http://www.salon.com/opinion/conason/2006/04/07/libby_case/

[PurpleChez]

1. Let's all acknowledge the fact that our president is a criminal...

he must be impeached, indicted, tried, and, if appropriate, punished. How shameful to have a president who deserves serious jail time, if not a visit to the Hague.

[ClintonTyree]

3. Now all we need is a Congress with enough integrity to do it.

And as long as Republicans control Congress, that won't be the case. The future of our country rides on the mid-term elections. Democrats must control Congress to bring this more criminal administration to justice. How far do you think the Republicans are willing to go to prevent that from happening?

[thereismore]

2. they can't spin this one? Maybe, but they sure are trying.

One question on my mind is: if he declassified the memo, why didn't he stop the CIA investigation into the leak? By the same token, why did he call it a "criminal matter" whe he declassified it?? Because he never did. He never thought he would be forced to pretend that he did declassify it.

He is a lying sack of liquid crap, as Stephanie Miller would say.

[lyonn]

4. Remember, wasn't Ashcroft attorney general then?

They thought they had all the bases covered. So, how did they screw up so bad as to appoint Fitz to the job of prosecuting for the CIA's charges of outing an agent. They got sloppy one to many times, we hope.

Edit: Right, why not announce the info was declassified instead of the charade he went through saying this is a terrible act by "someone", let's go get em'.

[Cleita]

5. Or maybe Ashcroft had a pang of conscience and recused

himself, which they hadn't anticipated.

[thereismore]

6. Right you are. It's a combination of incompetence and hubris. nt

[warrior1]

7. Who else has heard this

next to last paragraph.....

snippity do

Or he could confirm the rumors that have been circulating about his plans to resign in the near future, and leave these irritating problems to someone else.

[caledesi]

8. The word has been that SS is being fired (Josh Bolton - the guy

who replaced Andy Card), but I don't believe that. I think this is a Rove leak. I think SS has probably already given his RESIGNATION. They don't want another person leaving on his own. Make it look like Josh Bolton called for replacement.

Oh what a terrible web we weave............