I've been looking into this whole Novak - Plame - Rove affair and my head is positively spinning. Hang on a sec until the dizziness passes........(whistle the Jeopardy tune if it will help to pass the time.)
OK. It's passed. For those who are interested, check the following links:
John Podhoretz in the New York Post. (Sorry, registration required. See Bugmenot.)
What isn't controversial is this: Karl Rove didn't "out" Valerie Plame as a CIA agent to intimidate Joe Wilson. He was dismissing Joe Wilson as a low-level has-been hack to whom nobody should pay attention. He was right then, and if he said it today, he'd still be right.
The blog who's been on the Plame story forever is Just One Minute. Just keep scrolling. He also put together a time-line.
It seems almost certain that Rove didn't break the law as long as his grand jury testimony is in line with the story being offered up by Newsweek.
Finally, because I'm in the mood to spare you the migraine from all the links I've followed, read the White House Press briefing yesterday. In summary, Scot McClellan and the White House went dark yesterday. No discussion of the case. No discussion of previous statements he's made from the podium on the case. No discussion, period.
Q Scott, I mean, just -- I mean, this is ridiculous. The notion that you're going to stand before us after having commented with that level of detail and tell people watching this that somehow you decided not to talk. You've got a public record out there. Do you stand by your remarks from that podium, or not?
MR. McCLELLAN: And again, David, I'm well aware, like you, of what was previously said, and I will be glad to talk about it at the appropriate time. The appropriate time is when the investigation --
Q Why are you choosing when it's appropriate and when it's inappropriate?
MR. McCLELLAN: If you'll let me finish --
Q No, you're not finishing -- you're not saying anything. You stood at that podium and said that Karl Rove was not involved. And now we find out that he spoke out about Joseph Wilson's wife. So don't you owe the American public a fuller explanation? Was he involved, or was he not? Because, contrary to what you told the American people, he did, indeed, talk about his wife, didn't he?
MR. McCLELLAN: David, there will be a time to talk about this, but now is not the time to talk about it.
Q Do you think people will accept that, what you're saying today?
MR. McCLELLAN: Again, I've responded to the question.
That is only a small taste, and if I was Rove, the silence would bother me more than any press speculation. Clamming up certainly makes it look like the White House is worried about where the investigation will lead. The Democrats smelled weakness, sending Reid and Dean out to cry, Off With His Head! McClellan did soften the blow in today's press conference:
``Any individual who works here at the White House has the confidence of the president,'' McClellan said in response to questions about Rove at the daily White House briefing. ``Everybody who is working here is helping us to advance an agenda, and that includes Karl in a big way.''
My two cents? If no laws were broken, Karl Rove stays right where he is. In hindsight, it would have been easier on everyone if the White House had disclosed his role in talking to reporters when the whole thing started. However, in the end, it will only be one more offense on the hard left's long, long list of administration complaints. If no crime was committed, the average American won't care.
P.S. There's nothing after the jump. It's a glitch.
Not to be the crazy liberal but...
If there was no crime, then the white house has been lying just becasue they thought it was easier than tellling the truth.
I think the average american starts to care when they realize there's a pattern there.
Seems to me that the average american thought lying was a really big deal back during the clinton days...
Posted by: rew | July 12, 2005 at 04:47 PM