Jackson Free Press

Democrats stirred the pot Thursday in the case of presidential aide Karl Rove and the news leak that unmasked a CIA agent, pushing the issue toward the Senate floor, pressing for a congressional investigation and inviting the operative's husband to the Capitol to accuse the White House of a "smear campaign."

The case is not about Rove, said Rep. Rush Holt of New Jersey, who called for a probe that would compel senior administration officials to turn over records relating to the disclosure that Valerie Plame was a CIA officer. "This ... is about holding the executive branch accountable for a breach of national security."

A few paces off the Senate floor, Plame's husband, a former diplomat, criticized Bush's deputy chief of staff and chief political strategist in personal terms. "I made my bones confronting Saddam Hussein. ... Karl Rove made his bones by dirty political tricks," said Joseph Wilson, who served as U.S. ambassador to Iraq during the first Persian Gulf War. At the news conference hosted by Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., Wilson said he has been targeted by a "smear campaign launched from the West Wing of the White House."

Republicans pushed back.

In a silent show of support for Rove, Bush chatted amiably with the aide as the pair walked to a helicopter for the president's trip to Indianapolis during the day.

The Republican National Committee distributed a document entitled "Joe Wilson's Top Ten Worst Inaccuracies and Misstatements."

Previous Comments

ID

87427

Comment

Can someone distribute "Scott McClellan's Top Ten Worst Flat Out Lies and Inconsistancies", please? Rove is a "shortened version of Richard"-head. Bush needs to chat amiably with my ass

Author

Lori G

Date

2005-07-14T20:05:27-06:00

ID

87428

Comment

shortened version of Richard"-head Now THAT's an insult I can love. It is friggin' amazing; to cover for their own lies, this administration disses this man's wife, an operative of the U.S. government, and he gets plastered by the GOP for defending her honor (and, er, U.S. law). What weasels.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-07-14T20:43:24-06:00

ID

87429

Comment

Could it be: Novak? LOL! That would figure. Now who is the "other" reporter that Rove can't seem to remember might have told him the same thing about Plame before Novak? Judith? If this is true, it goes to show that Plame was a showboat CIA agent as claimed, and that the media did know who she was without Rove's help nor whether the White House knew or not.

Author

tortoise

Date

2005-07-15T07:39:19-06:00

ID

87430

Comment

During Watergate I was more interested in the politics of Similac, but if this story keeps going we'll soon be asking "What did the President know and when did he know it?" God, I love America!! De Toqueville watch the American Democracy rock and roll!!!

Author

El Canario

Date

2005-07-15T12:38:25-06:00

ID

87431

Comment

I would hold your guns until we know everything. No reasonable interpretation of events, as they have transpired to this point, would hold that Rove was intentionally outing a spy. Yesterday's NY Times reported (from an anonymous source) that Rove told Fitzgerald that, when Novak told him Plame was a CIA operative, he replied, in passing, "I've heard that too."(at the end of a conversation on another topic and on his way to vacation). It was probably bad judgment, but I'd hold your fire. The real question is who is source number 1. Novak says it's no political hack. And where is the outrage against Novak. He's the one who "outed" Plame to zillions of people. The fact that he is with the press shouldn't provide him with cover on this issue. He should have reported the illegal outing to the FBI - and not run a story. I know that many bloggers here probably hate Rove - in large part, no doubt, because of his success. But on this issue, which is a serious one, I would let the investigation run its course and let the chips fall where they may.

Author

MAllen

Date

2005-07-16T18:10:23-06:00

ID

87432

Comment

No reasonable interpretation of events, as they have transpired to this point, would hold that Rove was intentionally outing a spy. Really, MAllen? Such a declaration of faith makes me giggle. Only a strong sense of protective ideology would make you declare that at this point. Is the evidence incontrovertible? No. Is it rather strong circumstantial? Of course it is. Should we be talking about it? We'd be blind fools not to. Your response kind of reminds me of all the Dems who declared that there was no evidence that Bill Clinton had ever sexually harassed anyone, all because they liked what he stood for. Psych. And where is the outrage against Novak. I agree with you. He's a Republican shill in the FOX News mold. He has shown no ethics or morals, as far as I can see. Unfortunately, he does not work for the government so we can fire his ass. However, if he -- or anyone else committed a crime here -- he or anyone else should be prosecuted. It's really unfortunate that the White House has not done everything possible to try to help Americans figure out just who all the low-down dirty scum are, inside and outside the White House. That's the real story: the lack of integrity and outrage in this administration over this (of course, assuming it was done to protect the lies they were telling about WMD, I guess you could say their priorities lie elsewhere). He's the one who "outed" Plame to zillions of people. The fact that he is with the press shouldn't provide him with cover on this issue. He should have reported the illegal outing to the FBI - and not run a story. True, but that doesn't take away from anything an administration official does. And I think you're too smart to try to obfuscate what public officials do by blaming reporters and other messingers. I hope so. It's not like we have to pick one culprit and only one. I can have contempt for Novak (I already did, in fact) and still be open-minded enough to realize that crimes, and immoralities, were committed inside the administration. I know that many bloggers here probably hate Rove - in large part, no doubt, because of his success. Success? Well, that's an interesting spin, but as you know, "success" is not always a good thing. The Klan was successful, Hitler was successful, Clinton was successful, Nixon was successful -- all up until they got caught, the people woke up (perhaps helped along by a special prosecutor or such), the majority of folks stopped believing their lies and propaganda. I guess if you could call orchestrating a nasty right-wing scheme where "wedge issues" divide people and make anyone who is interested in civil liberties into left-wing commies and un-American, and all by using something as precious as people's faith (not to mention race-coding) to do it ... I guess you could call that "success." And, yeah, I would admit that I don't like Rove for his particular brand of success. I think it's un-American, not to mention immoral. I should also add that I don't "hate" people I don't know, but I am perfectly capable of (and have a right to) to question what they do on my behalf. That's the American part.) But on this issue, which is a serious one, I would let the investigation run its course and let the chips fall where they may. I don't see anyone obstructing justice here, Mallen. I think you give the JFP too much credit. ;-) What I do see are people talking about what our current administration is doing and covering up -- and if you're saying we should stop doing that, I only have one word to say in response. No. I think the proverbial and cliched chips will manage to fall where they may, with or without a few JFP bloggers' assistance, M. So rest easy. ;-)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-07-16T19:24:54-06:00

ID

87433

Comment

That bastard Karl Rove and his nasty wedge issues! He tricked me, a pro-life conservative Christian to vote for GWB, a pro-life conservative Christian! Blasted! I've been had. No one is suggesting that this case not be discussed, but I would hope most people are smarter than allowing their disdain for Rove cause them to presume that he is guilty of a crime. All the facts arent out yet, and the facts that are out, have Rove lookin pretty good. And I love any article that puts Clinton in the same company as Hiltler and the Klan. Well done.

Author

PUDDINTANG

Date

2005-07-18T14:47:40-06:00

ID

87434

Comment

A couple of years ago it was anyone who "leaks" information will no longer work in the White House. Now backed into a corner and caught red-handed it has suddenly become anyone who has committed a "crime" will no longer work in the White House. Bah! Conservative Christian my......! Sounds like what the definition of IS IS to me.

Author

El Canario

Date

2005-07-18T15:35:31-06:00

ID

87435

Comment

A couple of years ago it was anyone who "leaks" information will no longer work in the White House. Now backed into a corner and caught red-handed it has suddenly become anyone who has committed a "crime" will no longer work in the White House. Bah! Conservative Christian my......! Sounds like what the definition of IS IS to me.

Author

El Canario

Date

2005-07-18T15:38:32-06:00

ID

87436

Comment

Well, it seems that the White House is finally tired of the bad rep they're getting from Rove and the leak. Expect a Supreme Court nomination tomorrow or soon this week (I've heard Edith Clement) to divert negative attention and put the Democrats in a bad spot. The WH will be back to calling Democrats obstructionists and hoping the Rove story will fade. It's up to us to keep the pressure on, no matter what the current news story. Remember, this is about national security. And there's a criminal in the White House.

Author

dustin

Date

2005-07-19T02:09:22-06:00

ID

87437

Comment

It is friggin' amazing; to cover for their own lies, this administration disses this man's wife, an operative of the U.S. government, and he gets plastered by the GOP for defending her honor (and, er, U.S. law). What weasels. Totally agreed except for the gratuitous insult against weasels. ;-) Best, Tim

Author

Tim Kynerd

Date

2005-07-19T05:20:56-06:00

ID

87438

Comment

I've been watching FOX News for the past four days to watch the "spin" they are putting on this. Some newscasters are actually FALSELY reporting what Bush said in June 2004, and some of them are glossing over the 2004 "if anyone leaked information" comment and then following it with the "if anyone committed a crime" comment like they are EXACTLY the same. I will sheepishly admit that I began yelling at the television around 6:45am this morning. YELLING. I'm so glad I live alone. I find the fact that they tear Wilson apart (as you mentioned earlier) for stepping up and defending his wife horribly ironic....The great defenders of FAMILY VALUES slam a man for protecting his own. By the way, FOX thinks this WHOLE thing was orchestrated by those horrible "liberals" that are slinking around the country. Have you seen one of these beasts of which they speak? I think they have hunchbacks, drool, growl, and scratch at the ground periodically while diligently sifting thru records to find things to throw at Bush. I will agree there are mitigating circumstances in this case in that Plame was "out there" at some points...but I think anyone that high in the White House doesn't need to be on the phone with a reporter talking about a CIA Agent AT ALL. The tiny little detail about her name is irrelevant to me. I also think it borders on the ridiculous that people are acting like Rove was on the phone speaking with a reporter, in regards to a family member of the man that slammed the administration for false WMD reports and a nonexistant relationship that Iraq had with Africa, and he was just trying to tell the guy to "back off". Give me a break, people. Besides, I'm sorry, but I'm pretty sure that even if Karl Rove did NOT leak a "covert CIA agent name" he did SOMETHING in the past six years just as evil. But, YES, that is my personal opinion. Which seems to be why people keep me around. ;)

Author

Lori G

Date

2005-07-19T06:25:50-06:00

ID

87439

Comment

Glad you're hear at the JFP now, Ali! Anyway, I thought you knew by now!!!!! You can only have Family Values if you and your family know how to look good in promotional photos used by churches and by politicians running for re-election!!! Heaven forbid you should look like the Osbornes . P.S. I'm not putting down the look itself - merely the propaganda that says you are a second-class family if you don't look as described. My attire itself tends to be conservative despite what views I profess.

Author

Philip

Date

2005-07-19T06:39:14-06:00

ID

87440

Comment

Get Rove! A good read: http://www.townhall.com/columnists/paulgreenberg/pg20050718.shtml

Author

PUDDINTANG

Date

2005-07-19T09:24:10-06:00

ID

87441

Comment

.but I think anyone that high in the White House doesn't need to be on the phone with a reporter talking about a CIA Agent AT ALL. My point exactly! I am a federal employee. Federal Goverment 101: Classified information is discussed on a need to to know basis; If you are unsure of a persons clearance, DO NOT DISCUSS CLASSIFIED INFORMATION. If you are usure whether unclassified comments might pose a threat to secure information, do not discuss it. There is no doubt that Karl Rove knew this.

Author

El Canario

Date

2005-07-19T15:11:12-06:00