Comments on: Understanding the Libby-Rove Head Fake http://firedoglake.com/2007/01/24/understanding-the-libby-rove-head-fake/ Firedoglake weblog Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:52:54 -0600 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: domperro http://firedoglake.com/2007/01/24/understanding-the-libby-rove-head-fake/#comment-473295 domperro Thu, 25 Jan 2007 06:26:08 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/01/24/understanding-the-libby-rove-head-fake/#comment-473295 <p><a href="#comment-472281"><em>*ilbo @ 4 </em></a></p> <blockquote><p>1st? Fitzolicious!</p></blockquote> <p>Fitztastic!</p> *ilbo @ 4

1st? Fitzolicious!

Fitztastic!

]]> By: SW http://firedoglake.com/2007/01/24/understanding-the-libby-rove-head-fake/#comment-472719 SW Thu, 25 Jan 2007 00:07:08 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/01/24/understanding-the-libby-rove-head-fake/#comment-472719 <p>I have a different take on it. I look at it from a firefighting perspective. Libby works for Cheney, the VP. Rove works for Bush, the President. There would be people in the White House who would be interested in making sure that the problem remained on the other side of a firewall between the two offices. Rove implicates or could implicate the President, so it institutionally mobilizes forces. It always seems to happen. Just different faces. I don’t doubt that there is an element of self servivng truth to “Scooter’s” defense. Probably enough to make him feel self righteous. But it is layered on top of the simple fact that he lied in the serice of smearing someone who had the balls to tell the truth. I don’t doubt that he was the victim of some pretty nasty infighting. After all, look who got indicted and look who is still laughing from the side-lines. But that has little to do with the actual merits of the case.</p> I have a different take on it. I look at it from a firefighting perspective. Libby works for Cheney, the VP. Rove works for Bush, the President. There would be people in the White House who would be interested in making sure that the problem remained on the other side of a firewall between the two offices. Rove implicates or could implicate the President, so it institutionally mobilizes forces. It always seems to happen. Just different faces. I don’t doubt that there is an element of self servivng truth to “Scooter’s” defense. Probably enough to make him feel self righteous. But it is layered on top of the simple fact that he lied in the serice of smearing someone who had the balls to tell the truth. I don’t doubt that he was the victim of some pretty nasty infighting. After all, look who got indicted and look who is still laughing from the side-lines. But that has little to do with the actual merits of the case.

]]> By: G Spot1 http://firedoglake.com/2007/01/24/understanding-the-libby-rove-head-fake/#comment-472627 G Spot1 Wed, 24 Jan 2007 22:47:07 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/01/24/understanding-the-libby-rove-head-fake/#comment-472627 <p>Strikes me as a perfect little circle the defense is trying to create for the jurors:</p> <p>Can’t blame Karl for the leak because he’s not on trial. Can’t blame Ari for lying to protect Karl because he has immunity. Can’t blame Scooter, because all he did was tell the truth and then got lies told about him by Karl the Great and his henchmen. So for those jurors who hate the Bush administration, Libby looks like a sympathetic victim.</p> <p>This is good. I don’t think it will work, but it’s good. The problem with it, however, is that Libby has his own motive to lie - save his own ass and his boss’s ass….</p> Strikes me as a perfect little circle the defense is trying to create for the jurors:

Can’t blame Karl for the leak because he’s not on trial. Can’t blame Ari for lying to protect Karl because he has immunity. Can’t blame Scooter, because all he did was tell the truth and then got lies told about him by Karl the Great and his henchmen. So for those jurors who hate the Bush administration, Libby looks like a sympathetic victim.

This is good. I don’t think it will work, but it’s good. The problem with it, however, is that Libby has his own motive to lie – save his own ass and his boss’s ass….

]]> By: Sysiphus http://firedoglake.com/2007/01/24/understanding-the-libby-rove-head-fake/#comment-472556 Sysiphus Wed, 24 Jan 2007 21:30:30 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/01/24/understanding-the-libby-rove-head-fake/#comment-472556 <p>Comments from a lurker. Seems to me the defense didn’t want to be put into the position of defending an unpopular administration so they took some of the wind out of the sails of the prosecution and joined the attack by throwing Rove under the bus. It dovetails perfectly with the voir dire questions. They couldn’t get Bush supporters on the jury. Indeed Libby as the insider on this administration attack appears to be desparately trying to save his own neck. How far will he go to do it? I agree this defense tactic is a red herring. Its offered to make Libby look the hapless victim rather than the perpetrator of a crime. The bad guys are still in office. Beauty of it for us is both parties at trial will be providing evidence that should result a very public indictment on the administration and the way its actions abused power and the public trust.</p> Comments from a lurker. Seems to me the defense didn’t want to be put into the position of defending an unpopular administration so they took some of the wind out of the sails of the prosecution and joined the attack by throwing Rove under the bus. It dovetails perfectly with the voir dire questions. They couldn’t get Bush supporters on the jury. Indeed Libby as the insider on this administration attack appears to be desparately trying to save his own neck. How far will he go to do it? I agree this defense tactic is a red herring. Its offered to make Libby look the hapless victim rather than the perpetrator of a crime. The bad guys are still in office. Beauty of it for us is both parties at trial will be providing evidence that should result a very public indictment on the administration and the way its actions abused power and the public trust.

]]> By: turkish bill http://firedoglake.com/2007/01/24/understanding-the-libby-rove-head-fake/#comment-472465 turkish bill Wed, 24 Jan 2007 20:26:36 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/01/24/understanding-the-libby-rove-head-fake/#comment-472465 <p><a href="#comment-472449"><em>turkish bill @<br /> 79 </em></a></p> <blockquote><p><a href="#comment-472439"><em>Ann in AZ @ 75</em></a></p> <blockquote> <p>It seems to me if the vote was 54-43, the “Rethugs” had some serious help in voting down the minimum wage bill. I think it would be interesting to know which Dems don’t care about the lower classes or those less fortunate or less educated.</p></blockquote> <p>No - not voted down 54-43; filibustered. All democrats voted for, apart from Johnson (obvious) and Carper (?who he? Junior sen Delaware?).</p></blockquote> <p>OT - But: can someone explain to me why this isn’t a really dumb use of the filibuster, given that Bush would presumably have vetoed anyway? After all, he’s not up for re-election in 2008 - there’d be absolutely no cost to him - while 21 Republican senators are.</p> turkish bill @
79

Ann in AZ @ 75

It seems to me if the vote was 54-43, the “Rethugs” had some serious help in voting down the minimum wage bill. I think it would be interesting to know which Dems don’t care about the lower classes or those less fortunate or less educated.

No – not voted down 54-43; filibustered. All democrats voted for, apart from Johnson (obvious) and Carper (?who he? Junior sen Delaware?).

OT – But: can someone explain to me why this isn’t a really dumb use of the filibuster, given that Bush would presumably have vetoed anyway? After all, he’s not up for re-election in 2008 – there’d be absolutely no cost to him – while 21 Republican senators are.

]]> By: JGabriel http://firedoglake.com/2007/01/24/understanding-the-libby-rove-head-fake/#comment-472456 JGabriel Wed, 24 Jan 2007 20:13:18 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/01/24/understanding-the-libby-rove-head-fake/#comment-472456 <p>Thom: “Team Libby is using this because they have permission to from the WH.”</p> <p>Well, obviously, from my post above, I agree.</p> <p>I think there are multiple scenarios that could be used to justify such a decision. </p> <p>Ultimately, though, whatever the reasoning, the fact is that Cheney has agreed to appear on behalf of the defense. There’s no way Cheney would have done so without knowing Team Libby’s strategy — especially if it includes throwing Karl ‘under the bus’. </p> <p>Therefore, I have to conclude that whatever the strategy is, the WH has approved it. Or at least Cheney has, in the unlikely event that there’s any distinction between the two.</p> Thom: “Team Libby is using this because they have permission to from the WH.”

Well, obviously, from my post above, I agree.

I think there are multiple scenarios that could be used to justify such a decision.

Ultimately, though, whatever the reasoning, the fact is that Cheney has agreed to appear on behalf of the defense. There’s no way Cheney would have done so without knowing Team Libby’s strategy — especially if it includes throwing Karl ‘under the bus’.

Therefore, I have to conclude that whatever the strategy is, the WH has approved it. Or at least Cheney has, in the unlikely event that there’s any distinction between the two.

]]> By: turkish bill http://firedoglake.com/2007/01/24/understanding-the-libby-rove-head-fake/#comment-472449 turkish bill Wed, 24 Jan 2007 19:56:00 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/01/24/understanding-the-libby-rove-head-fake/#comment-472449 <p><a href="#comment-472439"><em>Ann in AZ @ 75</em></a></p> <blockquote> <p>It seems to me if the vote was 54-43, the “Rethugs” had some serious help in voting down the minimum wage bill. I think it would be interesting to know which Dems don’t care about the lower classes or those less fortunate or less educated.</p></blockquote> <p>No - not voted down 54-43; filibustered. All democrats voted for, apart from Johnson (obvious) and Carper (?who he? Junior sen Delaware?).</p> Ann in AZ @ 75

It seems to me if the vote was 54-43, the “Rethugs” had some serious help in voting down the minimum wage bill. I think it would be interesting to know which Dems don’t care about the lower classes or those less fortunate or less educated.

No – not voted down 54-43; filibustered. All democrats voted for, apart from Johnson (obvious) and Carper (?who he? Junior sen Delaware?).

]]> By: Mitch http://firedoglake.com/2007/01/24/understanding-the-libby-rove-head-fake/#comment-472448 Mitch Wed, 24 Jan 2007 19:55:09 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/01/24/understanding-the-libby-rove-head-fake/#comment-472448 <p>The reason they need to get Rove into the mix is to make it seem that this was all about politics. They’re playing the “they’re trying to make politics illegal” card. </p> <p>Rove is not a player in this. Keep your eyes on Cheney.</p> The reason they need to get Rove into the mix is to make it seem that this was all about politics. They’re playing the “they’re trying to make politics illegal” card.

Rove is not a player in this. Keep your eyes on Cheney.

]]> By: turkish bill http://firedoglake.com/2007/01/24/understanding-the-libby-rove-head-fake/#comment-472442 turkish bill Wed, 24 Jan 2007 19:49:24 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/01/24/understanding-the-libby-rove-head-fake/#comment-472442 <p>Turkish bill at77</p> <p>IANAL. (nor an American, for that matter, but a fairly avid reader for some time)</p> <p>And apparently EPU’d as well…</p> Turkish bill at77

IANAL. (nor an American, for that matter, but a fairly avid reader for some time)

And apparently EPU’d as well…

]]> By: spiderpaws http://firedoglake.com/2007/01/24/understanding-the-libby-rove-head-fake/#comment-472440 spiderpaws Wed, 24 Jan 2007 19:47:56 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/01/24/understanding-the-libby-rove-head-fake/#comment-472440 <p>…it may take Jane’s laser focus to figure out their strategy</p> …it may take Jane’s laser focus to figure out their strategy

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