
Morning all. Marcy and I are at the media room in the Prettyman Courthouse. The judge's clerks are doing courtroom set-up on the monitors, and we are chugging coffee to get rolling for the day. It should be a big day of testimony — they'll be finishing Craig Schmall's cross examination, re-direct and re-cross (if there is any), this morning, and then it will be on to Cathie Martin, who is likely to take most of the day.
For the folks just tuning in to the trial, Craig Schmall was the CIA briefer for Scooter Libby, and later, for both Vice President Cheney and Libby. (I did a recap yesterday that fills in some of the details of his testimony thus far, if you need to catch up.) Cathie Martin is the former press secretary for Vice President Cheney — and she has some very interesting connections in all of this, including being the third person on Air Force Two during the flight on the 12th of July, 2003, coming back from the christening of the USS Ronald Reagan where Dick Cheney gave Libby written marching orders on how to deal with press inquiries from Matt Cooper of Time Magazine, among many other things.
Should be a VERY interesting day for everyone.
How are you guys this morning? Anything catching your eye in the news?



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Fitz!!
Did you get a bigger coffee mug?
good morning!
oh, another interestin’ day!
excellent work FDL!
thanks
Good morning, Good Morning! (Just so you know you’re not alone) And thanks again for serving as eyes and ears and feeding our lust for information.
The unsung news I caught was the AP report of the conviction of two Ohio election workers for “previewing” the recount in 2004 and selecting precincts that wouldn’t spark a full recount. This should be bigger news, and I could see if it got lost in all the excitement about the Libby trial…….well, ok, there’s only a little excitement. Hmmm…
I don’t know how you all are doing this and getting any sleep. My mind is racing far into the night and my inner clock is waking me up at the crack of dawn and I’m not even there!
Kudos to you all for the hard work you are doing and I’m so glad there is no court tomorrow.
Christy, travel home safely to the peanut. (and I sent you an e-mail)
Yep — we got some bigger mugs yesterday, which made life much better for everyone this morning. A demitasse sized cup of coffee is not nearly useful enough.
Good morning,
Just want to say a big thanks for doing what your doing.
Mornin’, Christy, Marcy, pups. Tho it’s afternoon here. Enjoy the Cathie Martin testimony, hope something strong happens to enhance the government’s case. The world is watching, so hope the techs can defend against hacker strings.
Please take care of yourselves, and thanks again to all. It’s truly thrilling, and coming along for the detailed ride has really helped my output at work! ‘g’
Wow, do i see a zed from Germany?
I feel like a crack addict with all this Plame coverage. My wife last night, “Are you coming to bed?”
Safe travels today Redd.
*xyz – way, way downstairs I answer your question about my opinion on Grenier. Sorry I didn’t respond last night… time for bed and all.
I’m ready for a Martin bombshell…
Did Craig Schmall say yesterday that he gets up at 2:00 AM to ready for the briefings?
Thanks for being there…
Jack
Celebrating the Senate committee vote. With a footnote. On behalf of the state of Minnesota, I apologize for Norm “The Opportunistic Chameleon” Coleman. He is an immense embarrassment to us. He was, however, topped for a moment by Michele “Manic Barbie” Bachmann, a freshman congressweirdo, also from MN, who latched on to W after the SOTU and wouldn’t let go until she smooched him. Oh. My. Dog. There are sane people in this state. Really!!
Christy,
Yesterday you mentioned that you are going to have more to say about Craig Schmall’s assertion that those who exposed Valerie Plame did something very, very bad to our overseas intelligence assets. This morning ANOTHER shipment of weapons grade uranium has been interdicted while being moved around the part of the world Plame’s assets USED TO work in more freely.
But back to topic. Was there obvious hostility of Schmall toward anyone at the defense table yesterday when his assertion was made?
Morning Christy and Marcy!
Oh yeaaaaaa.. Cathie Martin.. Game ON
Did you get a printer set up?
FDL rocks!
if you haven’t seen Hagel’s rant from yesterday, it’s worth a look and listen:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/…..l-on-fire/
I know we could have used this passion years ago from old Chuck (supplemented by votes that count) but I say better late than never.
Orogandave, in the comments section of your wrap-up post for yesterday wanted to get David Corn the message:
from downstairs – see link
Good Morning to all Firedogs – here and lurking
remember to click through the ads – All this FDL Team Plame Coverage costs $$$ :)
was just about to send Hagel and Webb a mash note – but then I saw
They Both Voted Against Dodd’s Resolution
a very, very smart woman recently said: “It will take years to unravel this crap ”
lotsa work ahead doggies
Listening to the NPR rehash of the foreign relations committee vote; it is incredible that Murkowsi, Coleman and the other Republicans not named Hagel think it’s okay to talk the talk but not walk the walk. They all claim to have “issues” and “misgivings” with the surge, but they can’t actually conjure up the courage to vote for a resolution condeming it.
At this point, talking about “giving the plan another chance” is bordering on criminal neglect of responsibility, given the current death rate of, what, five soldiers a day.
Damn
Have to leave for an all day deposition today. Have meetings (or if I can’t get there in time confernce calls) from 6 till 9 on a special election. If it were not for Our interpid Firepups at the courthouse, I would miss ALL the good stuff.
THIS IS WITHOUT AT DOUBT THE BEST coverage of any trial (even the kind with cameras in the courtroom) that I have EVER seen!!
Love you guys!
Morning. It’s kind of interesting that Feinstein et al have suddenly gone silent on the mysterious firing of all those US attorneys in the news a few weeks ago. Actually I guess it’s from yesterday.
Link: http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/002397.php
BooMan did a wrap up yesterday based on the work here. Comment 6 gives a great short dialogue of the Chewbacca defense. Funny
If you’re planning on seeing the movie 300, before you spend your cash you might want to listen to the bigotry filled rant of the director frank miller on TOTN yesterday. The link to the show which was about people’s response to the SOTU is at NPR.org and Miller’s segment starts at about 31 minutes. This is the guy who directed Sin City.
I hope I’m not blog whoring, but Froomkin will be at DC drinking liberally tonight. Froomkin’s been pointing to FDL for the live blogging this week.
http://dcdl.org/2007/01/12/dan…..y#more-409
Huge explosion rocks central Baghdad
none @ 20
I think so too, but I suspect there might be an investigation coming… so, “no comment” keeps that off the front pages until it is completed… DiFi was pissed, so I don’t think it’s all just vanished.
have I become so Fitzelated that I missed news of Jane – it’s been a week, have the results come back yet ??
feels so strange to be prying in to someone else’s life like that, especially someone I respect and admire so – but would like to know just the same
thingwarbler @ 18
I wrote as close to an angry letter as I’ve ever sent to Sen. Murkowski earlier in the month about the friggin’ “surge.” That was before another eleven (I’m afraid to look at the local papers today!) Alaska-based soldiers died in Iraq around the middle of the month. I concluded with:
In your four years service in the US Senate, you’ve done what you could for our soldiers. But it is past time for you to search your soul and ask “How much degradation of these people am I willing to accommodate?”
CNN – New violence in Lebanon at Beirut University. One student shot dead.
ET,
You are either up VERY early or you haven’t gone to bed yet. You OK?
Does Cathie Martin still work for Cheney? An earlier report suggested Martin might have felt “aggrieved” (as Grenier would put it) by Libby/Cheney’s treatment?
Ed*ard Teller @
13
ET – gotta link for this (and previous)? thanks, i would like to know more.
lina-
Thanks for the Hagel link. I haven’t seen it yet. Gonna have to click it before the gavel strikes the court to order here.
Ya saved me searching clicks around the usual suspects that might or might hot have it.
thanks agian.
—
Oh. Was there a particular reason/riming that led AEI to relase a press update on ‘Teh Surge’:
http://www.aei.org/publication…..detail.asp
RevDeb @ 21
I have to chuckle every time I hear “Chewbacca defense”. Rev, you forgot the requisite link to the growl.
Clusterfuck’s gonna get his surge- may be some congressional resolutions sayin that it ain’t a good idea. At the end of the day- this war goes on through this year- and by the beginning of 08 (election year) we will begin a draw down..
Don’t see anything that can derail this scenario.
IN THE NEWS…
In spite of the SOTU address, the talk in the news is still about a plan for Iraq, as it should be.
Even though POTUS is CIC, our Congress and Media have decided this issue is worth fighting for, and worth covering. It could easily have been relegated to yesterdays news bin.
Next job, build a coalition that makes it plainly clear Congress and the American peole are against escalation and park that on the front page of every major newspapaer.
Here’s the turnabout argument. The only way to deal with the President is increasing isolation. He knows what we want him to do. We don’t need a diplomatic effort for him to know what he needs to do. Finally, how can we get the dark side evill VPOTUS out of his head?
That’s where the coverage of this trial comes in.
Pat_AlexVA @ 33
good one. I think that I won’t download it and make it my e-mail alert. Scares the cats.
Christy –
I sent you an e-mail last night (and copied Siun this morning) about one of my webservers which has a lot of bandwidth just going to waste. If you are interested in the donation of some bandwidth (I’m thinking probably load sharing or offloading some of the static content or something) for the duration of Fitzmas, have whoever does your web tech stuff contact me.
–MarkusQ
This caught my eye over at Steve Gilliard’s place
Have they strung Libby up yet? Hang him HIGH!!
Way EPU’d, but the other day was a blog about the MSM use of Democrat Party instead of Democratic Party. And of course in the STOU, Bush could not say Democratic Congress (despite it being written so), and MSNBC including Williams and Russert caught and commentated on that slip.
Well today, on NPR the news commentator slipped and referred to the Rebulicans as Republics. Boy did it sound nasty. I thought Rethuglicans or Republicants was the better pejorative. But yes, Republics has that nasty edge of a sound that will get the noise machine complaining, and exposing their own hypocrasy. Start using it.
Hi Christy and Marcy and everyone. RevDeb, my inner clock is doing the same thing. I used to need an alarm to wake up but now I get up freely at 6:00. Can I sue Libby?
since none of us are getting too far away from the refresh button -
You May Have Missed This Giggle(pic)
crikey !, try this for the pic
http://www.crooksandliars.com/…..-pictures/
RevDeb @ 29
I’m up early and OK. Thursday is my LONG day – 0800 to 2000, plus 110 miles of driving in what have been very bad driving conditions, only able to use one arm (I’m driving an automatic until I get my left arm back).
Worth getting up early to watch the vindication of Valerie Plame get cranking up for the day, though. Well worth it. You guys are so cool… And listening to Jimmy Carter, our greatest living president, defend himself so aptly on NPR, where the host is displaying both his obtuseness and willful ignorance.
Go to google, type in Cathie Martin, hit the news tab, and Christy’s post from last night (No Swans Swimming inSewers) comes up first.
woooooooohooooooo
ps: did you get a printer?
I’m wondering to what extent the defense knows what Fitz’s case is. Are they vulnerable to the prosecution asking non-relevant questions to give the defense some shiny objects to chase?
Raining cats & dogs here in Florida and it is actually cold out.
cbl @ 17
It looks like Joe Biden is on that list as well.
wrt IRAQ, more senate foreign relations committee hearing today (am, pm)… don’t see it scheduled on c-span, so will try to listen via capitolhearings.org’s room links.
Shez — did some homework for you re: usage of “wife” yesterday, can get more granular if you’d like.
Wells refers to “the wife” while questioning Grossman before 11:11 am; “wife” is used in total 11 times by attorneys and witnesses before lunch break. Will have to go back and get a breakdown, more difficult as Marcy has not yet started using first initial-last name to delineate who’s saying what. “Plame” is used only 6 times before lunch break.
Jeffress refers to “Wilson’s wife” at least five times after 2:03 pm/before 3:17 while questioning Grenier. (See “Libby Liveblog: Robert Grenier Two”). There is a third reference, but the context is a bit odd, don’t know if it is an error on Jeffress’ part or an error on Marcy’s part with rapid transcription.
Zeidenberg (Team Fitz) uses “Wilson’s wife” once while questioning Grenier immediately following Jeffress’ last three questions to Grenier, before 3:17 pm.
Similar ratio of usage during post-lunch questioning; “Plame” is used 6 times by both sides, will have to go back and check to see who actually says “Plame” (Fitz at least once, witnesses at least twice).
p.s. Marcy, the initials help ENORMOUSLY, although I realize they slow you down a lot. Thanks much!!
cbl @
26
Didn’t a pastor recently post a message to the effect, “It’s not your problem, it’s Jane’s and when (0r if) she is ready to discuss it with you, she’ll tell you. Now, take a cold tater and wait.”? Let’s be patient and continue to send good thoughts her way and hope she joins Marcy and Christy soon.
Tell me, is the jury eating steak and eggs while we sit here waiting? But seriously, what time does the judge get started?
CATHIE MARTIN: A public affairs assistant to the vice president, Martin told Libby around July 8, 2003, that she learned from another government official that Wilson’s wife worked at the CIA. Like Addington, Martin is referred to in the indictment but may not be called as a witness.
http://www.indystar.com/apps/p…../701220344
A list just like the one above on all the players at the link, including a timeline. I wish my book, “Anatomy of Deceit, by Marcy Wheeler” would get here.
For anyone visiting who hasn’t ordered the playbook yet, the link is on the top left of this page. Don’t get shut out!!
g’morning and g’night! gotta get some sleep here, but can’t wait for the next installment. it’s like open bar for all of us plame-o-holics….
CHRISTY AND MARCY AND PACH, WOO HOO !!
New Thread HERE
Any guesses on whether or not Rove comes up in Martin’s testimony today?
Seems like there’s a good chance. here’s to hoping !
looseheadprop @ 19
add my cheers too. in some fundamental sense you guys are changing the way the biggest trials will be covered. you guys have been absolute godsends.
ot, since we’re discussing cia briefers, who was the briefer on aug. 6, 01 who got told by bush good, now you can say you’ve covered your ass? either i once knew and forgot or i never knew.
anyone?
nice pic
On my mind….mindless speculation. If Loserman takes great umbrage and bolts the Democratic Party over the Iraq War resolution, does Hagl have enough fortitude and strength of conviction, to do likewise, and leave the Repugs, in order to maintain the current majority. Mindless speculation, the best kind. Good job on the trial coverage.
cbl @ 26
I am not sure it’s prying to express concern.
Good morning all,
Did you folks do another video courthouse update? I enjoyed the first one and am looking for more from our bloggers on site. I pass that on to friends who will not go through all the pages of this story but have time for a “tube”. We each learn in our own ways.
“Raining and cold in Florida”…where? I’ve got a the Superbowl Weekend in Miami and I don’t want to hear that stuff. A crisp and cool 20 degrees here in Northern Michigan, time to go out and fill the feeders before court starts.
I wonder if Judge Walton finds this case riveting also.
brianb99c @ 59
It’s important to remember Hagel’s voting record I think. He is a republikan, although he’s been relatively sane.
brianb99c @ 59
It seems to be not a problem. The organizing resolutions that were adopted were not like the ones in 2000. This time committee chairs were named and lots of detail. Should HoJo bolt it would not matter. How cool is that?
New thread!
Thanks so much for yesterday, and before, and before….. You (or others) also could answer something for me on press coverage of this.
In the NYT again today we have 2 articles whch I think pushing a WH agenda. In one Neil Lewis writes that Grenier “…seemed irked by accounts that …Wilson…was telling reporters that he had been sent on a fact-finding mission to Niger at the behest of the vice-president’s office.” This is the sort of take I remember hearing about on Fox at the ime. The Boston Globe piece, in contrast (by AP press’s MIchael Sniffen instead says of this incident that “Grenier said,he told Libby ‘it was NOT ONLY [my emphasis] the Office of the Vice Prsident driving the Wilson trip, but also inquires from State and Defense.” Later the AP story adds Grenier “…also told Libby that Wilson’s wife worked in the CIA unit that sent Wilso and “that’s where the idea came from” because she knew he had contacts in NIger.” In short Neil Lewis and the NYT seems specifically to leave out a critical part (indeed THE critical part) of this sordid story because he seems driven by a desire to support the WH point of view. Additional on the NYT front page (on line Huffing has a story) David Johnston an Jim Rutenberg have a long piece in which they try to debunk the idea that Rove was out to get Libby. “But there is little known evidene to buttress the suggestion by Mr. Libby’s defense team in his obstruction and perjury trial that unnamed White HOuse fficials were deliberately setting Mr. Libby up to be a scapegoat.” Here too it seems principally that the WH agenda is being put forward here. While the piece is perhaps somewhat accurate (based on those these “journalists” interviewed) there is nothing in the piece on the various issues brought up here at FDL on the probable reasons why Libby was bringing this up AND whether this was an issue at all. In short this seems to have been an intentionally narrow perspective. The interviews seem to have been done only with administrative people, not with those who might have something to say about the court proceedings per se.
And, on another NYT issue I brought up yesterday, i.e. the huge differences in how the NYT and the Globe covered Carter’s speech at Brandeis (and the NYT using this as an opportunity to present only anti-Carter points of view on his book). Today in the Globe (F-1) is a remarkable piece by Alex Beam “Another Controversy at Brandeis” on the wife of the university’s president (Sociologist Shulamit Reinharz) who is a key figure in the movement to label anyone who speaks for the denigration of Palestinians as being necessarily anti-semitic. In this article we read “Just prior to the Carter column, Reinharz attaked ‘anti-Semitic Jews,’ including poet Adrienne Rich, Noam Chomsky, Tony Kushner and WAshington Post columnist ard Cohen. Most would saythat they are simply anti-Zionist, not anti-Seminites,” Rheinharz warites. ‘But I disagree, because in a world where there is one Jewish state, to oppose it vehemently is to endanger Jews.’ The column goes on to note that faculty feel she has crossed the line with her columns.”
Has there be anything like this piece in the NYT? I think not.
Blank Kludge and others -
in case you haven’t seen this – a piece from Gilliard on the so called architect of the
spoogesurgeWolfowitz Lite
From Salon’s War Room today, we still have Rumsfeld to kick around:
Morning everyone. I just got my first comment in moderation! I guess that is a badge of some sort.
Dear hard working (and respected mods), I think the issues raised were appropriate both to the Libby case and to media coverage more generally.
New blog via CTBob: Lieberwatch.
“Like a crack addict?”
How about feeling like an alcoholic, sneaking in reading while showing the N.Y. Times on the screen with this morning’s coffee. Hubby’s in the shower now. Ha ha
“Please, don’t spend all day on the blogs?”
Ooooo, he coming down , bye.
So much twaddle about neckties and nonbinding irresolution while Bagdad bombs kill dozens of Iraqis as the surge forward disintegrates more lives.
We need a serious rebellion here and now.
Barbara @ 12
Listen, coming from SC, I can totally relate (and we do have sane people here, too, but we are vastly outnumbered by the fundies who believe Bush represents God’s will, end of discussion).
We have some useless Senators and Reps. here, as well. But at least Coleman has some bitchin’ hair ;-)
We are simply amazed at the quality of the blogging on the trial and the cogent analyses offered in the evening after a long, grinding day. You are all doing a tremendous public service and we are most appreciative. Appreciative as interested parties in the trial of course, but mostly appreciative as Americans that our fellow citizens are rallying to ensure that a vibrant and free press invites attention to the importance of the rule of law in our system of governance. Thank you for all you are doing. Stay healthy, eat vitamin C (as somebody suggested on the blog), and get your rest. Joe
Joe Wilson @ 74
ok. now THAT’S cool.
How are you guys this morning? Anything catching your eye in the news?
Unfortunately Dan Froomkin had to reschedule because of illness, but feel free to stop by Dupont Circle Drinking Liberally tonight anyway. We’ll be doing our usual socializing and political discussion in the back room at Timberlake’s, 1726 Connecticut Ave NW (a couple of blocks north of the Dupont Circle Metro, on the west side of the street).
‘cuse me….can you take your coffee in the courtroom?
I’m trying to get a mental picture of all this. The highest court I’ve been in is traffic court. Never served on a jury either.
Here’s something that caught my eye in the news…
There’s a story on wapo.com with the headline: “Cheney Defends Iraq Policy”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..02066.html
Cheney says Iraq is an “enormous success” and gets petulant with Wolf Blitzer during his interview on CNN.
I know I shouldn’t be surprised any more about Cheney and his lunacy, but I am. I can’t help it. I get outraged.
Did anyone else read this article or see the interview?
When do those impeachment hearing begin?
KCinDC @
77
Does this mean no White House Briefing today? That’s one of my pieces of daily crack.