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Valerie Plame Wilson: "I cannot begin to speculate on what Karl Rove's intentions were."
And FYI, there is a memo written by the CPD officer that contradicts the Senate Committee Report's conclusions on the mission to Niger, and Waxman will be asking for that memo.
Continue the conversation and updates in the comment section. If possible, Marcy and I will post updates here on the main page.
Donate to the Wilson's Defense Trust.
___________________________
11:33 am ET:
Chris Van Hollen (hey Chris, call Howie Klein!): going after Bush's promise to dump leakers. Rove still has a security clearance, says Valerie. The Gooper congresscritters (both of them) are looking down and to the side.
11:46 am ET:
Sarbanes describing administration as "bullies." "Arrogance of power run amok." He's not really asking good questions, though. He's really just trying to frame what the whole fact of the leak means, but he's covering ground already covered.
Huckleberry Westmoreland to summarize before Valerie is done. Going back to the decision to send Joe to Niger. What, at this point, Congressman, does this have to do with the fucking leak? Ladies and gentlemen, this is why only two winger congresscritters showed up: they got nothin'. Valerie is being very patient with him.
11:56 am ET:
SHOCKING REVELATION: Valerie admits she and Joe are Democrats. Ok, wingers, let's play the credibility game in public. Who has been proven right and who has been proven wrong every step of the way, here? Do you really want to hang on the credibility of Bush and Cheney? Bring it on.
Ms. Holmes Norton to wrap up for the majority:
Valerie answers that she was working on investigation of Iraq WMD. Holmes Norton getting to the effects of the outing of a covert operative. Possible death of an agent and of others connected to the agent.
12:05 PM ET:
Waxman: facts are not partisan. Joe exposed the false claims. They attacked him and made you collateral damage. Hearing to learn if leakers knew Plame was covert. Serious national security breach. Wilson was proven right, Bush admits 16 SOTU was wrong. A war that did not have to be fought. Valerie about to be excused, and I wish I could stand and applaud. Davi$ lying, saying CIA approved 16 words.
.
There will be a fresh thread beginning with the new panel in a few minutes.
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Yay!
Fitz! Valerie!
Admin of bullies. HAH! Quote of the day.
This guy will take 10 minutes just to ask one question.
Sarbanes burrows in: What was to be gained by exposing you, in Valerie’s opinion?
Pach says:
Oh happy day…not only do we now know Plame was covert, the second biggest piece of BS used by the distortion machine was the opinion written by the GOP senators of the SSCI about that. I was just hoping Waxman would take the opportunity to get to the bottom of that.
Be still my heart!
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/benchconference/
I hope the bathtub of koolaide is big enough to drown all the repugs.
“Suggests petulant behavior on their part.”
RevDeb:
From last thread: Sarbanes might be related to Paul. Wasn’t Paul also from MD?
Have only two Republicans asked questions so far? Does anyone recognize more of them on the dais?
Sarbanes is so hot!
Memos.
In writing.
Gotta love it.
Biodun @ 10
Yes.
Sarbanes: Unlikely you were exposed accidentally. How would an intentional leak take place?
V: I can’t speak to intent but only to action…They all knew I worked for the CIA
Everyone really should take a quick look at that link I just posted because it causes a physical reaction of joy that no drug could ever induce!
Ed*ard Teller @ 11
And those 2 seem to be completely out of their league here. To note that they’re only there to make GOP talking points, not to ask real questions, goes without saying.
No one has mentioned the SF 312 yet. I hope it is coming from someone.
Waxman did some good coaching of the Dem members. Tag-teaming the shit out of the White House.
Any taint of bias undermines usefulness of intelligence . . . (VP)
you have to get the politics out of our intelligence! (VP)
You won’t get the apology you deserve (Sarbanes)
My god, she is making some excellent points here in her responses.
Westmoreland is an asshole!! I said it and I’m glad!
Westmoreland is a jackass, thoroughly braying now.
Why is Westmoreland on ANY committee, much less this one??
Biodun @ 10
he is Paul’s son. (And my member of Congress)
Also: C-SPAN makes every effort to show hearings in their entirety. They will also reair the hearing this evening and archive the hearing at C-SPAN.org
Westmoreland asking about memory and forgetting? If he’s not careful, he might start sounding like Scooter.
Westmoreland is a moron compared to the usual morons of his party.
Um Hello, chucklehead westmoreland if you were listening to her testimony (and read fdl and eriposte and the documents from the libby trial) you would have learned that ….the senate intelligence committee report has been shown to be a fraud and misleading..cherrpicked. etc.
Westmoreland gets smoked. He’s got nothing, and Valerie is laying him to waste.
I am afraid the servers are strained but I just want everyone to read this headline (WP, Andrew Cohen) and just imagine it for a second, respect for the law returned to our country–
The Case for Attorney General Patrick Fitzgerald
Mandrake @ 25
Not because God answers prayer.
Westmoreland R-assh*le – Nonprolferation – sounds like a lot of smart people work there – how can so many not remember how Joe got recommended. Coordinated lack of memory? why no paper trail of decision?
Westmoreland is so clearly out of his league here. He needs to shut the fuuuuuck up.
LJ/Aquaria @ 28
A meta-moron!
Still haranguing over who sent Wilson. Thinks everyone is a self-promoting jackass like he is.
Mandrake @ 25
Yeah, he’s made from the same mold as George Felix (Macaca) Allen, at least as far as smarts go. i.e. the lack thereof.
XYZ,
Thanks for the link on the last thread.
Much better.
GO VALERIE!!!
Two other reports BEFORE Wilson went to Niger. I’m so loving this right now.
She is trying to tap into her abilities as a mom to explain stuff to small children in responding to Westmoreland.
Now he’s trying to rehash that steaming pile that she isn’t covert.
Okay. In a harmless, non-threatening way I just want to say that I’M TOTALLY CRUSHED OUT on Valerie Wilson. Uh. Ma. Gah.
She’s all class and kickin’ ass.
Westmoreland-
Southern Culture on the Skids (apologies to the band of the same name)…God he’s oily.
For all the new folks, this is definitely the best picture quality, best sound, best everything video coverage of the hearing:
http://www.oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1205
Although he comes from a Republican family, with deep roots in California, he’s a Democrat now.
Weeeee!
Westmoreland, you moron, just because a guy worked at an agency doesn’t mean that he had access to who was or was not covert, especially on an individual basis.
Now going for is her husband a Democrat? He is NOW.
V: Wilson is a dem.
Turns out it is ok to out covert agents if they are Democrats.
That’s not Ted Olson behind her is it?
V: I’m a dem
Hooo boy, is this dude treading on dangerous ground, asking for her political party.
Yikes.
She’s a democrat!!! Off with her head!!!
The more times Valerie gets to repeat under oath, the repugs are the insane clown posse.
Isn’t this guy’s time up yet? Has he been served (if only with a subpoena? Good grief.
Hey Westmoreland – go back to the country club…
angie @ 49
I don’t think so.
Mandrake @ 25
He’s on ten committees, but can only name one or two of them…
Valerie just got DONE saying you have to take politics out of intel, and what does Westmoreland ask — Are you a Democrat?!?
Oh snap
Westmorleland is babbling about Repug families
Wilson lost his way becoming a Dem? No, dude, he came to the light!
You folks were completely right. That guy dressed in pink is making a mockery of Plames statements and of course of Code pink. Please call code pink immediately and tell them to get that fucking fool out of the court room. What an asshole. It makes me wonder if he is really from Code Pink . If it is Code Pink has completely lost what ever they had
This jerk is trying to make it sound like they did this because they were democrats.
Really! What is he smoking?
TRex @ 36
I’d give money to see the Democratic committee members turn to him and say that in unison. “Would the gentleman from Georgia please shut the fuuuuuck up?”
Westmoreland: You don’t base all your information on one source.
CURVEBALL.
Westmoreland’s time has expired. Still babbling
Westmorland asking if she is Repub or Dem – she hesitated and he pressed so she said Dem – W now making case Bush would (wandering around now) now saying its a shame she and press here and won’t get to ask all questions
Davis is a total ass. I’m glad the Republicans are out of there now.
You know, if Rep. Davis really wants to get to the bottom of who outed whom, perhaps Rep. Davis should subpoena Karl Rove, Dick Cheney, and others under oath to give testimony to the committee directly, with no agreement for immunity for any of them? Hmmmmm?
This Westmoreland asshole is making me homicidal!
What a waste of oxygen.
You almost have to feel bad for the skeletal Rethug rearguard action. They got nothin’, and fuck ‘em. People should be in jail for this bullshit.
Would it be wrong to call Westmoreland an a-hole?
BAck to the Libby trial exhibit
Trifecta, I’d call him a stupid asshole.
Westmorland is a jerk, trying to make out that because they are democrats that the Wilsons tried to make the leak political. Plame should have said it doesn’t make any difference and refuse to answer.
Why does Westmoreland hate America?
“I did not recommend him. I did not suggest him. There was no nepotism involved. I did not have the authority,” she said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200…..OJROKs0NUE
Yes it would be wrong.
It would NOT be wrong to call him an ASSHOLE!
Oh yeah , lets get to the treason!
Joe and I had no political agenda and were looking for ways to serve our country. (VP)
Imagine that. (sigh)
Q: why are a couple of tools like Davis & Westmoreland on this committee?
A: Any rethug with brains would realize questioning VP/W on this topic is sort of like signing up for a free kick in the crotch.
YOu CAN”T STOP THE OUTING ONCE IT”S OUT!! JERK!
I hope someone asks Valerie if during a Democratic administration whether it’s ok to expose Republic covert officers of the CIA.
That might put it in perspective for the pugs.
Thank you St. Henry. Doesn’t matter what party you belong to
Facts are not repug or dem.
It doesn’t matter if you are a Democrat or a Republican. We don’t ask our servicemen and women. You are serving America, Mrs. Plame.
Whammo, Huckleberry Westie!
WAXMAN FOR PRESIDENT!
RevDeb @ 8:57
Rewrite: You can’t stop the TREASON, since it’s already TREASONOUS!
(((((((((((((those of you giving me play by play))))))))))))
no other access to this, thank you, keep it comin’
Davis and Westmoreland are likely to get the Medal of Freedom from the boy king for their loyal service to the Party. Long Live the Fatherland!!!
Davis spoke the words: It’s against the Law.
Go Waxman.
They made you collateral damage and they didn’t seem to care even to this point, because they have never apologized.
Let’s all have a raise of hands of those who think Dubya should apologize to Ms. Plame.
I assume Westmoreland’s name comes from the Westmoreland in England–West-Moor-Land. Merriam-Webster says that a moor is an open rolling expanse of infertile land, which comes very close to describing our lad to a T.
Norton is trying to work on showing that outing of a cover tagent’s name is worse than disclosing some “classsified” but faily innocuos info.
Norton was not properly briefed on the magic words/terms of art
I find it troubling that in the zeal for their political positioning (the Administration), there is a lot of collateral damage around, including a war that didn’t need to be fought. (From Waxman.)
In order to minimize server hiccups, “Quote this Comment” and “Edit Your Comment” have been disabled.
We will restore these features as soon as possible.
Valerie Plame Wilson: “I cannot begin to speculate on what Karl Rove’s intentions were.”
Oh, come on, Valerie! Go ahead! Speculate away! Don’t be polite; you know full well what the fat pig’s intentions were.
Sigh
Freakin CSPAN is cutting awway from the coverage!@!!
How can they leave it now????
C-Span breaking away for now
Biodun @ 10
RevDeb:
From last thread: Sarbanes might be related to Paul. Wasn’t Paul also from MD?
he is Paul’s son. (And my member of Congress)
Paul is the brother of a classmate of mine at Wellesley College–1966.
Arca @ 89– too little, too late.
Take it to the Preznit and the war, Mr. Waxman.
I am too young to remember, but have the Republicans always been this corrupt and hopeless? My memory only vaguely goes back to Watergate, so I need help here.
Gah — C-span just cut to the House floor.
go to http://www.oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1205 if you can, then. they are still on.
Anyone remember Westmoreland’s appearance on Colbert?
Colbert was asking him about his Ten Commandments legislation, and Westy is going on and on about how important the 10C are and how they are the foundation of our society, etc., etc.
So Colbert asks, “What are they?”
Westmoreland got three.
I want to hear Toensig getted skewered UNDER OATH….please C-Span, caome back!
For a PRAYER, swell.
Cspan had better rerun this over the weekend, in it’s entirety. I will accept nothing less.
*grumble, grumble*
cspan said they would pick coverage back up later :(
Screaming at my TV in Frudstration!!!
Littleprop thinks I need to “take a chill”
SHe is amking fun of me
y’all go here:
http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1205
Perhaps something more important is happening, like Goldstein attacking from Eurasia. Allow them their priorities, they are the professionals, after all.
OK, now that we’re listening to the opening prayer, can I just say that Valerie Plame rocks? I have been dreaming of exotic ways (Bourne-identity-ish) she would deal with Toensing, Rove, and the horrendous Administration cabal.
C-SPAN will return fairly quickly, as the House thing is pro-forma with no agenda. If that’s the case, why the fuck did they break away in the first place?
Try:
http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1205
Is there any place there’s a stream? Is NPR still streaming audio?
When Congressman Westmoreland takes a dump his head caves in.
-GSD
C-Span2 has a Rove speech going, C-Span3 has another committee hearing. Just FYI. Will let everyone know when the C-Span1 coverage is back on the Waxman hearing. Until then, the Committee has a live feed here.
epud. anyone know where the plugin can be found?
Anyone remember Westmoreland’s appearance on Colbert?
Colbert was asking him about his Ten Commandments legislation, and Westy is going on and on about how important the 10C are and how they are the foundation of our society, etc., etc.
So Colbert asks, “What are they?”
Westmoreland got three.
But he “doesn’t feel like that” you should make fun of him just cuz he’s stupid!
This should have been made available on pay per view! If not free and uninterrupted on CNN and MSNBC.
Karl Rove on CSPN 2, answering questions.
I guess it’s okay to EXPOSE Democratic Covert Agents…all in the cause of furthering WH lies about the reasons for war?
BTW I’m sure that more than a few of Plame’s fellow agents and sources that were placed at risk were Republicans. Or are only Democrats willing to risk their lives in the covert Intelligence field? Or maybe they all become Democrats?
Major screen freezes.
Impeach NOW calls.
JoyB
Thanks! And we keep going!! Who’s the next witness going to be?
As she leaves the stand…how about a virtual standing ovation!
cspan1 shows they’ll pick up again at 1210– there is a 5 minute recess and Valerie is excused.
Impeach now being chanted.
Dr. James Knodell, Director, Office of Security, The White House
Those code pink schmucks are chanting “impeach now”.
They suck.
Break
{{{{Valerie Plame Wilson}}}}
CSPAN is back, but there’s a short break.
Karl Rove: if his lips are moving, he’s telling lies.
Great timing cspan. YOU SUCK!
Valerie said that she was aware, in the week before Novak’s column ran, that Novak knew her name and her true employer, etc. and that he was going to write a column outing her. Does anyone know how the Wilsons found out?
I’m home sick today, and was watching the CSpan coverage, and they’ve cut away!!! ARGH. Now there is some guy onscreen praying!!!!
I so associate live blogging Plame matters with being at work that I forgot you all would be on it. And now I’ve missed it.
So I will just give my impressions of a few things:
Plame is kicking ass. She’s smart, deliberate, does not indulge herself with the outrage she could justifiably invoke. Just the facts.
Favorite question so far: “So, is it possible that Victoria Toensig knows more about the work you were doing than you do?”
In today’s Who is the Biggest Dick Contest, it’s a tie between Rep. Westmoreland and Rep. Davis. “Are you now or have you ever been affiliated with the Democratic Party.” “How could anyone have known you were covert. Why wasn’t anyone else taking credit for sending your husband to Niger?”
Oh good, the praying has stopped.
Ah, I see the list now — too engrossed in the broadcast…
C-SPAN missed some good stuff. An anti-war (?) demonstration erupted just before the committee went into a recess.
There will be a fresh thread when the hearing resumes with the next panel. Valerie Plame Wilson has been excused as a witness.
C-span has cut televising the plame hearing- call them (politely) and tell them you want it back on
[CHS notes: It is back on — don’t call C-Span. They are mandated by law to cover all the floor proceedings on the main channels. Deep breaths everyone.]
YAY VALERIE.
Republicans are scum. ALL of them!
That was HEAVEN.
Excellent job, Marcy and Christy!
cspan back up
Joe’s op-ed based on fact was correct. The WH even admitted it and those facts remain correct to this day. Case closed about the Wilson’s politics being a motivating factor against the WH involved here.
I’m sure it is not true, but in a lovely bit of romantic irony, I wish it were from information derived via an illegal NSA wiretap on Robert Novak’s phone.
Mart 133: IIRC, reporters were calling for confirmation of the allegation that Valerie was NOC.
damn. that was frustrating. did Valerie make a closing remark or two? what did we miss? Joe, you must be so proud.
Yeah: Marcy, and Christy and Pach –
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
” chaboard says:
March 16th, 2007 at 9:05 am
As she leaves the stand…how about a virtual standing ovation!”
Sounds great, do they still do the bic lighter ovations at concerts?…
Just one minute tho, still looking for it!…
Mart @ 133. you wont believe how they found out.
Waxman: Facts are not Democratic, and facts are not Republican.
Respectfully disagree, obtusely, & restate as follows: Facts are not (concepts which should in any way, shape, or form be linked or construed to exist with regards to) Republican(s)!
Prosecute Novack Now!
I’ve been watching on a link via Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..1139.html. They haven’t cut away and don’t seem as if they plan to after the meeting reconvenes.
There is a true American Patriot.
Watching her and imagining one tenth of what she has been through brings a tear to my eye.
Now is the time for justice. This hearing blows the White house and all of their shills out of the water.
THANK YOU VALERIE.
THANK YOU JOE WILSON.
Question: The Republicans seem to still be making the case that Rove and others didn’t know that Plame was undercover. But they did know she was CIA. Wouldn’t it be standard procedure to confirm with CIA the status of an agent BEFORE talking about that agent with a reporter?
Other question: If you were a reporter or editor, isn’t it your job to check with CIA about an agent and making sure you’re not outing someone by printing their name?
Marcy — look up about 45 degrees to your left and WAVE!
Can see her in convo with what looks like Pach and somebody else on Oversight Cam.
IIRC, one of Joe Wilson’s friends ran into Novakula on the street and he just blurted it out! Joe’s bud called Joe, who proceeded to call Novakula and berate him to no avail.
trifecta @ 100 – Yes, there were once good and honorable Republicans, back before the Reagan administration, and it wasn’t until this administration that all the ones that fail to toe the wingnut line were deliberately beaten down and silenced or driven out.
Frankly the Pink Diva was quite distracting.
Please stop it, you are not helping anyone with the silly theatrics.
-GSD
Westmoreland just couldn’t resist dragging politics into the whole shitpile. Biggest and stupidest asshole of the day.
When was it that someone told Tweety that Plame was fair game, and Tweety told Wilson. Was that before or after Novakula’s column came out. I have a dim recollection it might have been just before.
Westmoreland was acting like the fact that the CIA had some advance warning and “weren’t able to stop it” means that she wasn’t really covert, and the CIA didn’t really give a crap abot her exposure. Plame testified that Harlow told Novak not to print. Novak apparently interpreted this as meaning it was okay, because Harlow did not confirm that she was covert. WHICH HE COULDN’T FRAKKIN’ DO without violating the law himself. So just begging Novak not to print meant nothing, either to Novak at the time or the Goopers now.
Valerie was born on Patriot’s Day (April l9th). The same day the farmers in Concord Mass “fired the shot heard round the world.” I think we just heard another one!
Simple question for the Republicans on the committee.
Let’s say that instead of the Vice President and President busting open Valerie Plame Wilson’s covert status investigating WMD programs in Iraq and presumably Iran…
…let’s say that her covert status had been released by Al Qaida.
Would they be asking VPW if she was a Democrat? Would they be asking if she sent her husband? Would they be asking ‘well how do we know people were sure you were covert’?
No, they’d all be condemning the exposure of VPW as a dangerous terrorist attack against our intelligence gathering abilities.
That, is of course, what they can’t see, because no matter how badly the Republicans damage the country and endanger our security and the security of other people worldwide, it’s all justifiable, because they’re Republicans.
Sounds great, do they still do the bic lighter ovations at concerts?…
Last concert I was at, people were holding up their glowing cellphones instead. Made me feel old old old!
Thanks for the coverage, firedogpeople!
Novak blurted out to a guy on the street that Wilson’s wife worked for the CIA. What Novak didn’t know was that the guy was a friend of Joe’s and went straight to his office to tell him about it.
Rove told Tweety Valerie was “fair game.” Why does he still have a job at the WH????
Is Karl Rove prying the lid off of Victorias casket full of native Transylvanian soil and slapping her conscious in preparation for her testi-lying?
-GSD
Don’t know if this has been addressed, but does the Vice President have the clearance to find out who is covert, or did he have to be told? If so, would that merit a Presidential Medal of Freedom?
” litigatormom says:
March 16th, 2007 at 9:06 am
I’m home sick today, and was watching the CSpan coverage, and they’ve cut away!!! ARGH. Now there is some guy onscreen praying!!!!
I so associate live blogging Plame matters with being at work that I forgot you all would be on it. And now I’ve missed it.
So I will just give my impressions of a few things:
Plame is kicking ass. She’s smart, deliberate, does not indulge herself with the outrage she could justifiably invoke. Just the facts.
Favorite question so far: “So, is it possible that Victoria Toensig knows more about the work you were doing than you do?”
In today’s Who is the Biggest Dick Contest, it’s a tie between Rep. Westmoreland and Rep. Davis. “Are you now or have you ever been affiliated with the Democratic Party.” “How could anyone have known you were covert. Why wasn’t anyone else taking credit for sending your husband to Niger?”
Oh good, the praying has stopped.”
If your computer is able and ready go to:
http://www.oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1205
(You got it, in your face, live web broadcast)..
Hope you feel better soon….
lunch anyone?
So, was that vicki that just went by in a blood red suit with orange/red hair?
Victoria realizes that her talking points have all been shot to hell.
Whoever fed her the BS to print, wasn’t quite honest. I wonder if she feels used?
I hope they ask her where she got her inof form….
ROVE told Tweety Valerie was fair game?
And why does Rove still have a job at the WH?
Because Rove told Tweety Valerie was fair game.
Did i miss a comment, statement or question about VP’s covert status. Her classification was ‘covert’ right? The CIA is the external intelligence swervice of the USA, so if any CIA employee’s name comes up is it not automatic that that person’s status is secret at some level or other unless the name and status, like the Director, DO and so on, is already in the public domain?
Thus, surely, sheltering behind “We did not know if she was covert or not” is a crock?
El Cid: They would have done everything possible not to let it become news at all, including “managing” journalists who might expose it in foreign countries. Here, most newspapers would have reported Al-Q to the FBI for even trying it. They would have discreetly notified the Agency that an NOC had been compromised, and the CIA would have quietly covered it up.
hearings begin on C-Span
new thread then?
I hope that they are tough with Vicky. She should be asked who told her what Valerie Plame did, where she did it, what her status was? And asked if it surprised her that people were giving her this information and when she helped write a law that made it illegal to do so…
I am very much hoping that they take the WH director of security to the woodshed. “Do WH and OVP personnel on our list of twenty instances of leaks still have their security clearances, and if so, why? If they’ve violated the terms of their SF-312 agreements, should they retain their clearances?”
Etc., etc., etcetera.
Zaid chatting with Van Hollen.
Don’t you love how Davis keeps trying to say the CIA should have told everybody who asked that Valerie Plame was covert and undercover –
to protect her identity as being covert and undercover!
What a farkin’ tool
Fresh thread, next panel is up and running.
This is real live history in the making.
Matt in Iowa City @133
From what I’ve read, I believe that a friend of Wilson’s had bumped into Novakula on the street before he wrote the column (July 8th I think) and Nofacts told this friend all about Valerie and Joe. This friend then alerted Joe what Novaks was saying about Valerie and him. I would love to know who that person was that had just happened to be in the right place at the right time in meeting up with nofacts on the street after he recieved his marching orders from the WH on this whole pushback.
The hubris of this administration is absolutely breathtaking.
They never thought for a second that what they did compromised anybody — but that’s because unless you are one of their much beloved and well-moneyed “base”, you are nobody.
If they would do this to an NOC, they’d do this to any one of us.
Back up.
Hope they don’t forget to ask Toensig what her Party affiliation is.
See, the CIA was wrong by not telling Bob Novak that Valerie Plame was covert……If they wanted her name kept secret they should have divulged her secret status so that it could remain secret.
Do I have the Kool-Aid induced logic correct here?
-GSD
P.S. Vicky T-bag must be feeling like quite the shitheel right about now. That is if she had the capacity for feelings.
Did i miss a comment, statement or question about VP’s covert status. Her classification was ‘covert’ right? The CIA is the external intelligence swervice of the USA, so if any CIA employee’s name comes up is it not automatic that that person’s status is secret at some level or other unless the name and status, like the Director, DO and so on, is already in the public domain?
Thus, surely, sheltering behind “We did not know if she was covert or not” is a crock?
PREEE-CISELY.
As soon as you hear “CIA” on the other end, you SHUT THE FUCK UP. You didn’t hear anything. You didn’t see anything. YOU KNOW NOTHING.
This is why it’s so much bullshit vacillating over “was she or wasn’t she covert?” Hearing she was CIA, was, just as Valerie said A huge red flag not to go any further–drop it. Now. Anybody with a lick of sense would have. These guys decided to push their luck. They’re finding out how stupid that is.
You never, never cross the spooks. You will not like what they do in response.
That was true when I was in the AF in the 80s, and we’re finding out how true it is now.
Sluckenbill – to the first question, as a condition of their security clearances, White House officials were required to affirmatively protect classified information such as agents’ identities. That is, Davis’ “gosh, if they didn’t know she was covert, doesn’t that mean the CIA wasn’t doing a good enough job of protecting her” is BS. They had an obligation to find out. (Not to mention the stupidity that his question implies: “shouldn’t the CIA tell everyone who’s covert so they know who they shouldn’t leak?” Duh.
Other question: Novak checked with the CIA, and was told not to print. He did anyway. That’s not illegal, but it is clearly wrong.
TiredFed @ 162 wasn’t that “Shot..” etc fired on Lexington Green a few hours earlier,,,,, but Lexington Green did not fit as well as Concord Bridge?
In addition Novakula later called Wilson and asked him directly “Is it true that your wife works for the CIA and sent you to Niger?” Wilson said that he wouldn’t speak about his family but that Novak had his facts WRONG!
So Wilson and Plame were warned, first by the friend,[and perhaps given an earlier heads up by Grossman that something was up in the WH about investigating his trip and his wifes involvement?] and later by Novak hisself- who was trying to get JOE to EXPOSE his wifes employment! Fortunately JOE didn’t blow up and Blow her cover in anger!
I have made this point before…but if JOE had done that all these jerkwaters would have had plausible deniability. JOE would have been listed as Novak’s “source” for his wife’s “involvement”…and perhaps subject to prosecution.
I think that this may very well have been the goal…to get JOE to expose his own wife. And then prosecute him under the Intelligence Agents Identity Protection Act.
It wouldn’t surprise me given the level these scum-suckers play!
This guy from the WH has an uncanny resemblance to Martin Borman.
Valerie seemed especially disturbed by Novak being told by Harlow to hold the presses on Novaks release of her identity. Novak ignored the warning, Another reason for an “official secrets act”. We do not want to give journalist like Miller and Novak more protection with Federal laws to protect their sources. We want journalist held accountable when they effect national security in a criminal way.
I have lost any respect for Code Pink that I had. Funny how they never showed up to protest the Libby trial and are now undermining Valerie testimony. Who do they work for anyway?
RE: Code Pink puke. Remember the La Roche idiots at the Lamont-Scmuck debate this summer? Things aren’t always what they seem.
LJ/Aquaria @ 188
Where I’ve been too totally and utterly and I’ve been in some funny places…… Except once when I asked a traffic policeman for directions in the local language to the house of an ancient and retired spy of my originality nationality to hear, in English, “Ah, the —- spy!” He stopped a taxi and had it lead me! Wonderful and charming.
Valerie was terrific. It’s no wonder the other Repub committee members stayed away.
I too was surprised to hear she wasn’t the one who originally suggested her husband for the Niger trip.
But, I was very happy to hear them begin to talk about disclosing ‘classified’ information and not just disclosing a NOC identity. Even if WH officials didn’t know she was a NOC they could’ve been certain her job was classified.
Then to hear Ms. Norton mentioning that even if someone in the WH was authorized to deal with classified info didn’t mean they were specifically authorized to pass on or to receive THIS particular info. That part of the EO relating to ‘need to know’ wasn’t met, so they violated that.
Still, perhaps the most striking moment was when Ms. Wilson spoke about the care in collecting accurate information free from bias and thinking about only yesterday when we heard about the lack of care taken when they waterboarded KSM into admitting to having done anything and everything under the sun. The difference is amazing.
maunga. haha. let not have that debate now. suffice it to say, another shot went off today that will be heard “round the world.”
Is this the “frogmarch” Let’s hope! Croak!
Just sending a ping out to thank FDL for all this excellent work once again.
And still amazed at the revelation that the Wilsons are Dems, when all this time the left (me included) was defending them with the previously-clear understanding they were Repubs. Vindication upon vindication.
Does this make Cheney’s reasons for the outing clearer? Maybe so.
What a day!