Former WH flack Scott McClellan has a new book coming out wherein he reveals that people in the Bush Administration had him fronting out lies to the public about the WH leak of Valerie Plame Wilson’s CIA ties. Color me shocked. From E&P:
..”The most powerful leader in the world had called upon me to speak on his behalf and help restore credibility he lost amid the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. So I stood at the White house briefing room podium in front of the glare of the klieg lights for the better part of two weeks and publicly exonerated two of the senior-most aides in the White House: Karl Rove and Scooter Libby.
“There was one problem. It was not true.
“I had unknowingly passed along false information. And five of the highest ranking officials in the administration were involved in my doing so: Rove, Libby, the vice President, the President’s chief of staff, and the president himself.”
Do tell, Scott. How, exectly, were “Rove, Libby, the vice President, the President’s chief of staff, and the president himself” involved in your lying to the public? I’d like all the details, please. Including when you learned that these were lies and what you did to correct the public misperceptions, if anything, what sorts of discussions were had about this in the WH, and whether you questioned the information when it was first given to you — or just obligingly parroted as you were told unless and until you were confronted with the fact that you were telling lies. And I’m certain I’m not alone in that sentiment. For your sake, I do hope you were fully forthcoming about this with the FBI. I’m just saying.
I think Kevin Drum summed this mini-kerfuffle up nicely:
Now, Lord knows I don’t want to question McClellan’s claim that his book was “written with no agenda other than to record his experiences and insights for the benefit of history.” But would it be presumptuous of me to suspect that his explanation of Plamegate is somehow going to make it out as nothing more than a silly mistake that the press blew all out of proportion?
Nothing like a little game of pass the buck between the smarm merchants of Bushworld, is there? Note the utter failure to take responsibility for lying to the public, the shunting of said responsibility onto others who have also failed to take responsibility for their respective actions, and the working of “the President’s chief of staff” into the mix of players. Anyone want to place a bet as to whether Andy Card gets set up as the go to fall guy? Emptywheel caught the same Card reference, and mentions the Wells’ card and notes that “just as a reminder, Card and Scottie left the White House within a week of each other–both happening just before Turdblossom’s final grand jury appearance.” (Anyone else’s spidey sense getting a little tingle? And while we’re asking questions, will Scottie own up to being one of the sources for the NYDailyNews story on Rove’s bush league handling of the whole mess? Enquiring minds and all.)
Perhaps, Scottie will spill all the assorted beans to get even for the Bush Administration treating his momma so shabbily in her TX gubernatorial bid. Not bloody likely…but stranger things have happened in gooberville.
(Illustration entitled Free Manure By Mr. Fish via Commandante Agi.)
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I’m SHOCKED!
truth justice and uh…..
zed??
Spill it all, Scottie. Redeem yourself a little, and maybe you can move out a circle or two in the afterlife.
well not quite…lol
Eight years of President Clinton. Followed by eight more years of a Democratic president. GOP: your going to “take and like it”.
free manure… heh
great graphic, Mr. Fish…
Message to Republicans: You’re going to lose big time soon. And we’re coming after ALL the GOP law breakers.
EPU’d from last thread:
Biodun @ 73
sorry OT :)
CU study: Lead levels even well below U.S. standard may cause brain damage in children
By Susan Lang
Even very small amounts of lead in children’s blood — amounts well below the current federal standard — are associated with reduced IQ scores, finds a new, six-year Cornell study.
http://www.news.cornell.edu/st…..ge.sl.html
perhaps he is trying to avoid a subpoena of some kind?
That’s nice, Scotty. Thanks for sharing.
Now, where is the accountability?
Don’t these tell-all books fall into the category of knowing pornography when you see it?
So, do you think Scotty will tell all about his grand jury testimony? (Nah.)
Scott, why now?
Did it really take a publisher to say something closer to the truth?
Why didn’t you talk when you found out you had lied “unknowingly”.
Ah, that WH press corps:
Ask questions! Do your job!
so christy, can’t and shouldn’t fitzgerald get a new deposition from scott?
wouldn’t we assume fitz had questioned scott and wouldn’t we assume this is new information?
I am pretty sure everyone would be happy to grant scotty immunity for some clarity here
“I had unknowingly passed along false information. And five of the highest ranking officials in the administration were involved in my doing so: Rove, Libby, the vice President, the President’s chief of staff, and the president himself.”
Ummm….sounds like a conspiracy to me….
Fitz???!!!
So, is impeachment back on the table, Nancy? Helloooooo
perris at 18 — You are assuming Scott didn’t already spill all those beans in his grand jury testimony. And I’d say that is likely a false assumption.
On October 7th, 2003, President Bush famously declared of the outing of covert CIA operative Valerie Plame, “I don’t know if we’re going to find out the senior administration official.” Now we have more insight as to Bush’s misplaced confidence that the truth would remain hidden. In his new tell-all book, former White House press secretary Scott McClellan claims President Bush himself played an instrumental role in the failed cover up.
For the details, see:
“McClellan Book Confirms Bush’s October 2003 Plamegate Lie.”
This sounds like classic “tell all” marketing strategy…The publishers insist on one provacative sentence in an otherwise dull and fawning book which they use to promote sales. Buyer Beware. I recently bought “Dead Certain” that was marketed using such a passage- it turned out to be a total asskiss of the idiot president in every page other than the one the marketing quote came from.
perris @ 18
Has Scott decided to present the “new development” that coud re-kindle the investigation?
Nah, my wishes never come true.
I want them all. All Republican law breakers. Do you hear me Karl?
Man, I was so epu’d :-P Ha.
Wanted to know if I could copy the pic of Abu protesting student to spread the joy around a little? I agree, I think it will become iconic, and I wanna help with that :-P
Supremes will take up DC handgun law.
1,664 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND..
Citizen Hardin Smith and the Firepup Freedom Fighters:
Sister Smith, please tell us what is possible legalwise with regard to Fitz-grand jury-Congress now with this stuff comin’ out. How does Fitz get back inta play and when ken he do it? Does this effect the Wilsons’ ability to get their suit reinstated? Do you still have confidence in Fitz’s honor and integrity to push the envelope ta get these bastards once and for all?
KEEP THE FAITH AND LET’S SEE A LITTLE OF THIS “RULE OF LAW” ALL YOU FOLKS HAVE BEEN TRUMPETING!!!
You are far, far kinder to the lying bastard than I will ever be.
As far as I’m concerned, he should have his picture put right next to Benedict Arnold.
He had the opportunity to stop this criminal cabal in its tracks and failed the courage test miserably.
No amount of lame Mea Culpa at this point is going to cut it.
He knew then, I can still see his face when he denied Roves actions to the American public on national television.
This guy is not getting a pass from me.
As I wrote earlier today,
Go lie down with the dogs you have chosen as your master.
May their fleas and feces fill your nose forever.
Thanks Christy, I dugg it.
(Digged? Dunno…)
If children are going to grow up in Bushworld- they’re better off with brain damage.
jackie @ 11
That’s just lovely, especially coming on the heels of a local news report last night that shows almost all of the xmas lighting available to purchase this year contains lead, so much so the packages now carry lead warnings.
You can expose yourself just by handling the wiring!
Amazing.
I dug it… but
digged will work as well, as a variant…
Norske at 27 — LHP has laid out the means by which Congress could shoehorn some of the info from Fitz. They just haven’t done the proper subpoenas as yet. But I’ve planted that information in a number of hands, nonetheless, and I hope that one day it gets put to proper use.
The problem is that with the Bush Administration there are multiple fires to be put out at once, and often the ones that I hope will get hit aren’t always the ones selected…
Now is the time to pressure the GOP.
SNOTTY SCOTTY…………….no shit, he’s a fucking liar. We don’t need a stinkin’ book from this fat, asshat to know that.
What a fucking whore……….didn’t save any money from your last job, asswipe???
TexBetsy @ 12
I don’t think so. I think Scotty is clean, and he knows it. His job was to go spout off the crap that Bush and Cheney (and Card and Rove and Libby) told him. It was not his job to verify the accuracy of said crap. That was Bush et al’s job, and it was the media’s job to double check it. He may be pond scum for taking (and doing) that job in the first place, but I don’t see how he can be held criminally liable for it if he wasn’t absolutely aware of the fact that he was spouting bullshit.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 21
but the scenario you are talking about is very disturbing Christ
I am surely disturbed that nothing could be done with this kind of information, though I understand the difficulty prosecuting the executive it is disturbing never the less
STTP in Ohio @ 31
Whoa!
Around here, signs start to go up where people offer their services in stringing up your xmas lights for you. I wonder how badly affected they are by this.
Would latex and/or garden gloves be enough to protect you?
digged will work, as an archaic variant…
I don’t think it’s a crime to lie to the press- if it were, congress and the White House would both be empty.
Shorter Scotty: Lies were made.
Dig, Dag, Dug?
Biodun @ 39
You can get away with darned near anything if you claim archaic variant *g*
…y’know, it’s probably just me, but for some reason this reeks of Rove. a little misdirect, even one that apparently indicts him, becomes the discernable reality that gets judiciously studied as, just down the hall, far smellier stuff is going on.
(and here, I should probably insert a chorus of Teresa Nielsen Hayden’s “I deeply resent the way this administration makes me feel like a nutbar conspiracy theorist”.)
rwcole @ 41
that’s not the crime, the crime would be what the president and the vice president did
scott looks like he’s willing to spill his guts, more then when he worked for the administration
I think we need to explore that possibility, scott can willingly divulge information fitz might have gathered but was not at liberty to make public
Anyone know if Sealed v Sealed is still sealed? I have to say that I was a bit surprised that Gonzo resigned when he did, and I keep wondering if that might be why. Rove left at about the same time, too. Probably just a coincidence, but I keep waiting for that thing to be unsealed.
OT, but related to a country deeply aligned with shrub:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=3891433
“Justice?” from an ally. i’m sick about the sacrifices made under the guise of friendly foreign policy.
Cleanup in aisle 36?
Front page story in local gooper rag shows people in Baghdad having a peaceful lunch outside in the city–the surge is WORKING!!!
My political party might want to consider campaigning on the issue of ‘cleaning up government’. And more importantly, doing just that.
Now I’m really beginning to believe that Chimpy will have only Barney as friend when he leaves the WH permanently in January 2009. What are the chances
his wifeCondi wouldn’t dump (on) him at some point in the future? She’s planning to write a book, after all.1,664 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND..
Firepup Freedom Fighters:
If Scotty’s mea culpa is an indicator that the bit players are beginnin’ ta sweat, they must have some reason ta believe that serious legal shit is comin’ down the track and they wanna get offa the rails. Notice that the folks with the most culpability aren’t makin’ a sound about this matter (includin’Karl Rove)…if Scotty’s self servin’ sniveling gets the Wilsons’ suit reinstated I’m willin’ ta go and buy the fuckin’ book!
KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION, THE LITTLE RATS ARE GRABBIN’ THEIR LIFEJACKETS!!
Frank Probst @ 47
I remember it was rumored hands were being force and cheney was next
that never happened…dismay for me that it didn’t but here we are
were that the manure were free. it cost us dearly. we traded it for our rights as citizens, probably traded it for our country. since low grade manure is still the main component of our food chain, we are eating the excremental sandwich (with a little spritz of oil to change the taste) today and wondering why it resembles nothing an American has had to eat for quite a long time.
can we live without our tea?
NorskeFlamethrower @ 53
be still my weary heart
Biodun @ 40
Diggy Diggy Lo (YouTube)
rwcole @ 50
You haven’t seen the front page of the NYT yet, have you?
Wedding in Baghdad, ‘proving’ how much more peaceful and safe it is now.
Norske
Naw- it just means that Scotty wants to sell his fuckin book. He quit to make a little money while the iron was hot- and this is is last gasp attempt to cash in. Trust me- the book will not accuse Clusterfuck of anything prosecutable.
rw at 59 — They never do. The one hope is that the momma’s boy that he is was seriously pissed at Rove for screwing his momma over in TX. Payback on that score could be interesting…but unlikely, given that it’s Scotty and not his momma writing the book. (She’s got a loose cannon mouth habit and some serious balls when it comes to payback, I hear.)
And the motive for the conspiracy…
“The most powerful leader in the world had called upon me to speak on his behalf and help restore credibility he lost amid the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.”
Here he’s saying that Bush personally asked him to save his butt, because his credibility was lost, “amid” the failure to find the WMDs, not “because of”…
The only way his credibility was “lost” was because of Wilson’s exposure of the lies about using false evidence leading us to war.
NorskeFlamethrower @ 53
Norske darlin’ I hate to burst your bubble, but I think te more likely scenario was Scotty left the WH cause he couldn’t stand the stink anymore–I think he sees himself as a decent honorable guy.
But he kept his mouth shut naively beliveing htat Bushco would take care of Scott’s mama.
They didn’t and then it took some time to find an agent and a ghost writer get the book aritten then the marketing people held it for the Christmas book buying rush season.
Hence the timing. There may be some stuff in this book that did not come out in the GJ if Pat did not realize to ask a particular question or a particular line of questions, but that is unlikely considering how thorough his investigation appears to have been.
Great post Christy!
That demonic Andy Card was also at Ashcroft’s bedside with his saddle shoe next to the respirator plug. The devious bastard had Abu G, Shrubby, Shooter, MC Rove, Rummy and Wimpy by the pendejos the entire time, and we were too stupid to figure it out.
Now he’s going to take over America by becoming a voting board member of Union Pacific? Stop that train!!
There is more than enough to impeach and convict these thugs. Any trial would uncover all and probably more lying and criminality than we already know.
It ain’t gonna happen.
But why are these uber criminals getting a pass?
Who is stopping this? The people are on board.
Cui Bono?
rwcole @ 50
Damien Cave had a similar piece up at the NYT. Life is returning to normal, except that he mentions in passing the millions who have left the country and/or been ethnically cleansed.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11…..ge.html?hp
It’s all rather discordant. OTOH Cave concentrates on one family that is marginally and perhaps temporarily better off but all the more general indicators remain negative. So things are getting better in Iraq except that they aren’t.
Sounds like Scotty needs a nice big fat glass of Fitzgerald.
ccmask @ 67
then what? trial and pardon?
P J Evans @ 58
Great news! Does that mean we can go home now?
1,664 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND..
Citizen rwcole and the Firepup Freedom Fighters:
“Trust me – the book will not accuse Clusterfuck of anything prosecutable.”
I agree but that’s not the point,is it, the question is: can it give Fitz and the Congress an entry to reopen a dormant investigation (grand jury) and the Wilsons grounds to reinstate their suit?
KEEP THE FAITH AND DON’T LET THE BASTARDS OFF THE FUCKIN’ HOOK THIS TIME!!
Redd
Yeah- I’ve heard her talk—she’s a number three in the book of Texas stock characters “Woman with mouth as big as all outdoors”.
Bush pardoned two turkeys today. Rove and who else?
The Plame-CIA bit was not the only lie that Scott told that day at the WH press briefing. Here’s another lie (actually a number of lies):
Clusterfuck’s current stratergy is to convince the country that his surge is workin and that we’re winning in Iraq- leading to a gooper victory in a year.
As usual–the media are fallin all over one another to be first in line to kiss Clusterfuck’s smelly asshole.
biodun —- why don’t i feel protected?
It’s too bad “tell-all” books aren’t written under oath.
rwcole…EW. EW!!
George Orwell;
quite a quote which I just gleamed from think progress isn’t that?
anyway, check this out also from think progress
looks like they are setting us up for some kind of “catasthrophy” so they can make some kind of claim if the elections don’t look like they are going to be able to get fixed
It’s amazing that we are so gullible as to buy these piece of shit books- they never deliver.
Frank Probst @ 47
It will be unsealed when Richard Nixon
is exhumed….
rwcole @ 74
Sadly, Hillary Clinton was the first in line:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/08…..ate__h.htm
anna
Not nearly as disgusting as what the media are ACTUALLY doing in helping to create “the surge is working” narrative.
He’s saying they told him what lies to tell about the Plame case – not the WMD’s. He’s blatantly accusing them of conspiring to lie about the investigation they were all involved in.
This should be huge.
Unfingbelievable.
Fitz!!
rwcole–agreed. just a particularly pungent image, there…
And I really like this pithy bit from the book excerpt:
You can say that about most things (99.5 percent perhaps) that’s come out of the mouths of folks in BushCo.
Frank Probst @ 47
My fantasy about sealed vs sealed is that Fitz will unseal it on January 21, 2009. Right after Bush cannot pardon whomever is indicted. I fear this is just a fantasy, tho.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 21
What’s your theory, Christy? There still wasn’t enough evidence regarding intent?
Scotty just tryin to explain how he happened to stand up and and say that Rover had nothin to do with leaking Plame’s identity when in fact he had. Nothin new here except that Bush himself vouched for Rove- but seems to me he did that publicly anyway.
No comment
;>)
Helen @ 86
Bush will sign so many blanket pardons prior to that date that his hand will cramp. Finally, there will be some hard work from the little guy.
New Froomkin up Giving Thanks Inside the Bubble
When the GOP is the party of the “True Christians” why is anything a surprise. The following is some of the more revolting fundie swill that I have read.
From the Baptist Press:
Their prayer: that faith in Christ follows cyclone
DHAKA, Bangladesh (BP)–In the hours before Cyclone Sidr reached the coastal areas of Bangladesh, Southern Baptists and other Christians began praying -– aware that the Category 4 storm potentially could usher hundreds of thousands into an eternity without Jesus.
“Our prayer before the storm hit was that God would have mercy on the people of the country,” said Susan Galvin*, who serves among Bangladesh’s tribal people groups. “The note I sent to prayer partners was to pray for the millions who live in bamboo and tin homes.
(snip)
“Last night a lot of people died and entered an eternity of suffering,” Neely said. “Almost none of them has heard a Christian testimony or biblical explanation of who Christ really is. They have never heard the truth about who God really is, who they are in His sight or what God’s plan is to save us from our sin through Christ.
“Our hearts are heavy for all those without hope,” he said. “We are even more motivated now to go and tell them about the hope that is within us,” and to Southern Baptists he added, “We are so thankful for your continued prayers and support.”
(snip)
link
pma at 87 — Same theory I’ve been working under from the beginning: the nexus stops at Cheney’s door, and without Libby’s cooperation, getting to Cheney’s intent (because he’s smart enough to have used Libby as his message delivery system, thereby insulating himself from liability unless good soldier Libby spilled…which was always unlikely) is next to impossible.
There is no metaphore or simile that I can imagine that is adequate to capture the depth of the cesspool that is the Bush administration. He has outdone the poet’s ability to reflect.
1,664 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND..
Citizen looseheadprop and the Firepup Freedom Fighters:
“Norske darlin’, I hate to burst your bubble but…that is unlikely considering how thorough his (Fitz’s) investigation seems to have been.”
Don’t worry about the Norske’s bubbles, they’re a lot stronger than Norwegian coffee but what about Fitz’s honor and integrity (not to mention his ego and sense of competition) do ya still trust ‘im ta push the envelope to get these bastards if he has the chance?
KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION…JESUS, WE’VE BEEN CHEWIN’ THIS BONE A LONG TIME!!
Christy Hardin Smith @ 93
Excellent summary.
Expect McClellan to be swift-boated, swiftly. It will turn out that a) if he lied, he did it on his own. b) he lied other times, including one time in particular (that has yet to be found in his past speeches) and c) he’s full of sour grapes and is just trying to make money selling his book.
Badwater @ 90
Small editorial adjustment
Here’s Scott at a WH press briefing on October 25, 2005 repeating the same lie that he told at a WH press briefing on October 10, 2003 (what’s up with Octobers for lies at WH press briefings?):
Hugh @ 98
Nice addition!
Come back from lunch and get a fitzpost from Christy?
Wow, seems like the olden days.
LS @ 19
Fitz has personally mentioned a conspiracy before, but he did not charge it that way. Some element in the conspiracy must have been lacking, like proof of malicious intent, proof of prior knowledge that she was a covert agent, something did not fit the bill or Fitz would have charged it. Either that or you would have to concede that Fitz is sandbagging. Same thing goes for not charging Armitage. Take your pick, but I think the likelihood that he will charge now what he didn’t charge before is little to none.
Biodun @ 99
Not to mention Janurays, Februarys, Marches, etc.
George Simian @ 97
To quote Roy Scheider in Jaws “
We’reThey’re gonna need a bigger boat.”JF @ 103
tee hee
If I’m not mistaken, I believe the president issued an executive order saying that members of the executive branch were exempt from all investigations and prosecutions pertaining to anything they do. Oh, and executive priviledge extends to Scotty seeing that he once saw the president in a motorcade.
BlueMesa @ 96
I agree. Kinda makes you wanna think again about waterboarding. No, I didn’t mean it.
Regardless whether Scotty gets punished or not, methinks Lil Miss Weathergirl, Dana Peroxide, should pay close attention.
Dana’s just buildin a resume for a six figure job at Fox News…
rwcole @ 108
Well, duh, that’s a given *g*
rwcole @ 108
I wonder why Scott didn’t get placed there?
“The 80-year-old leader of a suburban Atlanta megachurch is at the center of a sex scandal of biblical dimensions: He slept with his brother’s wife and fathered a child by her.
Members of Archbishop Earl Paulk’s family stood at the pulpit of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit at Chapel Hill Harvester Church a few Sundays ago and revealed the secret exposed by a recent court-ordered paternity test.
“
Huffington—
Hard ta tell if we got braggin or complainin goin on here.
kdh22 @ 109
she is quite cute imho
sorry, she is
Badwater @ 110
Even Fox has standards.
Badwater @ 110
he has always seemed inept, he has always looked like he was floundering and quite over his head
Scott ain’t so cute. He’d be better on RADIO!
A song for all WH Press Secretaries (but Bush 43’s especially) Lying Eyes (YouTube)
rwcole @ 109
you need a resume for that? And she is kinda cute.
Here’s Scott yet again, on September 29, 2003 repeating the same lie at a WH press briefing (and yes H/T to JF: what about the other months):
Bustednuckles @ 115
nah.. he prolly failed to pass the party loyalty screening they subject their new employees to… given his Democratic kin an’ all. We all know that the party and their network work on Leninst principals… where the taint of being connected biologically with undesirable class types alone could get one sent to a labor camp…
Badwater @ 111
He can’t lie with a straight face.
Press Secretaries are the official lyin arm of any US Presidency.
Bush said that he would never actually give his press secretary any information- so that he wouldn’t ever be confused by the facts.
Could this affect the Libby appeal case?
The principals governing OJ should apply here.
The faster we can remove celebrity status from this cast of criminals the better.
I cannot wait to find this book, along with everyone else’s book from this Administration in some bargain bin at the Half-Priced Bookstore. For under a $1.
Maybe less.
NorskeFlamethrower @ 95
He doesn’t have a big ego, and he is collaberative rather than competative. But I have never had any reason to doubt his honor and integrity, or how hard he works.
So, I trust him when he says that unless something new turns up, he’s done with the investigation.
rwcole @ 121
Bush has facts?
Shorter reply to McClellan: O Rly?
Fe @ 123
if this book is the tell all it looks like it’s going to be I for one would like it to remain on the best seller for as long as possible
dakine01 @ 91
Lead of new Froomkin is on GWB’s need to prescreen the audience even for a turkey day speech. Why doesn’t he just use balloons w/smiley faces painted on them? Or a CG (computer generated) audience full of adoring citizens for the evening news…
From Froomkin:
“A Pennsylvania college that was the scene of a protest against Vice President Cheney is trying to start a movement to ban politicians from holding closed meetings restricted to supporters on all campuses in the nation.
“The Soapbox Alliance started by professors at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa., says it is opposed to allowing politicians of any party to use colleges as a backdrop for their rallies. The alliance has sent letters to 600 other colleges and universities in the hope that they too will refuse to let their facilities be used for such events.
“Colleges have shown little enthusiasm for the idea. And political operatives question whether rallies should include people who don’t support the candidate.
“‘It’s a nice concept, but people tend to misbehave,’ (my bold) says Trent Duffy, former deputy press secretary for President Bush.”
perris @ 113
Her outsides are kinda cute, but the insides…not so much.
If you’re into neo-conservative, Stepford Wife-like, Bush-loving, evil, sinister and conniving winches, then yeah, sure!
Christy:
Small typo in first line of post if you want to fix: McClellan…
tw3k @ 127
LOL
Used to be we expected our newscasters to be more than just “kinda cute”. Remember smarts? Integrity? Ahhhh …. the old days!
hmmm must be treason season.
perris @ 78
Oh, but check out the paragraph before that (via Froomkin):
How much gall do you have to have to make a statement like that, when the 9/11 happened in no small part due to not just a “lag in information sharing,” but the Bushies’ arrogance and determination to do the opposite of everything suggested by the Clinton Administration?
Dana Perino is pretty but bubbly–and says absolutely nothing meaningful in spite of all the words bursting out of her mouth…
The thing that struck me about Scott McLellan when he was Pressman was how very, very unhappy he always looked behind the podium.
Notably different from Fleischer’s arrogant smirk or Tony Snow’s condescending scowl.
So, maybe old Scottie did have a shred or two of decency left in ‘im….must’ve been an awful lonely fella.
TexBetsy @ 133
faux doesn’t have newscasters though it has pundits and infomercial hosts and hostesses
Bush and Cheney lie about everything. McClellan is only saying what they told him to say. Is there anything in his book about that reporter that was planted in the WH press room? Wasn’t it McClellan who said in his Scooter testimony that the press secretary was deliberately kept in the dark about most things?
Wurmser, former Cheney advisor, said this morning on CSPAN at The I***el Project, that the situations with North Korea, Iran, Syria, and Lebanon are reaching “acute” stage.
Feel better?
perris @ 112
I like Stephanie Miller’s term for her: lying sack of cute. *g*
Paging Mr. Patrick Fitzgerald….
Please go to a white Public Service phone and answer the call….
Is it time for another grand jury yet?
Bob in HI
OT–
Filed under “Ho hum, we’ve all done that”:
this is very interesting in hindsight, isn’t it;
teh appropriate time was sooner then this but this is more appropriate then later
let the talk show tour begin
if you are privy to the fact that secret information was leaked by someone, and a crime was committed, you are duty bound to present that info to the authorities.
what authority might care in our country?
I can’t think of one either
And paging all Obama girls:
(From the same AP link in my 142.)
All this chatter about Dana Perino’s “cute”ness is kind of offensive, in my (sort of) humble opinion.
looseheadprop @ 24
There are some differences now. Back then, Fitzgerald knew that everything he did was on an open pipeline back to Rove and Cheney, with Abu Gonzo eagerly manning the spigot. Rove, Card, McClellan and Gonzo are now gone, and Mukasey supposedly knows what the law is. Could the situation now be different enough for Fitzgerald to pick up where he left off? It seems like ancient history now, but the DOJ at the time of the Libby trial was a different place than it is now. Think about it. Does Mukasey really want to be the same kind of firewall for Bush & Cheney that Gonzo so willingly was?
Bob in HI
perris @ 78
So Townsend thinks there is a credible threat and being the patriotic person she is she decides that it is precisely at this moment that it would be a good time to go.
Typical BS from a Bushie. 9/11 occurred in an off election year. As terrorist incidents have increased each year since then, you could make the case that al Qaeda was targeting pretty much anything anytime. IOW it is a vacuous statement but one that shows that the nation’s security is not high in the Townsend list of priorities.
OT — Fox & friends threatens code pink with tasing or worse
LS @ 140
These people don’t go away..David Wurmser and his wife were part of the small group, lead by Richard Pearle, who developed the “Clean Break” strategy which included recommendation for:
* A repudiation of the concept of “Land for Peace,” which was the basis for the Oslo Accords
* Armed incursions into Palestinian areas under the rubric of the “right of hot pursuit”
* Armed incursions into Lebanon, and possible strikes against Syria and Iran
* A repudiation of the tenets of Labor Zionism, and a change to Economic liberalism
wiki
TexBetsy @ 149
Don’t tase me Faux news! Don’t tase me, Bro!
“Lyin sack of cute”
Now that’s sheer genius..worthy of Jane.
TeddySanFran’s upstairs… (And what’s new? I grabbed the zed…*g*)
rwcole @ 153
worthy of Stephanie Miller…
bobschacht @ 148
I have no reason to believe that anything Pt was doing was “open pipelined” to Bushco. The whole point of the way Comey set things up was so that Pat wouldn’t have to tell Abu anything at all.
FWIW, when Pat made the statement about the investigation being closed uness something new turned (wel, duh?) I had a feeling–with no foundation at all–that in addition to the generic “if something falls out of the sky into my lap that chages the investigation, of course I’ll re-open”, that there was a specific something he had in mind that might re-open things.
However, that specific thing most likely was Libby spillling the beans to avoid jail, which became moot when Shrub pardoned Libby.
So, I’m not so hopeful. Also, if you thought you might have a huge hinkin’ piece of hiugh stress prosecution coming down the pike with a time crunch added in to boot, would you decide that it’s the best time to start plannig nyour wedding?
Sorry, but all tea leaves auger against revival of the investigation.
I may change my mind after we know what else is in Scotty’s book
looseheadprop @ 156
He hasn’t pardoned Libby yet, only commuted his sentence, or am I wrong on that. Also, what about Libby’s appeal?
Legislative Branch of government? HELLO?? Would you set your alarm clock please? The nation requests your service STAT. See above, see Armitage, see Rove, see Novak, see Libby, see Addington, see Cheney, see Bush.
Your witness list, for your opening impeachment inquiry public hearing after you’ve obtained from a judge the secret grand jury testimony of these witnesses and others under FRCrP Rule 6(e)’s exception to grand jury secrecy for “judicial proceedings” such as impeachment investigations by our House Judiciary Committee:
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/gjag.htm
[Cites mid-way through Section II.]
Once upon a time, as Christy indicates @ 34 to NorskeFlameThrower, this information revealed in pursuit of private profit, and much, much more like it, would have been unearthed and exposed, to the benefit of the public, by our representatives in government concerned about the ongoing, gross abuses of public office by the highest officials in our Executive Branch, who are hiding behind the trust and assumed good faith their titles bring with them.
Instead, today, Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, Rahm Emanuel, John Conyers, and those in the House relinquishing their independent judgement to their “leadership” in the name of Democratic Party politics, are doing their best to suppress and hide all such damaging revelations as hinted at by Scott McClellan and many others involved in this specious affair.
Special Counsel Fitzgerald could only prosecute to enforce specific narrowly-written statutes in our criminal code. The “prosecutors” on the House Judiciary Committee are under no such limitation. They have good government to concern themselves with, whether or not any impeachable misdeeds rise to the level of prohibited offenses under our criminal code. What are they waiting for? Is anything and everything less than an actual [provable without help from investigations by Congress] violation of criminal law “acceptable” behavior now in our federal Executive Branch of government? Is that the “Alberto Gonzales” banana republic standard to which our Legislative Branch wishes to lower our Executive Branch of government when it acts in accordance with the will of the American people as expressed through our Congress?
What ever happened to “faithfully”? What ever happened to honor?
Manurespeak. Orwell missed that one.
I’m there w/you, LS @ #157. Pat Fitz admiration not so big around here recently; could be the foul taste of commutation & the kicking of the Libby conviction under the carpet by all concerned…
Why not pursue any revelations post verdict that point the way McClennan’s might. Is Fitzgerald authorized to do so? If not then why not. Trying to live your life/wedding plans getting in the way I understand. It’s not following up @ all that might prove troubling as more & more revelations become what we always wished for- public.
This book should get Scotty a column at Newsweek, or maybe Time.
LS @ 19
Cheney’s Handwritten Notes Implicate Bush in Plame Affair
Time for Congress to call for an independent judiciary committee to begin impeachment investigations.
When will this group of traitors be tried for treason? Instead Karl Rove is still out there poisoning our air waves with his lying, criminal ways. Where is the justice for Valerie Plame/Wilson, for our nation and national security?
Where is my comment?
Ann in AZ @ 102
Anyone here who believes Fitz is a saint is in for a letdown.
Jus reading Glenn’s book alone about the failures in the prosecution of Nossair in the Kahane killing and the less than intense investigation into the Blind Sheik prior to the 93 WTC bombing you get the feeling that Fitz was part of the DoJ look the other way when it comes to national security club.
Don’t trust the man further than you can throw him.
Outing a Covert CIA Operative and her WMD monitoring Covert Operation is TREASON!
Treason ‘is defined as’ in
Article 906a. ART. 106a. ESPIONAGE
(a)
(1) Any person subject to this chapter who, with intent or reason to believe that it is to be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of a foreign nation, communicates, delivers, or transmits, or attempts to communicate, deliver, or transmit, to any entity described in paragraph (2), either directly or indirectly, any thing described in paragraph (3) shall be punished as a court-martial may direct, except that if the accused is found guilty of an offense that directly concerns
(A) nuclear weaponry, military spacecraft or satellites, early warning systems, or other means of defense or retaliation against large scale attack,
(B) war plans,
(C) communications intelligence or cryptographic information, or
(D) any other major weapons system or major element of defense strategy, the accused shall be punished by death or such other punishment as a court-martial may direct.
(2) An entity referred to in paragraph (1) is–
(A) a foreign government;
(B) a faction or party or military force within a foreign country, whether recognized or unrecognized by the United States
(C) a representative, officer, agent, employee, subject, or citizen of such government, faction, party, or force.
(3) A thing referred to in paragraph (1) is a document, writing, code book, signal book, sketch, photograph, photographic negative, blueprint, plan, map, model, note, instrument, appliance or information relating to the national defense.
(b)
(1) No person may be sentenced by court-martial to suffer death for an offense under this section (article) unless–
(A) the members of the court-martial unanimously find at least one of the aggravating factors set out in subsection (c); and
(B) the members unanimously determine that any extenuating or mitigating circumstances are substantially outweighed by any aggravating circumstances, including the aggravating factors set out under subsection (c).
(2) Findings under this subsection may be based on–
(A) evidence introduced on the issue of guilt or innocence;
(B) evidence introduced during the sentencing proceeding; or
(C) all such evidence.
(3) The accused shall be given broad latitude to present matters in extenuation and mitigation.
(c) A sentence of death may be adjudged by a court-martial for an offense under this section (article) only if the members unanimously find, beyond a reasonable doubt, one or more of the following aggravating factors:
(1) The accused has been convicted of another offense involving espionage or treason for which either a sentence of death or imprisonment for life was authorized by statute.
(2) In the commission of the offense, the accused knowingly created a grave risk of substantial damage to the national security.
(3) In the commission of the offense, the accused knowingly created a grave risk of death to another person.
(4) Any other factor that may be prescribed by the President by regulations under section 836 of this title (Article 36).
907. ART. 107. FALSE STATEMENTS
Any person subject to this chapter who, with intent to deceive, signs any false record, return, regulation, order, or other official document, knowing it to be false, or makes any other false official statement knowing it to be false, shall be punished as a court-martial may direct
source
http://www.constitution.org/mil/ucmj19970615.htm
And if I am not mistaken, Treason, during a time of war, is considered punishable by DEATH!
Heh, BUSTED!
At last!!!!
What is the Glenn book, James at 166? LHP’s suggestion that a wedding down the pipe is an excuse to refuse to reopen an investigation into high crimes and misdemeanors has me ROTFLMAOing.
Quebecois @ 16
Because the 2004 election was coming up honey, and the Libby trial was still two years off. We sorta planned it that way. Scooter, being so loyal and all was more than happy to carry off our load of filth.
Geez, isn’t it about time for an all Bush-administration SuperMax prison?
Time rejected Rove as a columnist.
Radar reports that, prior to securing a spot as a Newsweek columnist, Karl Rove approached Time magazine for a job. Time, however, rejected Rove as “essentially like an unindicted coconspirator in a whole host of felonies”:
Time’s editors apparently felt the cost/benefit analysis wouldn’t be in their favor if they embraced the man who has done more than anyone to keep the spirit of Joe McCarthy alive and well in American politics. … “They think Karl is essentially like an unindicted coconspirator in a whole string of felonies.”
11-20-2007 4:22 pm | Comment (38)
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/…../#comments
Maybe we should just all boycott Newsweek. I do not need any of that pollution in my house.
There is an awfully good story about the Scott mother. When she was marrying her second husband, she was losing a lot of weight and changed her political stripe to run for Congress. She lost, but in the process said some thing ridiculous like in every fat Democrat there is a skinny Republican trying to get out. I guess that was before she knew Rove, and she herself has had such widely fluctuating wt. she would not always know if she were R or D. Scott himself ain’t such a skinny repub.
Bush’s commutation of Scooter Libby now all makes sense, if he ended up behind bars, he might have squealed that bush and dick were ultimately behind the original plan to leak the covert identity of Valerie Plame.
That, my friends, is the definition of treason.
oldtree @ 145
Would that be criminal conspiracy? Or more like misprison of felony?
Hmmm.
Biodun @ 33
Can ya digg it?
Oklahoma kiddo @ 35
Although John Edwards has been embarrassing Hillary and Barack of late, it might be useful for him to bas the ever unpopular Bush administration for a few weeks. Sometimes you have to say the obvious for the audience to understand where you stand.
Badwater @ 111
There’s a lot of evidence he doesn’t communicate well to the public and doesn’t really understand the news business.
But, so far as FOX is concerned, he does know how to catapult the propaganda.
Bustednuckles @ 114
LOL Funny!
Biodun @ 143
I’ve never used cocaine. Have you?
No, I don’t think “everybody does that” really fits.
Is this the standard we want for someone who is trying to become president?
Any guesses as to what Shrub says to the press when and if he is asked to comment about McLiar`s revelations? By the way, what does the rule book say in regards to exactly when they can demand Shrub give back the briefcase with the big red button in it? Oh yeah, go see Cheney about all that.
Really? You are shocked? Anyone with half a brain has seen this since Bush first took office. The ENTIRE administration is based on LIES.