Bush Authorized Leak to Times, Libby Told Grand Jury

[UpInArms]

http://nysun.com/timesleak.php

A former White House aide under indictment for obstructing a leak probe, I. Lewis Libby, testified to a grand jury that he gave information from a closely-guarded "National Intelligence Estimate" on Iraq to a New York Times reporter in 2003 with the specific permission of President Bush, according to a new court filing from the special prosecutor in the case.

The court papers from the prosecutor, Patrick Fitzgerald, do not suggest that Mr. Bush violated any law or rule. However, the new disclosure could be awkward for the president because it places him, for the first time, directly in a chain of events that led to a meeting where prosecutors contend the identity of a CIA employee, Valerie Plame, was provided to a reporter.

Mr. Fitzgerald's inquiry initially focused on the alleged leak, which occurred after a former ambassador who is Ms. Plame's husband, Joseph Wilson, wrote an op-ed piece in the New York Times questioning the accuracy of statements Mr. Bush made about Iraq's nuclear procurement efforts in Africa.

No criminal charges have been brought for the leak itself, but Mr. Libby, a former chief of staff to Vice President Cheney, was indicted in October on charges that he obstructed the investigation, perjured himself in front of the grand jury, and lied to FBI agents who interviewed him. Mr. Libby, who resigned from the White House and pleaded not guilty, is scheduled to go on trial in January 2007.

In a court filing late Wednesday responding to requests from Mr. Libby's attorneys for government records that might aid his defense, Mr. Fitzgerald shed new light on Mr. Libby's claims that he was authorized to provide sensitive information to the Times reporter, Judith Miller, at a meeting on July 8, 2003.

...more...

:wow:

[skooooo]

1. Whoop! There it is!

[AndyA]

2. IMPEACH BUSH

IMPEACH

BUSH

[tridim]

12. At the very least n/t

[soothsayer]

70. Do they still hang traitors? Firing squad? What's the legal

punishment these days for treason?

[Trevelyan]

196. Sen. Tom Harkin's Petition in Support of the Resolution of Censure

Yes, Tom! Please let your colleagues in the Senate know that the American people demand accountable, law-abiding democracy here at home, not just rhetoric about democracy abroad! I want you to mobilize support for Senator Feingold's Resolution of Censure so that when the Senate returns to session after the Easter recess, a vote on the Senate floor will tell President Bush that no American can be above the law!

Please use the form below to sign the petition....We admire your courage in standing up to President Bush and saying enough! Now, we urge you to take the next step. We - ordinary Americans deeply concerned for the country we love - ask you to work with your colleagues to support and pass the Resolution of Censure in the Senate.

http://www.tomharkin.com/nl/CensurePetition.htm

[Bluesplayer]

42. That's pretty much the whole ballgame.

I never expected to hear that. Even the rupugs will have to support impeachment now. Let's start choosing "House Managers."

I nominate Conyers and Franks.

[katty]

58. yup, Game Over!

[Radio_Guy]

68. Time to fit Bush with the bracelets

Time for him to do the perp walk.

[AuntiBush]

98. Does he Get to Fire Himself

* did state last year that he'd fire anyone if they leaked, right!?!

[Wabbajack]

88. Even the rupugs will have to support impeachment now."

Like hell. They watch fox.

[Dogmudgeon]

67. No blow job, no impeachment

There's legal precedent, you know.

--p!

[Shine]

92. LOL!! Yeah, we need another blue dress, dammit.

:D

[Tight_rope]

69. WE ARE FOR SURE GOING TO HAVE A TERRORIST ATTACK NOW!

I EXPECT IT BEFORE THE TODAYS ENDING!

[AuntiBush]

102. Strange Pkg or Backpack...

something like that at the WH or somewhere up there about 30 minutes ago, on CNN/MSNBC. Nothing else reported, yet.

[henslee]

138. I keep thinking about those NCAA finals terror alerts that never happened.

How we never heard anything more.

[MissMillie]

90. Not that I wouldn't like to see him go, but....

Mr. Bush's alleged instruction to release the conclusions of the intelligence estimate appears to have been squarely within his authority and Mr. Fitzgerald makes no argument that it was illegal.

It was said, however, by Bush, that the leak would be found and removed from their job.

Hmmmmm......

[lovuian]

136. Ya Congress you were going to Impeach Clinton for a Blow job

Now this president was out to expose the CIA and its agents in the fight against WMD ...

NOW ARE YOU GOING TO IMPEACH HIM...

in the old days he would be hung!!!

[Cha]

182. ITMFA!

http://www.itmfa.com

[jedicord]

3. Let's quit discussing these trivial matters.

Let's get back to McKinney.:sarcasm:

[0007]

89. Drum roll please.......Bird Flu

[Lochloosa]

4. Let me remind everyone what the shurb said about this.....

Asked in June 2004 if he’d stand by his pledge to fire anyone found to have leaked, Bush replied “yes.”

When the White House was asked specifically whether Karl Rove, Elliot Abrams or Lewis Libby told any reporter that Valerie Plame worked for the CIA, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said: “Those individuals -- I talked -- I spoke with those individuals, as I pointed out, and those individuals assured me they were not involved in this. And that's where it stands.”

"I don't know of anybody in my administration who leaked classified information. If somebody did leak classified information, I'd like to know it, and we'll take the appropriate action."

"The President has set high standards, the highest of standards for people in his administration. He's made it very clear to people in his administration that he expects them to adhere to the highest standards of conduct. If anyone in this administration was involved in it, they would no longer be in this administration."

So...will he fire himself now?

[MADem]

9. We'll take the APPROPRIATE action

Which will be, to his mind, to toss the bird at the public and a newly awakened press, and continue to march on smartly, the Naked Emperor that he is....

[saigon68]

16. He is a naked Chimpanzee

[BuyingThyme]

161. Oh, my goodness.

[fugwb]

72. a vain attempt?

[DoYouEverWonder]

25. According to BushCo logic

No one leaked classified info because Bush desclassified it. Since he is king, he can do whatever he wants. It's all smoke and mirrors anyway.

[AuntiBush]

106. So if it was

declassified by Bush, there is nothing to see. Just go on back to shopping, et cetera. :sarcasm:

[The Wielding Truth]

66. No,no. I want to do it. GW --- YOU'RE FIRED!

[AuntiBush]

104. Exactly!

will he fire himself and the others?

Not holding breathe here.

[okieinpain]

131. nope, because when he leaked it, it became unclassified.

hey don't blame me, it's a white man's world.

[MADem]

5. Of course, he ain't being CHARGED with leaking

He's being charged with LYING to the Feds, and obstructing justice. When will they learn that it isn't the crime, it's the cover-up?

Sounds to me like Scootie-Scoot is throwing down, looking for a Cap Weinberger-style pardon...or else he will sing, sing, sing....

[Carni]

29. They are already spinning this

The guy on MSNBC is saying the Pres has the power to declassify info--therefore the info became declassified when Bushit gave the go ahead?

What kind of bullshit is that?

So if bushit decided to leak our nuclear codes to his friend Pootie Poot that would be OK because the chimperor decided to *declassify the info*

My head hurts thinking about how much they get away with unscathed.

[MADem]

33. OK, so it was "legal" but the MONKEY LIED to the people about

something that was "LEGAL."

Sniff, sniff....ewwwww, that smell! Tell me what's that SMELL????

[Carni]

43. Yeah fancy that-- now the SOB dictates law

Why have a congress or judiciary?

They should just crown him and get it over with already.

[daleo]

39. The reasoning is absurd

It makes Bush a king who can do no wrong by definition.

[Carni]

40. I know! It's an insult to our intelligence!

More of their *repeat it ad nauseum as fact* until people give up and move on to something else!

I am telling you I feel like I am in some type of bizarro world --

[demo dutch]

54. The President can only declassify information that has been classified

by the Executive Branch. The identity of CIA agents was originally classified by Congress, hence, the President cannot declassify the identity of an agent.

[Carni]

64. Ah! Good! Thank you! EOM

[caledesi]

165. * cannot declassify THIS information.

The Intelligence Identities Protection Act of 1982, for example. It has no exemption for the President.!

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Covert_Agent_Identity_Protection_Act

Read 'em and weep. <doing the happy dance>

[Carni]

195. Thanks I will pass this on to my email lists

Everyone has been looking for something to cite on this matter!

[KerryOn]

174. And lets not forget that.....

Bush publicly declared he would fire anyone found to have leaked classified information.

So bush can now fire himself!
He lies like a dog!

[glitch]

6. Page not found...Anybody else getting the link? nt

[kiteinthewind]

7. Hot Damn!!

Let the games begin!!

:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

[KansDem]

8. So, he who was given the responsibility to "protect us from terrorists"

...actually helped the terrorists?

This revelation, along with his failure to do anything when told "we are under attack" on 9/11, his ties with the bin Laden family going back decades, his willingness to fly Osama's relatives out of the US when all commercial aircraft was grounded (and before the FBI could question them), and his unwillingness to capture Osama should be more than enough to send his sorry ass to the Hague for crimes against humanity, if not Leavenworth for treason for the rest of his miserable life.

And to think they executed the Rosenbergs!

Impeachment's too good for this bastard! :grr:

[donkeyotay]

17. Good point. Not only was he lying his ass off

but he put playing partisan politics above national security. In a normal world, this would certainly put his ass in a sling. In the world we're living in... we'll see.

[pecwae]

10. Page Not Found

Am I doing something wrong?

[babylonsister]

11. I couldn't even get it to load; must be reallllly busy! Try this:

http://nationaljournal.com/about/njweekly/stories/2006/0406nj1.htm

[KansDem]

15. Works for me!

Thanks! :hi:

[kiteinthewind]

19. Thanks, babylon!

I was starting to think this was a joke.
:yourock:

[Carni]

31. It was just on MSNBC (cable) so it's definitely legit!

Just heard it with my own ears! :)

[kiteinthewind]

13. OMG, what's up with the NY Sun website? Routine maintenance??

This doesn't look good. Did you get the page copied when you read it, UpInArms??
:tinfoilhat: :tinfoilhat:

[UpInArms]

28. you can also see it here:

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/print.php?sid=25573

along with the address for the http://www.nysun.com/30561.pdf">View the Government's Filing (PDF).

[kiteinthewind]

73. Thanks!!

:hi:

[Kablooie]

14. But he's got an airtight defense ...

He's the president.

He can out CIA agents at his pleasure.

He's the president.

Whatever he says or whatever he does by definition is law.

He's the president.

No one can do anything to him.

He's the president.



What we need is a good old fashioned dictator that can throw him into Abu Gahrab.

[babylonsister]

18. Denial or ... denial or.... hubris? nt

[skip fox]

82. Remember how he wouldn't talk to Fitzgerald's investigator under

oath? (Dodging perjury even then.)

[WindRavenX]

20. oh. snap

:popcorn: I can't wait to see the little shit weasel try to get out of this one...

[BootinUp]

21. EDITED: I think that is not NySun website.

The certificate from the site is invalid.

[UpInArms]

30. it came up for me prior to the OP -

I do believe the site has been overwhelmed since that time.

[BootinUp]

35. ok thanks, meantime see post 22 for another source

[OKNancy]

22. Here is the Murray Waas story about the same thing

http://nationaljournal.com/about/njweekly/stories/2006/0406nj1.htm


ADMINISTRATION
Libby Says Bush Authorized Leaks
By Murray Waas, National Journal
© National Journal Group Inc.
Thursday, April 6, 2006

Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff has testified that President Bush authorized him to disclose the contents of a highly classified intelligence assessment to the media to defend the Bush administration's decision to go to war with Iraq, according to papers filed in federal court on Tuesday by Patrick J. Fitzgerald, the special prosecutor in the CIA leak case.

[BootinUp]

23. But its Libby's word vs chimperor

looks like a standoff, they are both known liars.

[Carni]

32. Unless Libby has emails or things of that nature

I'm thinking he must.

[OKNancy]

24. mirror site for documents

http://www.dubyad40.com/30561.pdf

[SmokingJacket]

26. Wow, actually, I'm surprised!

Why even let the the guy in on it? So much safer and easier to keep him in the dark, like they do most things....

[Jade Fox]

27. They were still drunk with power at that point....

Still buying into their own crap, and thinking their heyday would last forever. :shrug:

[Steely_Dan]

34. WHEN WILL IT BE ENOUGH????

Of course he knew...he was behind it. How much longer must we put up with this crap?

-P

[OKNancy]

36. Bloomberg link

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aTAo1LZSEZDA&refer=us

[rodeodance]

71. this is confusing

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aTAo1LZSEZDA&refer=us#

Bush Approved Leak of Iraq Arms Intelligence, Libby Testified
April 6 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush authorized disclosure of classified information on Iraq's weapons program to rebut war critics, a former top administration aide told a grand jury, according to documents filed in federal court.

The documents don't allege the president approved the identification of covert CIA operative Valerie Plame, although they were filed in connection with the investigation into who leaked the operative's name to reporters in 2003. The court filing by special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald also doesn't suggest Bush violated any rule or law governing the handling of classified material.

The document described federal grand jury testimony by I. Lewis Libby, the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, who was indicted last October of charges of perjury, obstruction of justice and lying to FBI investigators probing the Plame case.

[chiffon]

37. CNN nows discussing....Breaking News!!!

Hot damn!

[MiniMe]

38. Seems like this would be big news everywhere, has any other sources

picked it up yet? I'm just wondering how reliable the Sun is as a source.

[NYC]

44. The Sun is very conservative.

They wrote an editorial absolutely praising John Bolton once.

That's all I can tell you.

[demo dutch]

51. Court docs are posted at this link in a PDF file

http://www.dubyad40.com

[AndrewJacksonFaction]

164. Page 20 of the PDF, 1st 3 lines.

Vice President advised defendant that the President specifically had authorized defendant to disclose
certain information in the NIE. Defendant testified that the circumstances of his conversation with
reporter Miller – getting approval from the President through the Vice President to discuss material
that would be classified but for that approval – were unique in his recollection. Defendant further
testified that on July 12, 2003, he was specifically directed by the Vice President to speak to the
press in place of Cathie Martin (then the communications person for the Vice President) regarding
the NIE and Wilson. Defendant was instructed to provide what was for him an extremely rare “on
the record” statement, and to provide “background” and “deep background” statements, and to
provide information contained in a document defendant understood to be the cable authored by Mr.
Wilson. During the conversations that followed on July 12, defendant discussed Ms. Wilson’s
employment with both Matthew Cooper (for the first time) and Judith Miller (for the third time).
Even if someone else in some other agency thought that the controversy about Mr. Wilson and/or
his wife was a trifle, that person’s state of mind would be irrelevant to the importance and focus
defendant placed on the matter and the importance he attached to the surrounding conversations he
was directed to engage in by the Vice President.

[oasis]

41. Kerry's on "Hardball" today. Condemnation of Bush in the strongrest terms

is called for. No more Mr. nice guy.

[AllegroRondo]

45. CNN Web page "breaking news" = McKinney Apologizing

WTF? Get with the REAL news CNN!

[demo dutch]

46. Ha Ha ... Now posted on Drudge as well

[Kablooie]

47. CNN reports that it's just business as usual. Nothing wrong about it.

[demo dutch]

48. Did you really expect anything different?

[lovuian]

148. OMG!!! The outing of a CIA Agent NO CRIME!!!

CNN is unreal!!!

[Tight_rope]

49. HOT DAMN!...Bush in big trouble...IMPEACH THE SON OF A BITCH!

:wow: :woohoo: :applause:

NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS DID I THINK THAT DUMBASS WAS THAT DUMB. "FOOL ME ONCE SHAME ON YOU, SHAME YOU TWICE CAN'T BE FOOLED AGAIN!"

[Vinca]

50. I think King George can declassify things if he wants to.

It's sleezy and smarmy, but probably not illegal.

[The Wielding Truth]

78. But this declassification was done for sinister motives .

This had no helpful relevance to the Nation security.

This was out and out political, and he purposefully betrayed a civil servant under cover. That amounts to conspiracy to put this person under endangerment or maybe murder for personal retaliation.

That must be treason.

[rocktivity]

113. DING DING DING! Wielding Truth, you're our grand prize winner!

...(T)his declassification was done for sinister motives...(It)...had no helpful relevance to the nation('s) security...he purposefully betrayed a civil servant under cover...

Bush may have the "right" to declassify documents, but if his motives were sincere, don't you think he would have let the CIA in on it? If Bush's plan is to sleaze out of it on that kind of a technicaly, he's no better than Bill Clinton trying to come up with a new definiton of "having sex!"

:headbang:
rocknation

[ripple]

81. Plame's status was classified

If Fitz can prove Bush knew that and authorized the leak, anyway, impeachment is a very real possibility, depending on how the '06 elections go.

Plus, isn't there some sort of process for declassifying intelligence? It seems absurd that the president can simply cherry-pick classified information and leak it to the media outlets of his choosing, all without the public being aware of it. It was no accident that this info was given to the NYT. The administration knew they already had their own supporters in the bag- they needed to try to drum up whatever support they could from our side. And the fuckers at the NYT just ate it up like candy, without informing their readers that the info they were reporting WAS PROVIDED by the Bush administration.

[demo dutch]

95. The President can only declassify information that has been classified

by the Executive Branch. The identity of CIA agents was originally classified by Congress, hence, the President cannot declassify the identity of an agent.

He's so dumb he probably didn't know doing it, My guess is that Cheney just went ahead.

[Strathos]

52. My prayer today is that this is the end of His Majesty the Shrub

and the Bush family's involvement with anything and everything political.

[xxqqqzme]

53. maybe the house and senate will

amend the law so it is ok for presidents 2 release secret information. They seem poised 2 'fix' FISA.

[jazzjunkysue]

55. Ladies and gentlemen, the senate is OURS!

I would like to thank all the little people who have made this possible: Tom, Dick, George, Scooter, oh, hell, the whole republican party.

The Gang Who Couldn't Shoot Straight.

There. Is. A. God.

[ripple]

76. I think the Senate is still a long shot

The prospects for taking the house look much, much better. Of course, if you can convince me that we have a shot at the Senate, I'll be grinning all day!!! :D

[TheDonkey]

56. So leaking a CIA agent isn't illegal!? perhaps Libby and Bush should have

slapped her on the shoulder. They would have been booked immedietly.

[jazzjunkysue]

57. Someone check the secret Depends stash in the Oval Office bathroom

I think we're gonna need extras.
:popcorn:

[progressivebydesign]

59. So now CNN tries to backtrack by saying Bush leaked to Cheney..

not to Libby, Cheney leaked to Libby. BUT.. the problem for Bush, regardless of how his sycophants spin it at CNN, is that Bush authorized the leak... even if he did not leak it directly to Libby. Bush is a disgusting liar, Cheney is a jerk, and Libby is a stool pigeon. Bush needs to be impeached, along with Cheney.. his sinister prime minister.

[superconnected]

63. It'll be a knock down drag out between bushco and libby.

Libby has now ratted them out to save his own ass. He doesn't want to be the patsy they're going to try to make him.

Sing Scooter, Sing! :)

[demo dutch]

103. He's so dumb, he probably doesn't even know that the president

can only declassify info that has been classified by the Executive Branch. The identity of CIA agents was originally classified by Congress, hence, the President cannot declassify the identity of an agent.

My guess is that Cheney just went ahead and did it without the idiot realizing that he didn't even have the authority.

[UpInArms]

60. looks like this one is hitting all the news stands

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=plame&ie=UTF-8&scoring=d

Results 1 - 10 of about 1,650 for plame. (0.16 seconds)

Papers: Bush Authorized CIA Intelligence Leak
cbs4denver.com, CO - 5 minutes ago
... Miller. There was no indication in the filing that either Bush or Cheney authorized Libby to disclose Valerie Plame’s CIA identity. ...

Bush authorized leak of intelligence data on Iraq, says new court ...
San Diego Union Tribune, United States - 6 minutes ago
... Miller. There was no indication in the filing that either Bush or Cheney authorized Libby to disclose Valerie Plame's CIA identity. ...

Court filing: top White House aide says Bush OK'ed leak of Iraq ...
WRIC, VA - 6 minutes ago
... leak. There is no indication in the filing that either Bush or Cheney authorized Libby to disclose Valerie Plame's identity. But ...

Court filing: top White House aide says Bush OK'ed leak of Iraq ...
WTVM, GA - 6 minutes ago
... leak. There is no indication in the filing that either Bush or Cheney authorized Libby to disclose Valerie Plame's identity. But ...

Report: Bush authorized leak of intelligence data on Iraq
ABC7Chicago.com, USA - 8 minutes ago
... Miller. There was no indication in the filing that either Bush or Cheney authorized Libby to disclose Valerie Plame's CIA identity. ...

CNN corrects CIA leak allegation
Raw Story, MA - 8 minutes ago
... jury testimony, president Bush had directly authorized Vice President Cheney's chief of staff I. Lewis Libby to leak the name of CIA operative Valerie Plame. ...

Bush authorized leak of intelligence data on Iraq, former Cheney ...
CBC News, Canada - 9 minutes ago
Before his indictment, Libby testified to the grand jury investigating the Valerie Plame leak that Cheney told him to pass on the information and that it was ...

Papers: Cheney aide says Bush OK'd leak
TheNewsTribune.com (subscription), WA - 9 minutes ago
... Miller. There was no indication in the filing that either Bush or Cheney authorized Libby to disclose Valerie Plame's CIA identity. ...

Papers: Cheney Aide Says Bush OK‘d Leak
The Westfall Weekly News, Canada - 9 minutes ago
... case. There was no indication in the filing that either Bush or Cheney authorized Libby to disclose Valerie Plame ‘s CIA identity. ...

Bush authorized leak of Iraq intelligence, Libby claims
Seattle Times, United States - 10 minutes ago
... Miller. There was no indication in the filing that either Bush or Cheney authorized Libby to disclose Valerie Plame's CIA identity. ...

[jamesinca]

111. Look at the story

Most are picking it up from the same source, and they all say Bush and Chenney not guilty. The media is hanging Scooter.

"There was no indication in the filing that either Bush or Cheney authorized"

[superconnected]

61. Dumbass really did it this time!

Yahooo!

And turned in by Libby to boot! No honor among thieves!

I've got to go to freepervile and watch them pathetically defend that crook.

Ah, another entry to add to why he should be impeached.

Nixon's actions smell better than this foul rat.

[Roon]

142. dupe

[unschooler]

62. But if the PRESIDENT does it, it must be legal, right?

Wasn't that in that "inherent authority" thing somewhere? :eyes:

After all, he's got to keep us SAFE.... :puke:

[rodeodance]

65. msnbc Website has this:Libby: Bush himself authorized leak on Iraq

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12187153/

Updated: 12:18 p.m. ET April 6, 2006

Libby: Bush himself authorized leak on Iraq
Former top aide to Cheney says word came down through vice president
WASHINGTON - Vice President Dick Cheney’s former top aide told prosecutors President Bush authorized the leak of sensitive intelligence information about Iraq, according to court papers filed by prosecutors in the CIA leak case.

Before his indictment, I. Lewis Libby testified to the grand jury investigating the Valerie Plame leak that Cheney told him to pass on the information and that it was Bush who authorized the leak, the court papers say. According to the documents, the authorization led to the July 8, 2003, conversation between Libby and New York Times reporter Judith Miller.

[lovuian]

146. This is why Fitzgerald wanted Judith Miller so bad it went to

Bush!!! Judith had to tell!!!

[Zorra]

74. Therefore: Our unelected so called pResident deliberately

and maliciously outed a covert CIA agent in retribution for the disclosure of true statements by the aforementioned CIA agents' husband regarding false intelligence that was counter to the President's plan to engage in an unjustifiable, pre-emptive war.

This petty act of revenge, and arguably, treason, is wholly unbecoming of someone that holds the office of Commander-in-Chief of the United States. To keep such a childish and irresponsible person in this office is a clear and present danger to our national security.

It is now the absolute duty of our Congress, in order to further ensure the safety and security of the people of the United States, to impeach George W. Bu*h and to remove him from office as soon as is possible.

There you have it.

And the filthy, lying snake should be put in prison for the rest of his life for his crimes against humanity.

[superconnected]

75. Repukes are already saying the prez can do it legally, and denying it

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1610324/posts

Knew it! I love it when their day sucks. Sort of like when Cheney shot a guy in the face and they denied it was his fault, and so did he. How pathetic :)

[demo dutch]

94. Such idiots ! - President can only declassify information that

has been classified by the Executive Branch. The identity of CIA agents was originally classified by Congress, hence, the President cannot declassify the identity of an agent.

[MissMillie]

150. I hate to point this out to you, but even this article says that Bush may

be acting within his authority

Mr. Bush's alleged instruction to release the conclusions of the intelligence estimate appears to have been squarely within his authority and Mr. Fitzgerald makes no argument that it was illegal.

However....

He has misled us by saying he would look for the leak. If this was all legal and on the up-and-up, why not just admit to it? Why let the government spend money on an investigation?

[brooklynite]

77. And, what will Scotty say today?

"Can't comment on an ongoing investigation": 2-1

"Haven't had a chance to review the documents": 3-1

"You should take that up with the Vice President's Office": 5-1

"The President had the right to act under Executive Authority": 25-1

"The President is deeply dissapointed and has asked for the Vice-President's resignation":250-1

"The President is announcing his resignation": 500-1

"I'm announcing my resignation as Press Secretary": 1-1

[superconnected]

79. CNN article 2004 - Bush welcomes probe of CIA leak

Bush welcomes probe of CIA leak
'I want to know the truth,' president tells reporters
Wednesday, February 11, 2004 Posted: 1:46 AM EST (0646 GMT)

.
.

"If there's a leak out of my administration, I want to know who it is," Bush told reporters at an impromptu news conference during a fund-raising stop in Chicago, Illinois. "If the person has violated law, that person will be taken care of.

"I welcome the investigation. I am absolutely confident the Justice Department will do a good job.

"I want to know the truth," the president continued. "Leaks of classified information are bad things."

He added that he did not know of "anybody in my administration who leaked classified information."


MORE...

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/09/30/wilson.cia/

[unschooler]

80. "Legal experts disagree...." Let the spin begin!

Additionally, Libby "testified that he also spoke to David Addington, then counsel to the Vice President, whom considered to be an expert in national security law, and Mr. Addington opined that Presidential authorization to publicly disclose a document amounted to a declassification of the document."

Addington succeeded Libby as Cheney's chief of staff after Libby was indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 28, 2005 on five counts of making false statements, perjury, and obstruction of justice in attempting to conceal his role in outing Plame as an undercover CIA operative.

http://news.nationaljournal.com/articles/0406nj1.htm

And, in other news, "legal experts" (I think those people are actually called LAWYERS) disagree on whether thousands of criminal defendants are actually guilty.

We need to get out the message that these people are not entitled to some kind of special justice while other people are held to the law.

[superconnected]

83. USA TODAY - 7/18/05 - President will fire anyone who committed CIA leak

USA TODAY
Posted 7/18/2005 11:59 AM Updated 7/19/2005 12:46 PM

By Richard Benedetto and Mark Memmott, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — President Bush said Monday that he would fire anyone in his administration who had leaked the identity of a CIA officer — if the leak broke the law.

"If someone committed a crime," Bush said speaking to reporters after a meeting with visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, "they will no longer work in my administration."

Time reporter Matthew Cooper has said Karl Rove, Bush's deputy chief of staff and closest political adviser, was the first person to disclose to him that an administration critic's wife worked for the CIA. She was subsequently identified as Valerie Plame. (Related video: White House comments on leak)

Several Democrats, including Sens. John Kerry of Massachusettts and Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, have called for Rove's firing. Some Democrats charged that Bush had shifted his position. They said Bush had promised to fire anyone involved in the leaking of Plame's name in 2003, regardless of whether a law had been broken.

More ...

http://www.usatoday.cPresident will fire anyone who committed crime in CIA leak

[superconnected]

87. TALK LEFT - July05 - President Bush Called Leak 'A Criminal Action'

President Bush gave a press conference on October 6, 2003. In it he was asked about the Valerie Plame leak. He called it a "criminal action." Here were his comments (from CNN, available on Lexis.com.)

QUESTION: Mr. President, on another issue, the CIA Leakgate, what is your confidence level in the results of the DOJ investigation about any of your staffers not being found guilty or being found guilty? And what do you say to critics of the administration who say that this administration retaliates against naysayers?

BUSH: Now, well, first of all, I'm glad you brought that question up. This is a very serious matter. And our administration takes it seriously. As members of the press corps here know, I have, at times, complained about leaks of security information, whether the leaks be in the legislative branch or in the executive branch, and I take those leaks very seriously. And therefore, we will cooperate fully with the Justice Department.

I've got all the confidence in the world the Justice Department will be do a good, thorough job. And that's exactly what I want them to do is a good, thorough job. I'd like to know who leaked. And if anybody's got any information inside our government or outside our government who leaked, you ought to take it to the Justice Department, so we can find out the leaker.

I have told my staff, I want full cooperation with the Justice Department. And when they ask for information, we expect the information to be delivered on a timely basis. I expect it to be delivered on a timely basis. I want there to be full participation, because I am most interested in finding out the truth.

more...

http://talkleft.com/new_archives/011437.html

[lovuian]

153. Here we have this traitor and he is in charge of our Military!!!

OMG!!! this is scary!!!

[killbotfactory]

84. Time to attack Iran

They are on the verge of becoming a nuclear power, dontchaknow

[Shine]

91. LOL!! Good one.

:rofl:

[arwalden]

97. Please No... Let's Hope Not.

(But I had similar thoughts.)

[BrotherBuzz]

85. Censure might be a moot or passé action, now....

"Bring 'em on'' yelled the monkey!

:rofl:

[skip fox]

86. Remember how W. refuse to talk to the investigation under oath?

He was hedging perjury charges even then!!!!

Talk about knowingly misdirecting the prosecutor. (Is that a crime? Misdirecting investigators was for Moussaoui.)

[no name no slogan]

99. They investigated Clinton for lying about getting a hummer

I would think misleading a nation into war would certainly qualify

[arwalden]

93. Oh Dear!! My my my! What d'ya know?

[AuntiBush]

96. Whoa.

Does this mean they all get off? :crazy:

[goclark]

189. TGhat is the question

and I am afraid I know the answer. : (

[Shine]

100. Shit, meet Fan.

:D

[brentspeak]

101. What's the exact nature of the leak?

It's hard to evaluate this news without knowing what information the leak contained.

In any case, expect for Libby to be labled a "liberal traitor" by Sean Inanity and Flush Limblow.

[demo dutch]

105. Read the court docs at this link http://www.dubyad40.com - p. 22- 23

[brentspeak]

109. It seems to indicate the

possibility that, by declassifying information originally classified by Congress, Bush exceeded his executive privilege. This is a different issue than the Plame leak; people should be clear on that.

Still, Bush again acts like a total nimrod.

[demo dutch]

119. Definately a PR nightmare once again!!

[rodeodance]

107. AP Papers: Cheney Aide Says Bush OK'd Leak

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060406/ap_on_go_pr_wh/cia_leak;_ylt=AvWOntmMvrDw6_iDIcdRXsGs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--

Papers: Cheney Aide Says Bush OK'd Leak

By PETE YOST, Associated Press Writer 50 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Vice President
Dick Cheney's former top aide told prosecutors President Bush authorized the leak of sensitive intelligence information aboutIraq, according to court papers filed by prosecutors in the CIA leak case.

Before his indictment, I. Lewis Libby testified to the grand jury investigating the CIA leak that Cheney told him to pass on information and that it was Bush who authorized the disclosure, the court papers say. According to the documents, the authorization led to the July 8, 2003, conversation between Libby and New York Times reporter Judith Miller.

There was no indication in the filing that either Bush or Cheney authorized Libby to disclose Valerie Plame's CIA identity.

But the disclosure in documents filed Wednesday means that the president and the vice president put Libby in play as a secret provider of information to reporters about prewar intelligence on Iraq.

[rodeodance]

110. more

....There was no indication in the filing that either Bush or Cheney authorized Libby to disclose Valerie Plame's CIA identity.

But the disclosure in documents filed Wednesday means that the president and the vice president put Libby in play as a secret provider of information to reporters about prewar intelligence on Iraq.

The authorization came as the Bush administration faced mounting criticism about its failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, the main reason the president and his aides had given for going to war.

Libby's participation in a critical conversation with Miller on July 8, 2003 "occurred only after the vice president advised defendant that the president specifically had authorized defendant to disclose certain information in the National Intelligence Estimate," the papers by Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald stated. The filing did not specify the "certain information."

[cliss]

108. They are throwing Bush

under the bus. Notice? Just this morning, Bush was subjected to a "town hall type meeting" with REAL town hall type folks. One man came right out and asked Bush if he didn't have the "decency to feel shame" (over warrantless spying).

This is something completely new.

Just 2 weeks ago, Bush went to India. After his trip, he went to Afghanistan for a quick visit. This is considered to be a highly dangerous place. Next, he went to Pakistan, an even more dangerous place. He even held a speech. It was considered unbelievably dangerous to send him there.

And now this. Scooter Libby points the finger at Bush, and no one stops him.

Folks, Bush is being thrown to the hyenas. This is all very recent. None of this is accidental.

[gardenista]

120. I think you're on to something. nt

[rocktivity]

121. I think the goal is to hold on to Cheney

because if he becomes President, nothing will really have to change. They wouldn't think twice about sacrificing Bush to make it happen--in fact, I'll bet that's why he was let in on the plan in the first place.

And if Cheney pardons Bush, of course, we scream for HIS impeachment.

:headbang:
rocknation

[Eurobabe]

125. and the attack on Iran will go forward

let's maintain the status quo.

[LeftHander]

129. "Have you no decency" - Executive Branch collapse

Watch this hit the media tonight....

Bush is toast. So is Cheney.

Impeachment needed now before Bush forces a military coup. The Military could refuse to follow bush on Constitutional grounds at this time.

The Executive Branch has collapsed.

[gristy]

112. Reuters: Bush said to authorise leak of Iraq intelligence

I couldn't find this on LBN.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush authorised the leak to the media of classified material about Iraq, a former aide to U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney said according to court papers filed by prosecutors and made public on Thursday.

The aide, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, also testified that he was specifically directed by Cheney to speak to the media about the intelligence information and about Joseph Wilson, a former ambassador who had criticised Bush's Iraq policy, according to the papers.

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-04-06T170208Z_01_WAT005235_RTRUKOC_0_UK-BUSH-LEAK.xml

[xultar]

114. Libby said Dick said Chimpy said leak. !!

[kurth]

115. Specifically: Bush Authorized Libby to Out CIA Agent

http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/20060406_bush_authorized_libby_to_out_cia_agent/

[Vidar]

116. Glad Reuter's has it now. They seem less susceptible to WH pressure.

[kurth]

118. "I will take care of whoever is involved"

"If there is a leak in this White House then I want to know about it. And I will take care of whoever is involved." - George W. Bush

[Ernesto]

117. CNN corrects CIA leak allegation (Raw Story)

CNN errantly reported that according to grand jury testimony, President Bush had directly authorized Vice President Cheney's chief of staff I. Lewis Libby to leak the name of CIA operative Valerie Plame.
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/CNN_corrects_CIA_leak_allegation_0406.html

[54anickel]

127. That's the best spin they can do? Someone's slipping over there.

It was the top story at Google US news until just a moment ago with 400 related articles. Looks like someone's trying to change the subject now....

[standup]

122. Bush will pardon himself for wartime treason

[GoddessOfGuinness]

123. Time for tar and feathers

:bounce:

[boddhi]

124. i think libby is seeing how they're treating Harris....

... and is realizing that there is no honor among these thieves, and figures he doesn't have much to lose at this point....

[coalition_unwilling]

126. This story is of such importance that it should be kept at top

of Late Breaking News, if that is technically possible. I don't know how to pull that off, so if anyone reading this does, please advise.

[Miss Chybil]

128. As my Sims like to say...

"Ho-hum."

Nothing will happen to Bush, or Cheney, and more kids will die in Iraq. Headlines could read like this for the next year: "Bush Lies Again in Speech Today, Cheney Backs Him," and "Hundreds More Die in Iraq, Bush Cuts Brush" and still nothing will happen. NOTHING.

[ckramer]

130. Papers: Cheney Aide Says Bush OK'd Leak

WASHINGTON - Vice President Dick Cheney's former top aide told prosecutors President Bush authorized the leak of sensitive intelligence information about Iraq, according to court papers filed by prosecutors in the CIA leak case.

Before his indictment, I. Lewis Libby testified to the grand jury investigating the CIA leak that Cheney told him to pass on information and that it was Bush who authorized the disclosure, the court papers say. According to the documents, the authorization led to the July 8, 2003, conversation between Libby and New York Times reporter Judith Miller.

link

[Uncle Joe]

132. Does this mean Bush will not get the Medal Of Freedom? n/t

[sakabatou]

133. Oooohhhh... this is gooooood...

[lovuian]

134. WHOAH!!! Who would ever think Libby would directly link to

Bush it would have linked to Cheney... this is good is Cheney part of this???

[okieinpain]

145. that's because they are going to say bush can declassify docs,

and he didn't tell libby to release name. but it does look bad, in one of the other post there was a mention that bush declassified info on plame, but kept other info that made him look bad classified. even though the info was from the same doc.

[xyboymil]

135. msnbc, fox news, cnn, all carrying it now...will this FINALLY do it?

Come on people..

What the hell else do we need to prove?

Impeach this asshole!

[pinniped]

137. Treasonous bastard POS.

When is the military going to arrest this clown?

[The Wielding Truth]

139. kick

:kick:

[SLCPUNK]

151. We'll see

I hope America is finally ready to wake up to this nightmare. Realize this man is a lying SOB and take our country back!

We are going to get the house back in November and impeach this traitor!

[newscott]

140. TREASON.

[DuaneBidoux]

141. Won't matter 'till Dems get Congress--then it's impeachment.

[Blaze Diem]

152. Libby cannot prove his case without the classified docs he needs.

Fitz (I believe, but correct me if I'm wrong) will not ask that ALL the requested classified docs be given to Libby for his defense.
---
Maybe this is Libby's way of dealing with the gov'ts refusal and stonwalling as to handing over the calssified docs to defend himself with.

Geez..Maybe its Libby 's way of playing hardball.."You don't give me the docs = I will destroy Bush's last shred of credibility, I will attach Bush's name to this mess and let the people themselves decide what to do with the info."

[Tiggeroshii]

154. if this forces Fitz to implicate Bush, Bush has the authority to fire him

...and that is ertainly not politically good for the president to do. If Fitz is fired, I'm certain our dear great president will sink below Nixon levels of approval.

[jazzjunkysue]

177. Watch them re-start the Fitzgerald attacks.

[mountainvue]

143. Na na na na,

na na na na, hey hey, hey...goodbye!

[young_at_heart]

144. Will we now find out if there is truly a 'dictatorship' in this country

Has arrogance finally gone to far?

[NVMojo]

147. Censure him, impeach him, fire him, get his skanky cheating ass out of WH!

[JaneQPublic]

149. Here's what Howard Dean had to say about it...

"The fact that the president was willing to reveal classified information for political gain and put interests of his political party ahead of Americas security shows that he can no longer be trusted to keep America safe," Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean said.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/04/06/libby.ap/index.html

[lovuian]

155. I Love you Howard!!!

He says it so well!!!

[rodeodance]

171. thanks Howard

[demo dutch]

156. Also on BBC News website

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4885100.stm

[lovuian]

160. Look at the smile on Scooters face!!!

Fitzgerald knows EVERYTHING NOW!!!

[aaronbees]

194. I love it!

:) I think that smile says a lot. Hopefully, a great day for seeing justice be done.

[lovuian]

157. LEAKER IN CHIEF!!! LOL!!! CNN new title

for Bush!!!

[abelenkpe]

158. You'd think more people would be outraged

to have such obvious evidence that the white house is manipulating the news. ???

[SKKY]

159. Please, someone pinch me!

This seems like another trick by them. Put out some information, discredit who gave the information, put that person in a bad light. I'm skeptical. Hopeful, so very hopeful. But, skeptical.

[skip fox]

162. Even if he wiggles out of it (having not deceiving Fitzgerald, allowed

to leak, etc.) he still has to answer WHY he declassified and HOW that wasn't political.

He's stuck on those two. Those are some questions which should be asked RIGHT NOW.

[tabasco]

163. Bill Bennett says the President can "declasify" any information ...

he wants," because he is in charge of the Executive Department.

There you have it, ladies and gentlemen. A guy who was so upset at a President for getting a bj is now saying it's A-OK for the President to break espionage laws and reveal top secret info whenever he wants to. No big deal, according to Bennett.

Of course, Leslie Blitzer nods his head and turns it over to Donna Brazille, the worst possible spokesperson for the Dems, who doesn't even ask the basic question why would the President reveal this information?? Just give us ONE GOOD REASON WHY THE PRESIDENT WOULD REVEAL THIS INFORMATION??.

[Bonobo]

166. Can someone answer this please. Thanks:...

Is this the same leak that the NYT was viciously attacked (by Shrub) for leaking?

[rodeodance]

172. no, that was the NSA leak--that Bush has the FBI investigating--shows how

hypocritical he is.

[JohnWxy]

167. Libby testifies Bush approved disclosure of Plame

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-040606libby_lat,0,3687566.story?coll=la-home-headlines



By Richard Schmitt, Times Staff Writer
1:49 PM PDT, April 6, 2006


WASHINGTON -- President Bush personally authorized leaking long-classified information to a reporter in the summer of 2003 to buttress administration claims, now discredited, that Saddam Hussein was attempting to acquire weapons of mass destruction for Iraq, according to a court filing by prosecutors in the case against former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby.

Libby, the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, was indicted in October on charges that he lied to investigators about his role in the unmasking of former CIA operative Valerie Plame.

ADVERTISEMENT
Court papers filed by special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald late Wednesday said that before Libby's indictment, he told a federal grand jury investigating the leak that Cheney told him to pass on information about a secret National Intelligence Estimate to the press and that Bush had authorized the disclosure, according to the court papers.

[NVMojo]

168. the spoiled little neocon would do anything to get his way ...risk lives,

take lives ...you name it, he'd do it. And lying ain't even half of it....

[grytpype]

169. Read your own article.

He says Bush authorized him to disclose part of a classified NIE, not Plame's CIA affiliation. How about changing your title (and the other one you posted too).

[rodeodance]

170. also says that this keeps Bush in the loop

That Bush reportedly authorized certain disclosures recasts the story of the administration response and puts the president at least in the loop, if not at the helm, of administration efforts to rebut a forceful critic at a time when growing public concern over his handling of the war in Iraq was looming as a threat to his reelection the next year.

Bush, as commander in chief, has the authority to declassify information. At the same time, the administration has cracked down hard in recent months on other government officials leaking sensitive information to reporters about controversial administration policies, including the maintenance by the CIA of secret prisons in Europe for terror suspects and a warrantless domestic surveillance program conducted by the National Security Agency since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Miller , who has since left the New York Times, served 85 days in jail last year for contempt of court for refusing to divulge the identity of the official who revealed to her that Plame was a CIA agent.

[brentspeak]

181. Hold on here. That's not the actual headline for the article

The actual headline says "Libby Traces Approval of Disclosure Back to Bush", and the article says nothing about Bush giving Libby approval to leak Plame's CIA identity.

Needless to say, I don't like spending effort defending Bush. But the point is, you're spreading disinformation to people here concerning this case. People need to get their facts straight at all times in order to be properly informed; you're deliberately trying to confuse people on these boards.

Like the other poster said: change your posts.

[Mnemosyne]

173. Traitor, traitor on the wall.

Whose the biggest traitor of them all?

Treason is just what he did and it had to be with the dick, Kindasleezy and Rummy's knowledge.

Send the traitors to the Hague!:grr:

[rodeodance]

175. Reuters Bush said to have cleared Iraq leak

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060406/pl_nm/bush_leak_dc;_ylt=AovMVYTy7jOr5HCx4t2FC9Cs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3b2NibDltBHNlYwM3MTY-

Bush said to have cleared Iraq leak

By James Vicini 55 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A former top White House aide testified that
President George W. Bush authorized leaking classified intelligence in 2003 in the face of criticism of his
Iraq policy from a former ambassador, according to court papers made public on Thursday.


Democrats seized on the news, accusing Bush of hypocrisy. The president has often denounced leaks from his administration and vowed to punish the leakers. This was the first time Bush was directly linked to this incident.

"If the disclosure is true, it's breathtaking. The president is revealed as the leaker-in-chief," said Rep. Jane Harman (news, bio, voting record) of California, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.

The papers cited Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Vice President
Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, as testifying to a federal grand jury that Cheney had told him that Bush authorized him to disclose information from a secret National Intelligence Estimate to a New York Times reporter in July 2003.

[rodeodance]

176. Reid, Leahy, Schumer responses

In Congress, Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said, "
President Bush must fully disclose his participation in the selective leaking of classified information."

Sen. Patrick Leahy (news, bio, voting record), a Vermont Democrat, said, "It's time for the White House to ... just step forward and honestly state what they knew, when they knew it and what they did about it."

New York Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer (news, bio, voting record) demanded an explanation from Bush and Cheney.

"The president has said he'd fire anyone who leaked this kind of information. But it now seems that he authorized leaks just like this in the first place. The American people deserve the truth," he told reporters.

[bridgit]

178. whoopsy...

:littleemoticondudewithtipofdickinmousetraqpgoing"ouch!":

[OKNancy]

179. truthout.com take on the story

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/040606R.shtml

[Paula Sims]

180. I've always said, what goes around. . .

This is big and I think it's come at the "right" time. People are sick of the war, sick of the economy, just plain fed up. And now that they're going to hear the truth that we've always known, the backlash will be too big. I think * & the Dick will go down as un-indited co-conspirators and that'll have a negative impact. I don't think even Diebold can do anything here.

Paula

[scout123]

183. Elizabeth Edwards called this one back in January!

"How hard is it to say, `It's against the law' and `He's lying.'"
...Elizabeth Edwards, in a speech in North Carolina, Jan. 24, 2006

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/1/26/83027/4666

She listed several of this administration's lies--""George Bush was lying, Dick Cheney was lying, Karl Rove was lying."

The audience burst out in applause.

She said, "yes, these are ugly words, but they are the right words for this administration."

She urged Democrats to stop watering down our message. "We need to say things to the American people in a clear way--that the current Republicans have created a "culture of corruption." Mrs. Edwards is speeding up now, talking faster and more energetically as she goes on to list out many of the current outrages, "Tom Delay, Duke Cunningham, Bob Ney, the K-Street project, and more."

The crowd is nodding energetically in agreement, as she goes on to smack down Homeland Security--it was supposed to be up to the job of protecting us- this is what voters were promised, but it was being led by "a horseshow official who had to be told to roll up his sleeves to look busy."

The last section of Mrs. Edwards' speech focused on who the Democrats are, and how we need to communicate that image to the American people. "Just because the Republicans say something about the Dems--and say it over and over and over again--doesn't make it so. They may say all Dems do is complain, that we stand for nothing, for example.

So what do Dems all too often do? We make it easier for the Republicans to smear us. We go on talk show after talk show and read out long lists of programs and policies we support, instead of saying who we are.

Democrats are the party of those who are working, those who have finished working, and those who want to work. We fight for their wages, we fight for their jobs, we fight for their pensions.

We are the party of principle, guided by what is right and what is moral. We're the party of the sick, the old, the young--the party of social justice and fiscal responsibility."

She pointed out that all the time the Republicans were out telling the public that Democrats had no moral core, they were showing over and over again how little moral core THEY had.

Mrs. Edwards closed her prepared remarks with a call to unity. "Democrats don't always agree on programs, policies, or language. But we do agree to do the right thing, the moral thing, the noble thing, and when we do, we restore our country."
_______________________________________________
"Q:"" What do you think will be the defining issue for 2008?

"A:" " Finding strong candidates and making it clear what we stand for. We need to run a clean camp--John took no lobby or pac dollars in 04, for example. We need to work to clean up the systems and make politicians accountable"

She went on to give a great analogy:
"Elections are not decided on particular issues--few people can quote you chapter and verse of the difference in candidates' health care plans, for example. But it's like two people who come to your house to sell you life insurance. They're both talking about products and using terms like "actuary" and "annuity prospectus" and let's face it, once they leave you have no idea what they're talking about-- but one makes you feel good, one you have confidence in.

That's what the money issue and the corruption issue can do for us in elections--it erodes voters trust in the Republicans. We need voters need to have confidence in the Dems.

We need to have candidates who stand for something! That is what engenders trust. We need a message, and we need to talk about that message--and to communicate it to the American people, not keep giving them a laundry list of programs.That's what the money issue and the corruption issue can do for us in elections--it erodes voters trust in the Republicans. We need voters need to have confidence in the Dems."

[lanlady]

184. take the nuclear launch code away from the asshole-in-chief

before he leaks it to Drudge.

This proves beyond a doubt that he is not fit to hold office and is a danger to our country.

[Robeson]

187. Agreed....

...he's ratted out his own. Can't be trusted.

[madmark]

185. president trashes national security asset for political gain; the water

gate burglary did not do as much harm.

[osaMABUSh]

186. The I word is being tossed around rather loosely now

Impeachment talk is pretty much in the mainstream now. When Wolf interviewed John Kerry on CNN tonight about the Bush leak, impeachment was brought up by Wolf but Kerry didn't directly comment - he didn't have to - the cat is out of the bag.

[True_Blue]

188. Can we impeach now?

:woohoo:

[stevedeshazer]

190. Bush Authorized Secrets' Release, Libby Testified (WaPo A01)

By R. Jeffrey Smith
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, April 7, 2006; Page A01

President Bush authorized White House official I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby to disclose highly sensitive intelligence information to the news media in an attempt to discredit a CIA adviser whose views undermined the rationale for the invasion of Iraq, according to a federal prosecutor's account of Libby's testimony to a grand jury.

The court filing by Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald for the first time places Bush and Vice President Cheney at the heart of what Libby testified was an exceptional and deliberate leak of material designed to buttress the administration's claim that Iraq was trying to obtain nuclear weapons. The information was contained in the National Intelligence Estimate, one of the most closely held CIA analyses of whether Iraq had weapons of mass destruction before the war.

Fitzgerald said Libby's disclosure took place as the result of "a strong desire by many, including multiple people in the White House, to repudiate" claims made in a July 2003 newspaper article by former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, who was hired by the CIA to evaluate whether Iraq sought nuclear material in Niger. Wilson wrote that "some of the intelligence related to Iraq's nuclear weapons program was twisted to exaggerate the Iraqi threat."

The White House did not challenge the prosecutor's account of Bush's and Cheney's role in orchestrating the effort to discredit Wilson yesterday. Both Bush and Cheney have been interviewed by Fitzgerald, but the details of what they told him are unknown. Fitzgerald's new account is based on Libby's grand jury testimony that Cheney told him Bush had authorized the declassification and disclosure of some of the information.

more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/06/AR2006040600333.html

[rodeodance]

191. GRAND for the POST--front page!!

[knight_of_the_star]

192. K and R

This deserves to be on the FRONT PAGE!!!

[stevedeshazer]

193. Oh, geez

Look at this paragraph:

Bush has been a major critic of leaks of classified information, and his aides have repeatedly said they want to "get to the bottom" of who leaked the name of Wilson's wife, covert CIA operative Valerie Plame, to the media, which touched off Fitzgerald's investigation . But in the past 33 months the White House has never disclosed Bush's apparent involvement in the deliberate disclosure of information meant to undermine Wilson.

Boom. :nuke:

[classysassy]

197. The gentleman

in the oval office has disgraced his position again,so what is congress going to do,the same as last time nothing?,we the people elect those toads that roam the hall of congress,all of them should be ashamed,yet they remain in office,what will it take to get some action from those spineless jelly fish?.

[Zorra]

198. kick

;)

[Zorra]

199. kick