Didn't Bush say he'd fire anyone who leaked classified info?

[Generic Other]

Anyone remember that quote?

Yup, here it is:

USA Today 2005
President will fire anyone who committed crime in CIA leak
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."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-07-18-bush-rove_x.htm

[Joe for Clark]

1. That is a good one!!

Joe

[unblock]

2. i think he actually just said "i'd like to know"

and merely implied that he'd take the leaker to task.

but i could be misundermembering.

[lovuian]

3. Yep Helen brought that point up

No Comment was the answer...

[Generic Other]

4. Oh I just discovered the loophole

He said he'd fire anyone who "worked." I don't think that term applies to Bush.

:shrug:

[katty]

5. Yes! he has the pleasure of firing himself! Email that to Keith!

[Left Is Write]

6. The loophole is "if the leak broke the law."

"If someone committed a crime."

All they'll do is claim that what they did was legal, then Bush has got his out. Everything they do is legal, right?

[wookie294]

8. Bush had said he would fire anyone who leaked (without crime)

First, Bush said he would fire anyone involved. Then, a year later, he said he would fire anyone "who committed a crime."

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush appeared to backtrack Monday from his 2004 pledge to fire anyone involved in leaking the name of CIA operative Valerie Plame.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/07/18/cia.leak/

[Left Is Write]

10. See? He was busy making loopholes for himself and his buddies.

Sort of like his ever-shifting reasons for invading Iraq. Whatever suits him at the time is what he'll say.

[Generic Other]

11. So he's known the truth for two years without speaking up

How much money spent? How much of Fitzgerald's time? Hasn't he then committed the crime of obstruction of justice by not coming forward earlier to admit this fact?

When did he de-classify the info? And why? How is this any different than the kind of crap Nixon pulled? It shows intention both to commit and then cover up a crime, if you ask me.

[wookie294]

13. And we've got the entire 2006 campaign season to enjoy this show! LOL

I say let the CIRCUS continue and onward into the glorious 20s (Bush poll rating, that is).

[ladjf]

19. You have asked the key salient questions. Good work.

[sandnsea]

31. Then why didn't he say it TWO YEARS AGO???

Why the wild goose chase since he friggin' KNEW he was the leaker!!!

If we stay on message, that ain't gonna fly. "He's been looking for himself for two years!"

[Neil Lisst]

7. this means Bush has lied the entire time after everything connected

[Avalux]

9. "If someone committed a crime"

Of course, no crime was committed, because Bush is King and can do whatever he wants, including leaking classified info and lying about it.

Nothing to see here, move along....

[Generic Other]

14. He may have the right to leak but not to cover up (that's the crime)

We need merely point to Ken Starr for a legal precedent.

[Avalux]

17. We also need a Congress controlled by Democrats.

Otherwise, nothing will be done and Bush will go on his merry little way, thumbing his now at the law. No one can and will hold him accountable right now.

[annabanana]

12. he "declassified" the doc.. hence.. no crime

no crime, no problem..

[Generic Other]

15. it's the cover-up

Shouldn't he have informed Fitzgerald that he had authorized the leak? Didn't Fitzgerald already question Bush early in this investigation? Is Bush now covering for Karl Rove?

[sandnsea]

32. Declassifying for the purpose of leaking

Without approval from the CIA?? No, that isn't going to work.

[ladjf]

16. Bush's riddle answer will be that he declassified the information.

[Generic Other]

18. Cover -up. cover-up. cover-up

A day late and a dollar short. Bush on the spot 9/12, Bush on top Katrina within a week of the levy breaking, now he recalls he authorized the leaks but neglected to say so in time to stop a two year investigation into the leak...

I think I will be calling him "Tardy" Bush from now on.

[ladjf]

20. How about calling him "Inmate Bush"? Doesn't that sound good?

[Generic Other]

24. I'm good with that!

[Orangepeel]

21. the loophole is, he never did any work in the first place

if he'd said, "they will no longer take vacations," he'd be in trouble.

[Generic Other]

22. That's what I was afraid of

"work" is the loophole. Damn. The man can honestly say he's never done it. And who could deny?

[symbolman]

23. He also said that

"they'd be taken care of.." of course people don't listen to the right wingers a lot of the time, when they AREN'T LYING, of COURSE they'll be "taken care of"..

Limos, lawyers, money, ho's, the works.. all they have to do to get these things are lie and keep their mouth shut.

I wish Bush was stupid enough to fire HIMSELF accidentally.. maybe something for WhiteHouse.org or The Onion :)


The guy that Cheney SHOT IN THE FACE was taken care of, most probably by the shooting itself.

[Generic Other]

25. Weasel words!! How come some one who is as inarticulate as he is

always knows how to parse his words after the fact? Fork-tongued reptilian monster.

[HeeBGBz]

27. You dance with your lizard leather boots on

And pull the strings
That change the faces of men
~Ballrooms of Mars - T-Rex

[HeeBGBz]

26. Bush Fire Thyself

Flame on

[giant_robot]

28. It might not be a bad option for him.

He can "fire" himself, pack up the pig farm, haul ass for Saudi Arabia and crash on cousin Bandar's couch until the heat is off. (Which, I hope, is never!)

[ignatius 2]

29. Yes he did and it sounds like a great idea to me. This traitorous

bastard and his evil co-conspirator need to be locked away from decent people forever. All the time,money and reputations pissed away when he knew he and Cheney were the sources all along. Now they make up some bogus executive order cover, from what I have heard the info would need to be vetted by the originator,in this case the head of the CIA, to be declassified.Now tell me a CIA manager would intentionally leak the name of an operative and I will tell you that is one dude who should be shit canned in a NY minute and then tried for treason.

Even if they can spin this to make it seem as if it is legal, let us not forget the time and money wasted as well as the fact that any operative seen with Valerie has been compromised and any cases they were working on have been compromised as well.

How many agents have died because of this, how has this affected national security, what were the various agents in conact with Valerie working on? These are the questions Congress should be demanding!!!!

Fucking traitor!!!!

[SalmonChantedEvening]

30. Dear Mr. Chimperor...

Go Fire Yourself.

[Generic Other]

33. If not in criminal court, can the Wilsons go after him in Civil Court?

Didn't Paula Jones pave the way? Seems like Bush has all but pleaded guilty to this crime. Valerie Plame can hit him with pain and suffering, reckless endangerment, workplace privacy laws, employment relations laws, civil service rules and regulations, etc. If we can't put him in jail, can we bankrupt the bastard?