NBC's Andrea Mitchell "misspoke" when she said Valerie Plame's CIA identity was widely known?

[DeepModem Mom]

USA Today: Libby lawyers to call on high-profile journalists
2/12/2007
By Richard Willing, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — Lawyers for Lewis "Scooter" Libby are scheduled to begin their case Monday by calling a brace of high-profile journalists to give testimony they hope will clear Libby of perjury and obstruction charges.

Among those likely to be called, according to court transcripts: NBC's Andrea Mitchell, Bob Woodward of The Washington Post, Evan Thomas of Newsweek and Jill Abramson, managing editor of The New York Times....

***

Theodore Wells, Libby's lead counsel, has said in court filings and statements to the court that he'll call these journalists to show there was no "plot" to unmask (Valerie) Plame's identity and that talk of her CIA job was widespread.

Mitchell said during an October 2003 interview on CNBC that Plame's identity was "widely known." In a 2005 interview with Don Imus, Mitchell said she "may have misspoken."...

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-02-11-libby_x.htm

[Virginia Dare]

1. No problem Andrea, and by the way...

are there any other instances where you have "misspoken"? You know, seeing as how you're on T.V. reporting the facts every single frickin' day.

[Bluebear]

21. Fine, when else did you "misspeak", given you've been "reporting" on Iraq?

You are absolutely right, Virginia.

[Uben]

2. What she probably meant

...was that it was widely known by everyone she told it to. The only ones who seemed to know were the ones speading the word. I am sure the RW was well informed!

[NewJeffCT]

3. Some people say that Andrea Mitchell is a media whore

But, they may have misspoken.

[Captain Hilts]

4. She was being a toadie to protect the admin. nt

[DeepModem Mom]

6. Media Matters said this was the opposite of Watergate --

"In a sense, it was Watergate in reverse. Instead of digging for the truth, lots of journalists tried to bury it."

[originalpckelly]

10. Andrea's married to Alan Greenspan...

so she's close to the whole freeper side.

[Tin Man]

13. Yes, Mitchell is attempting to bury her own complicity...

see post #11 below.

[malaise]

26. When was the Ford birthday party?

She boasted big time about being there.

[Tin Man]

28. Interesting... Whitehouse reception for Gerald Ford's B-day, July 16 2003

Right around the time that Libby and Rove were leaking to reporters...

Attendees at the WH Gala for former President Ford included his FedReserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan, and his wife, Andrea Mitchell.

Yeah, I'd venture that's where she heard the "everybody knows" meme. Like Miller, Mitchell was another tool of the CheneyGate conspirators.

[malaise]

29. Thought the dates were close

The entire gang was there. Bingo.

[Captain Hilts]

15. Ironic Woodward being in the middle of it, ain't it? nt

[Tin Man]

11. Yep, it's clear she was parroting the RW talking point "everybody *already knew* about Plame"

In October 2003, Mitchell said "it was widely known" that Plame worked for the CIA.
Today, Mitchell says she mispoke and doesn't even know what caused here to make the claim.

Bullshit. It's perfectly clear why she made the claim - she was parroting the RW meme du jour "It wasn't a secret, because everybody already knew about Plame". Like Judy Miller, Mitchell was being used (either knowingly or unknowingly) to distribute RW talking points defending CheneyGate.

The question is: who told Andrea the "everybody already knew" meme? Who was her source? Libby, Rove?

[Captain Hilts]

12. If she didn't, she might not get invited to the right parties. nt

[originalpckelly]

14. That's what we may find out today in the trial, if she testifies and Fitz cross-examines her.

:woohoo:

[Frances]

19. I hope she is put on the stand.

I would like to hear her answer when she is asked who told her about Plame.

[Cerridwen]

5. Misspoke? Why the frack can't people just say,

I was wrong. What's with all the Fonzies these days?

Or in her case, maybe it's more accurate to say "I lied"?

[Fridays Child]

7. Is there a transcript of her conversation with Imus?

[originalpckelly]

8. You know Libby is going to bring her up, and then she'll go to cross...

and I wonder if Fitz will ask her if anyone told her to say that, you know, like in the White House.

Her husband is Alan Greenspan after all, and she's appeared on Fox with Bill O'Really, who said she wasn't biased. That was the kiss of death for her journalistic integrity in my book.

[Tin Man]

17. Yep, the cross of Mitchell will be *very* entertaining.

I can't wait for the yummy :popcorn:

[originalpckelly]

20. Same here

:popcorn:

[BlueManDude]

9. What a cesspool. The whole lot of them.

[KharmaTrain]

16. Mrs. Greenspan Will Fold Like A Deck Of Cards

Looks like Wells is placing Scooter's fate in her testimony...and what a great witness she'll be :sarcasm:

She's so into "being Beltway" she will conflict herself and come off as a weak witness and a pathetic character. If Wells can tear her down, the credibility of all the reporters testimony could (and I emphasize COULD) create an impression that all journalists are liars and suck-ups. Damning would be getting party lists and seeing how many times Mrs. Greenspan hung out with her good buddies in "the administration".

The sad thing in this affair is that NBC will give goons like Russert and Mitchell a pat on the back...instead of sending them to cover mall openings...and even then they'll probably ask for an "undisclosed source".

[blm]

31. Russert and Mitchell were doing GE-NBC's work FOR them. They just never expected

to get caught so they didn't care how inconsistent they were.

[liberal N proud]

18. She is a lying whore!

[spanone]

22. Funny how folks above a certain payscale can lie and call it mis-speaking.

A lie is a lie is a lie is a lie.

[merh]

23. They are all misspeaking (god is that even a word) about Iran right now

They get to lie, stretch the truth, create fiction and friction - it's their job as part of the propaganda machine. :grr:

[EndElectoral]

24. Maybe it was widely known in Greenspan and his wife's circle.

[gratuitous]

25. "Sure I have multiple media platforms from which to opine"

"And I get large paychecks and invitations to lucrative speaking engagements, and I go to all the best parties and hobnob with all the best people, and now on top of it all you want me to report accurately?"

If I had screwed up in my job like that on such a large issue and that publicly, I'd be hitting the bricks looking for another job. Andrea Mitchell just keeps cashing larger and larger paychecks.

[ProfessorGAC]

27. More Than Just HItting The Bricks. . ..

. . .you'd have HIT THE BRICKS WHEN THEY TOSSED YOU OUT ON YOUR BUTT! She, on the other hand, still has a job. Things that make you go, hmmmm.
The Professor

[redqueen]

30. Oh now, don't be a conspiracy nut!

It's just for ratings, really!

:sarcasm:

[gratuitous]

32. I know

We surely should not take anything these folks say nearly as seriously as they take themselves. Reminds me of Annie Savoy in Bull Durham, when she calls out Crash's name while boinking Evy Calvin. "You shouldn't take seriously anything a woman says in the throes of passion." And we can be pretty well assured that Ms. Mitchell is in the throes of something when she's prattling on and on about things she clearly knows nothing about, but for which she's getting a hefty paycheck. "Passion" is as accurate a name for the emotion as anything, though I like "greed" better.