On Mon, 31 Oct 2005 04:32:46 GMT, Harry Hope <rivrvu@ix.netcom.com>
wrote:

Before we get started on Karl Rove's role in all this, let's take a
look at what George W. Bush has had to say about the CIA leak case
over the past two years:


"If there's a leak out of my administration, I want to know who it is.
If the person has violated law, the person will be taken care of." -
September 30, 2003

Libby is indeed gone.

"You know, there's a lot of leaking in Washington D.C. It's a town
famous for it. And if this helps to stop leaks, this investigation, in
finding the truth, it will not only hold someone to account who should
not have leaked - it's a serious charge by the way, we're talking
about a criminal action - and, uh, but, hopefully will help send a
clear signal that we expect other leaks to stop as well, so I look
forward to finding the truth." - October 6, 2003


"I don't know if we're going to find out that the senior
administration official. Now, this is a large administration, and
there's a lot of senior officials, I don't have any idea. I'd like to.
I want to know the truth. That's why I've instructed this staff of
mine to cooperate fully with the investigators. Full disclosure,
everything we know, the investigators will find out. I have no idea
whether we'll find out who the leaker is. Partially because, in all
due respect to your profession, you do a very good job of protecting
the leakers. But we'll find out." - October 7, 2003


REPORTER: Given recent developments in the CIA leak case, particularly
vice president Cheney's discussion with investigators, do you still
stand by what you said several months ago, suggestion that it might be
difficult to identify anybody who leaked the information, and do you
stand by your pledge to fire anyone found to have done so?


BUSH: Yes. And it's up to the U.S. attorney to find the facts. - June
10, 2004


If somebody did leak classified information I'd like to know it, and
we'll take the appropriate action. And this investigation is a good
thing. - July 12, 2005


I don't know all the facts, I want to know all the facts. Best place
for the facts to be found is by someone spending time investigating
it. I would like this to end as quickly as possible so we know the
facts, and if someone committed a crime they will no longer work in my
administration. - July 18, 2005


Now, according to Scooter Libby's indictment, "On or about July 10 or
July 11, 2003, LIBBY spoke to a senior official in the White House
("Official A") who advised LIBBY of a conversation Official A had
earlier that week with columnist Robert Novak in which Wilson's wife
was discussed as a CIA employee involved in Wilson's trip. LIBBY was
advised by Official A that Novak would be writing a story about
Wilson's wife."

There's little doubt that "Official A" is Karl Rove, and that he was
the person responsible for leaking Valerie Plame's identity - which
was classified - to Robert Novak.

Last Friday Rove was yukking it up with reporters outside his home,
saying "I am going to have a great Friday and a fantastic weekend and
hope you do too."

Funny - if someone I worked extremely closely with for five years was
about to be indicted, I probably would have been a bit less upbeat.

But then I'm not a heartless ***** like Karl Rove.

So what are we to make of all this?

As I mentioned, George W. Bush had previously said "I want to know the
truth. That's why I've instructed this staff of mine to cooperate
fully with the investigators. Full disclosure, everything we know, the
investigators will find out."

Bush also said that he stood by his pledge to fire anyone who leaked
the information.

It's also probably worth taking another look at what the president's
father, George H.W. Bush, said to the CIA back in April 1999:
http://www.cia.gov/cia/public_affairs/speeches/1999/bush_speech_042699.html


"Even though I'm a tranquil guy now at this stage of my life, I have
nothing but contempt and anger for those who betray the trust by
exposing the name of our sources. They are, in my view, the most
insidious, of traitors."


To be sure there's certainly still a lot of confusion in this case.

But one thing is clear:

George W. Bush doesn't give a damn about returning honor and integrity
to the White House.

Because if he did, he'd have fired Karl Rove already.


From The Democratic Underground
http://www.democraticunderground.com/

Harry