Its official, Bush DID approve the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame

[Vintij]

Scott McClellan Author of "what happened" and former white house press secretary has revealed not only in his new book "what happened" but on live television C-Span 2 that he was face to face with the president when he said quote "yes I did" when asked by Scott if he approved vice president Cheney to allow scotter libby to out CIA agent Valerie Plame.


This is the former white house press secretary who was constantly in direct contact with the president, why is he not on national television telling this story? Or is it OKAY for a president to approve the outing of a CIA agent and allow the blame to go on someone else. Even if Bush did not know exactly what he was approving, Cheney did according to Scott McClellan....yet Cheney still denies having anything to do with the incident.

What the hell is going on. Why is Cheney not rotting in prison right now?

 

[elvis]

Scott McClellan Author of "what happened" and former white house press secretary has revealed not only in his new book "what happened" but on live television C-Span 2 that he was face to face with the president when he said quote "yes I did" when asked by Scott if he approved vice president Cheney to allow scotter libby to out CIA agent Valerie Plame.


This is the former white house press secretary who was constantly in direct contact with the president, why is he not on national television telling this story? Or is it OKAY for a president to approve the outing of a CIA agent and allow the blame to go on someone else. Even if Bush did not know exactly what he was approving, Cheney did according to Scott McClellan....yet Cheney still denies having anything to do with the incident.

What the hell is going on. Why is Cheney not rotting in prison right now?

There would have to be a trial for Cheney to go to prison. McClellan going on television and writing a tell-all book is not enough to send Cheney or Bush to prison. While I think there was foul play in the Plame affair, I wouldn't go by what McClellan says. He defended the President for years while he was press secretary. He went on Bill Maher's show right after he stepped down and continued to defend Bush. Now, all of a sudden, he has a chance to make money, and his tune changes.
It seems like a few months ago, the Wilsons' case against Bush and Cheney was thrown out by a judge.

 

[Vintij]

There would have to be a trial for Cheney to go to prison. McClellan going on television and writing a tell-all book is not enough to send Cheney or Bush to prison. While I think there was foul play in the Plame affair, I wouldn't go by what McClellan says. He defended the President for years while he was press secretary. He went on Bill Maher's show right after he stepped down and continued to defend Bush. Now, all of a sudden, he has a chance to make money, and his tune changes.
It seems like a few months ago, the Wilsons' case against Bush and Cheney was thrown out by a judge.

Your right, he did seem to stumble when he was asked several questions about his spineless defense of the president for years and apparent revelation to write a book on white house ethics. He does seem like a sleeze ball looking for a few bucks.

But, if he is telling the truth I think he should testify against Cheney. I am certain that Cheney was the mastermind of several illegal proceedures during his two stints in the executive branch, both with Bush sr and jr.

 

[elvis]

Your right, he did seem to stumble when he was asked several questions about his spineless defense of the president for years and apparent revelation to write a book on white house ethics. He does seem like a sleeze ball looking for a few bucks.

But, if he is telling the truth I think he should testify against Cheney. I am certain that Cheney was the mastermind of several illegal proceedures during his two stints in the executive branch, both with Bush sr and jr.

I don't know if he can do that if the case against Bush and Cheney regarding the Wilsons has already been thrown out.

 

[DavidS]

There would have to be a trial for Cheney to go to prison. McClellan going on television and writing a tell-all book is not enough to send Cheney or Bush to prison. While I think there was foul play in the Plame affair, I wouldn't go by what McClellan says. He defended the President for years while he was press secretary. He went on Bill Maher's show right after he stepped down and continued to defend Bush. Now, all of a sudden, he has a chance to make money, and his tune changes.
It seems like a few months ago, the Wilsons' case against Bush and Cheney was thrown out by a judge.

I think an investigation should be called and McClellan should go under oath. Testimony of other key WH personell would be needed as well.

The problem is, why did Novak out a CIA agent? That kind of journalism can risk lives.

 

[elvis]

I think an investigation should be called and McClellan should go under oath. Testimony of other key WH personell would be needed as well.

The problem is, why did Novak out a CIA agent? That kind of journalism can risk lives.

It depends on what the judge's exact ruling regarding Bush, Cheney, and the wilsons was.
Novak may have had an axe to grind with a couple getting in Bush's way.

 

[DavidS]

Axe to grind? Fine. Grind the axe. But putting people's lives in danger is another thing. Horrible, disgusting asshole.

Mission to Niger

By Robert D. Novak
Monday, July 14, 2003; Page A21

The CIA's decision to send retired diplomat Joseph C. Wilson to Africa in February 2002 to investigate possible Iraqi purchases of uranium was made routinely at a low level without Director George Tenet's knowledge. Remarkably, this produced a political firestorm that has not yet subsided.
Wilson's report that an Iraqi purchase of uranium yellowcake from Niger was highly unlikely was regarded by the CIA as less than definitive, and it is doubtful Tenet ever saw it. Certainly President Bush did not, before his 2003 State of the Union address, when he attributed reports of attempted Iraqi uranium purchases to the British government. That the British relied on forged documents made Wilson's mission, nearly a year earlier, the basis of furious Democratic accusations of burying intelligence, though the report was forgotten by the time the president spoke.


Reluctance at the White House to admit a mistake has led Democrats ever closer to saying the president lied the country into war. Even after a belated admission of error last Monday, finger-pointing between Bush administration agencies continued. Messages between Washington and the presidential entourage traveling in Africa hashed over the mission to Niger.

Wilson's mission was created after an early 2002 report by the Italian intelligence service about attempted uranium purchases from Niger, derived from forged documents prepared by what the CIA calls a "con man." This misinformation, peddled by Italian journalists, spread through the U.S. government. The White House, the State Department and the Pentagon, and not just Vice President Cheney, asked the CIA to look into it.

That's where Joe Wilson came in. His first public notice had come in 1991 after 15 years as a Foreign Service officer when, as U.S. charge in Baghdad, he risked his life to shelter in the embassy some 800 Americans from Saddam Hussein's wrath. My partner Rowland Evans reported from the Iraqi capital in our column that Wilson showed "the stuff of heroism." The next year, President George H.W. Bush named him ambassador to Gabon, and President Bill Clinton put him in charge of African affairs at the National Security Council until his retirement in 1998.

Wilson never worked for the CIA, but his wife, Valerie Plame, is an agency operative on weapons of mass destruction. Two senior administration officials told me that Wilson's wife suggested sending him to Niger to investigate the Italian report. The CIA says its counterproliferation officials selected Wilson and asked his wife to contact him. "I will not answer any question about my wife," Wilson told me.

After eight days in Niger's capital of Niamey (where he had once served), Wilson made an oral report in Langley that an Iraqi uranium purchase was "highly unlikely," though he also mentioned in passing that a 1988 Iraqi delegation had tried to establish commercial contacts. CIA officials did not regard Wilson's intelligence as definitive, being based primarily on what the Niger officials told him and probably would have claimed under any circumstances. The CIA report of Wilson's briefing remains classified.

All this was forgotten until reporter Walter Pincus revealed in The Post on June 12 that an unnamed retired diplomat had given the CIA a negative report. Not until Wilson went public on July 6, however, did his finding ignite the firestorm.

During the run-up to the invasion of Iraq, Wilson had taken a measured public position -- viewing weapons of mass destruction as a danger but considering military action to be a last resort. He has seemed much more critical of the administration since revealing his role in Niger. In The Post on July 6, he talked about the Bush team "misrepresenting the facts," asking: "What else are they lying about?"

After the White House admitted error, Wilson declined all television and radio interviews. "The story was never me," he told me, "it was always the statement in [Bush's] speech." The story, actually, is whether the administration deliberately ignored Wilson's advice, and that requires scrutinizing the CIA's summary of what its envoy reported. The agency never before has declassified that kind of information, but the White House would like it to do just that now -- in its and the public's interest.

(c)2003 Creators Syndicate Inc.

 

[elvis]

Axe to grind? Fine. Grind the axe. But putting people's lives in danger is another thing. Horrible, disgusting asshole.

They were "fair game"

 

[DavidS]

They were "fair game"

How the hell so????

 

[rayboyusmc]

What is interesting is when this happened all the right wing pundits kept screaming that she wasn't covert in the last 5 years, so it wasn't a problem.

When the CIA said she was covert, they just ignored their previous statements: Nevermind.

 

[elvis]

How the hell so????

There are quotes around "fair game" It's the title of Valerie wilson's book. It refers to something Karl rove said about valerie. I was being sarcastic.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Your right, he did seem to stumble when he was asked several questions about his spineless defense of the president for years and apparent revelation to write a book on white house ethics. He does seem like a sleeze ball looking for a few bucks.

But, if he is telling the truth I think he should testify against Cheney. I am certain that Cheney was the mastermind of several illegal proceedures during his two stints in the executive branch, both with Bush sr and jr.

You are aware Libby did not out Plame at all? That Armitage was the one that did that? That Armitage was given a pass on it because he had no connections to anyone and could not reel in any big fish?

Once again for the slow, Libby never outed anyone, Armitage did.

 

[elvis]

You are aware Libby did not out Plame at all? That Armitage was the one that did that? That Armitage was given a pass on it because he had no connections to anyone and could not reel in any big fish?

Once again for the slow, Libby never outed anyone, Armitage did.

That is correct. Libby lied to protect Cheney.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

That is correct. Libby lied to protect Cheney.

Not a single shred of evidence to support that claim. But no one ever said you dumb shits needed evidence now did they?

By the way, using your logic, the fact the Mrs McDougal went to prison rather then testify against the Clinton"s is proof the Clinton's were guilty.

 

[elvis]

Not a single shred of evidence to support that claim. But no one ever said you dumb shits needed evidence now did they?

By the way, using your logic, the fact the Mrs McDougal went to prison rather then testify against the Clinton"s is proof the Clinton's were guilty.

Was he or was he not convicted of perjury? I am not a lib, either. And I am sure the Clintons WERE guilty. Pigonholing, are we?

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Was he or was he not convicted of perjury? I am not a lib, either.

Was he convicted of Lying FOR someone? Funny I do not recall Cheney being charged with ANY crime. Assuming for a moment that Libby actually did mislead, you nor the Prosecutor have any proof of who he mislead for. Futher since he did not, in fact, out anyone, why does he need to mislead about something he NEVER did?

His conviction, his trial, were illegal. The law is clear, one can NOT conduct an investigation for the sole purpose of trying someone for Perjury, yet that is exactly what was done.

Remind me? Was he even charged with identifying Plame to anyone illegally? Was he charged with lying for a SPECIFIC person?

Once again, using your logic and that of the left ( which you are supporting, whether you think so or not) Clinton's are guilty of White Water charges because McDougal refused to testify and went to prison.

 

[elvis]

Was he convicted of Lying FOR someone? Funny I do not recall Cheney being charged with ANY crime. Assuming for a moment that Libby actually did mislead, you nor the Prosecutor have any proof of who he mislead for. Futher since he did not, in fact, out anyone, why does he need to mislead about something he NEVER did?

His conviction, his trial, were illegal. The law is clear, one can NOT conduct an investigation for the sole purpose of trying someone for Perjury, yet that is exactly what was done.

Remind me? Was he even charged with identifying Plame to anyone illegally? Was he charged with lying for a SPECIFIC person?

Once again, using your logic and that of the left ( which you are supporting, whether you think so or not) Clinton's are guilty of White Water charges because McDougal refused to testify and went to prison.

So, they never should have gone after Clinton when he committed perjury? Why would Libby lie, if not to protect Cheney. Why did Bush commute his sentence? It seems that, to you, if the Clintons do something, it's a crime, if Cheney or Bush do something, it's not. And I think the Clintons WERE guilty, as I said.

 

[DiveCon]

That is correct. Libby lied to protect Cheney.

actually, from the transcripts, i would be hard pressed to claim he commited perjury, more likely that he said the same thing different ways
and since he was facing a jury made up of Washington DC residents, i would say he was found guilty of being republican in DC

 

[RetiredGySgt]

So, they never should have gone after Clinton when he committed perjury? Why would Libby lie, if not to protect Cheney. Why did Bush commute his sentence? It seems that, to you, if the Clintons do something, it's a crime, if Cheney or Bush do something, it's not. And I think the Clintons WERE guilty, as I said.

Missed the point entirely. I said that IF your claim is true then using YOUR logic the Clinton's are guilty of White Water. After all, you keep claiming Libby lied ( something he says did not happen, and that his lies were for Cheney. You say who else would he lie for.

Fine USING YOUR LOGIC, who would McDougal go to jail for? The only questions on the table for her were about White Water and the Clinton's. USING YOUR LOGIC, since Libby proves Cheney was the ring leader, McDougal proves the Clinton's were guilty.

That is YOUR logic, not mine.

 

[elvis]

actually, from the transcripts, i would be hard pressed to claim he commited perjury, more likely that he said the same thing different ways
and since he was facing a jury made up of Washington DC residents, i would say he was found guilty of being republican in DC

That's a stretch, and frankly you sound like a Bush apologist.