[oceanview]

well, if Rove was indeed talking to Mandy Grunwald's husband, even if it was innocent, and he doesn't understand how this can be spun and twisted by the media into tagging him as "the source" - the guy is supposed to be a political genius, he can't figure out what this would lead to?

[cyncooper]

what?

I would expect Rove to point out to reporters the implications of the revelation that Wilson's wife recommended him.

Goodness, by your standards the administration would never be able to say anything for fear of the spin.

BTW, the spin wasn't contrived by the Wilson faction for a few weeks.

[tobyhill]

The MSM labeling Rove as "the source" is only going to backfire on them because as he released the Media from the confidentiality agreement he too can discuss the matter and link the media to this leak themselves. It was already common knowledge before Novak, Miller or Cooper went with the story.

[Steve_Seattle]

"well, if Rove was indeed talking to Mandy Grunwald's husband, even if it was innocent, and he doesn't understand how this can be spun and twisted by the media into tagging him as "the source" - the guy is supposed to be a political genius, he can't figure out what this would lead to?"

I don't think Rove or anyone else could have anticipated this; the whole liberal charge - that someone in the Bush admin thought "we're gonna 'get' Wilson by "outing" his wife" - was goofy to begin with, and the source probably had no idea that this story would be floated and pumped for all it was worth, right up to a grand jury investigation.