The real Rove scandal: If you can't shoot the messenger, take aim at his wife.

LA Times ^ | July 12, 2005 | Robert Scheer

[Crackingham]

That clearly was the intent of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove in leaking to a reporter that former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV's wife, Valerie Plame, was a CIA agent. To try to conceal the fact that the president had lied to the American public about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program, Rove attempted to destroy the credibility of two national security veterans and send an intimidating message to any other government officials preparing to publicly tell the truth.

Rove's lawyer now says that Rove didn't break the law against naming covert agents because he didn't know Plame's name and therefore couldn't have revealed it. Perhaps he can use such a technicality in court, but in the meantime he should resign immediately — or be fired by the president — for leaking classified information, trying to smear Wilson and possibly endangering Plame's life.

"The White House promised if anyone was involved in the Valerie Plame affair, they would no longer be in this administration," said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). "I trust they will follow through on this pledge."

The background on this story is crucial. Ambassador Wilson had been honored as a patriot by President George H.W. Bush for standing up to Saddam Hussein in a face-to-face confrontation in Baghdad on the eve of the Persian Gulf War. But in 2003, Wilson committed an unpardonable crime in the eyes of the second Bush White House. He exposed its lies about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programs.

[concerned about politics]

IT WAS JUST REPORTED ON FOX CABLE NEWS THAT HER NAME WAS ON HER HUSBAND'S WEBSITE AND HE ID'ED HER THERE AS WORKING FOR THE CIA

I knew it would be Wilson.

Howlin! Ping! Let's dance!!!

[Howlin]

Well, you notice I didn't go any further than that.

[CAluvdubya]

Oh how funny! Does this idiot really think any reporter is going to stay in jail to protect Rove's name?

Even their moon-batty theories go beyond this time!

Have you SEEN Kerry's face today?????

[Always Right]

Robert Scheer should resign or be fired for being a complete idiot.

[montag813]

The real Rove scandal: If you can't shoot the messenger, take aim at his wife.

You mean the "wife" sent the "messenger" to Africa as a political setup in the first place?

[MJY1288]

Have you seen the clip of John Kerry expressing his outrage.... ROFLMAO, What a poser that idiot is, he can't even give a convincing "Outrage" press conference. Kerry is more boring than watching grass grow

[popdonnelly]

This "journalist" misses entirely what happened. Wilson's wife sent him to Niger. Rove was asked who sent him to Niger. How do you extrapolate from this that Rove was "after" Wilson's wife? Sheese, these guys are so far gone in hate-Rove fantasyland, that they'll propose anything.

[Howlin]

Oh my.....ain't we got fun?

[kcvl]

Scheer has had an interesting career in journalism. He started at the radical left publication Ramparts in the 60s, then become a national correspondent for the L.A. Times for 17 years. For the past eight, he has been a columnist whose work appears weekly in the Times and papers across the country. He also co-hosts a radio show on an affiliate of National Public Radio in Los Angeles and writes for publications like The Nation. Throughout his career, Scheer has been one of America's leading liberal pundits, reliably bashing Republicans and many conservative Democrats. Dissemble, spin, repeat

An overview of Scheer's writing reveals that one of his favorite tactics is to create a politically potent trope and repeat it over and over until it seems true. When faced with criticism, Scheer simply dismisses his critics without addressing their arguments and continues to repeat his idea, as if the more he says it, the truer it becomes.

Scheer Deception: The Lies and Jargon of Robert Scheer

By Ben Fritz (ben@spinsanity.org)
October 8, 2001

[Howlin]

I saw that; and I saw "The Nodder" right next to him, not saying anything, but acting like she agreed. Plausible denial.

[jackv]

These liberals are so dang predictable. They NEVER do anything but jump the gun in their zeal to destroy this president and ALWAYS end up looking like fools.
Karl Rove is probably laughing his butt off!!!

[kcvl]

Robert Scheer is a national syndicated columnist. He teaches courses on media and politics at USC's Annenberg School for Communication.

WorkingForChange is an online journal of progressive news and opinion published by Working Assets. Visit WorkingForChange.com on a daily basis to read the latest dispatches from nationally syndicated reporters and columnists including Molly Ivins, Robert Scheer, and Greg Palast.

[jackv]

Was that the one where fool hillary said "i'm nodding".
What retards!!

[Howlin]

Dear lord...........that explains a LOT; not most of it, but a lot.

[Kay]

A couple days ago, a poster wrote that Valerie Plame was now on UNpaid leave from the CIA for 1 yr -- I assume that would not be good news for her. Had you heard about this and do you know the source?

[facedown]

Ha ha ha, that Bob Scheer is such a card.

[Howlin]

I had not heard that, but we can ask some of them who keep up with everything.

IMO, that would not bode well for her. But, then, maybe she's working on her book? :-)

[MJY1288]

LOL, They are simply desperate. That whole meaningless press conference was an utter joke

[OkiMusashi]

I heard Gibson say that about Wilson's website.

PLEASE GIVE ME A LINK!!!

I want to take it to another forum and beat some folks over the head with it.

[visualops]

a soup sandwich

I thought it couldn't get any worse than a football bat, but I was wrong!