Posted on 07/13/2005 7:30:59 PM PDT by kristinn
MADISON, Wis. - Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean tried Wednesday night to turn the pressure up on President Bush to fire political adviser Karl Rove, saying a failure to do so would be putting politics ahead of national security.
Dean, speaking at a party fundraiser, said Bush in the coming days should live up to his promise to fire anybody involved in leaking the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame.
An internal Time magazine e-mail that was disclosed over the weekend suggested that Rove, a deputy White House chief of staff and one of Bush's closes advisers, mentioned to a Time reporter that the wife of administration critic Joseph Wilson was a CIA agent.
That was just before a July 2003 opinion piece by syndicated columnist Robert D. Novak identified Plame as an operative.
Bush said in 2003 that he would fire anyone in his administration involved in the leak, and the White House has been on the defensive since the latest news reports showing Rove may have been involved.
"Now we're going to find out, Mr. President, if you'll keep your word: who do you value more, Mr. President, do you value intelligence operatives defending the United States of America or do you value political operatives from Texas?" Dean told a crowd of 500 in a downtown Madison theater.
"Who do you value more, Mr. President, the security of the American people, or your political cronies? Will you keep your word?"
Dean also said young people were not signing up for the armed forces because they do not trust Bush, called former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein "a third-string tinpot dictator, no matter how awful he was," and mocked congressional leaders for intervening to keep a brain-damaged Florida woman alive.
Dean's speech highlighted the noisy fundraiser for the Democratic Party at the heart of this liberal-leaning city. Asked after the speech whether Rove should be fired, Dean smiled and declined to elaborate on his earlier remarks.
Christine Mangi, a spokeswoman for the Republican Party of Wisconsin, dismissed Dean's comments as a "blatant partisan attack."
Dean's speech came hours after President Bush passed up a chance to express confidence in Rove and the same day that a federal grand jury heard more testimony into whether anyone illegally leaked the name of Plame in July 2003.
Time magazine reporter Matthew Cooper, who spoke with Rove before publishing an article that named Plame, appeared before the panel for more than two hours.
Rove's lawyer, Robert Luskin, issued a statement Wednesday saying that Rove was cooperating with the federal investigation, has done nothing wrong and is not a target of the probe.
Still, Democrats delighted in news that Rove, considered a brilliant GOP political strategist and their longtime nemesis, was in hot water.
"They have just put Karl Rove on the endangered species list," Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton said to laughter.
"Karl Rove, if he stays out of jail, doesn't represent us," said Joe Wineke, the chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.
"failure to do so would be putting politics ahead of national security..."
Since when does Dean care about national security?
YIKES! What a pic!
I guess Dean ought to know since all he and the democratic party ever do is put politics ahead of national security.
Several FReepers think that this hullabaloo is all about keeping Judith Miller quiet in jail and her not disclosing information that would be VERY harmful to Hillary.
I have a very good feeling that the Dems are going to have lots and lots of egg on thier faces when all this is sorted out.
Uh,,, who can we go to to have Dean fired? Having to hear more of his crap is abuse of the public airwaves.
Dean should tell us who Judith Miller is protecting and whether the NY Times is paying her hush money to do her jail time quietly.
bump
Oh, sheesh, well, we all sooooo listen to Dean, don't we?!
Rove best stay put exactly where he is.
Someone must be paying hush money to keep Judith Miller quiet. It's either the NY Times or another one of Hillary's winged monkey. How may other public companies pay their employees while they are in lock-up?
Dean searching for new inspiration.
The left is in SERIOUS trouble if Howie only draws 500 in Madison.
'rat lie.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean tried Wednesday night to "TURN THE PRESSURE UP" on President Bush to fire political adviser Karl Rove, saying a failure to do so would be putting politics ahead of national security.
The only thing this radical liberal democrat can turn up is the volume to his mouth. Is it just me or does the democratic party accuse the republican party of doing everything they do themselves???
Howard's other fans are in Britain, planning another round of homicide bombings.
Yeah, who cares what he thinks?
The dems have demanded resignations from Bush, Cheney, Rumsfield, Rice and now Rove!
Who's resignation will they demand next? The maid who puts the little mints on the pillows in the Lincoln bedroom?
Naw.....
/National Archieves and DNC 'happy-hunting-grounds'...?
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