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.
Even if such an unlikely event did happen, they still wouldn't be satisfied; it would just whet their appetite for more. I'm sure they're just dying to utter "what did the president know and when did he know it?" Watergate was the libs ultimate orgasm and they're having wet dreams fantasizing about this being another one.
So if Rove goes to jail, he'll represent the Democrats? I think the cheese got to Mr. Wineke.
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Uh, not that I actually know how one of those things works, ya know....
Does anyone here really believe President Bush feels like he is under pressure to fire Rove? I didn't think so.
And don't forget the contention Delay should be imprisoned. LOL
The Dems are getting desperate....we're not allowing our people to be rolled like Republicans were in past when an issue came up. It really hurts they've had to resort to making up allegations, the Republicans are not even giving them the rope to hang them with anymore.
Thank God Dean is the laughing stock of Mad magazine, and no one take his seriously
If it is about Hillary, Judith better keep quiet or she might wind up with a heart attack in jail.
STFU Howie, you are a Supreme Ignorant Ass, which is why you represent the Party of Asses. Look up Byron York's analysis in National Review, ok Howie?
Read it slowly, the big words might be challenging to you.
Well, he doesn't really represent anyone inasmuch as he isn't an elected official. I just wonder if Joe here realizes that he just implied that if Rove were in jail he would represent Wisconsin Democrats. That may actually be a true statement.
Presidents don't have photo ops on a daily basis with people they're going to fire.
Thank you for insuring that my diet plan will work. I won't be able to eat for days after seeing that picture!
****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. ******
Thats it . Thats their evidence?? And Dean has him tried and convicted. Stick to doctoring Mr. Dean as a lawyer --you suck, In fact as a Human Being --you suck.
Fired? We need to work to get him a lifetime contract as the DNC chair.
Oh, I've been hearing that all night long!
Talk about putting the worst possible spin on something!
I saw the question and heard the answer and it didn't have a damn thing to do with ENDORSING or standing up for Rove!
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