· Has Karl Rove routinely hidden behind confidentiality to spread damaging information about the White House's enemies?
What was damaging here? Hmmmmmmmmm? Oh, the assumption we're supposed to make that Plame had a cover and it was blown.
Wilson should have been allowed to prattle on about his non-existant "findings" in Niger without having to answer any questions as to how he came to be sent on this mission. Any facts pointing out that Wilson had seriously misrepresented what had gone on are then assessed by the media as "damaging".
What was really damaging was the Wilson/rogue lies about the context, scope and breadth of his trip.
This all has as much to do with appearance as it does with facts. That's reality and it always has been and Rove knows this as well as anybody. From the beginning I've been nervous that there was a deeper Rove involvement in all of this. The MSM, while often incompetent, is not brain dead. They've known all along they were going to get some mileage out of this and Rove seems to have made a few missteps. I don't believe for one second that Cooper made up the whole bit about wanting a clear release. I think he felt he needed one from Rove and I think he did get it at the last minute. I hate to say it but I'm betting there's more to come.
That's rich, coming from the WaPo, that all but ignored the Clinton's use of the FBI and IRS to exact revenge on their enemies.............not to mention using thugs like Pelicano to threaten women, and kill their cats......