Bob Woodward: My CIA leak source not Libby

[Fern]

Originally posted by: Harvey

Originally posted by: irwincur

First, the disclosure shows that Mr. Fitzgerald's statement at his press conference of Oct. 28, 2005, that Mr. Libby was the first government official to tell a reporter about Mr. Wilson's wife was totally inaccurate.

That's all BS spin. What Fitzgerald actually said was:

In fact, Mr. Libby was the first official known to have told a reporter when he talked to Judith Miller in June of 2003 about Valerie Wilson.

That sentence has a vastly different meaning.

Vastly different meaning? How so?

The insertion of the word "know" by Mr Fitzgerald certainly stands as evidence of his professionalism and accuracy in his remarks.

However, the fact remains that Mr Fitzgerald was mistaken in his belief that Libby was the first offical to have communicated this info to a reporter. At least as the facts now stand.

Fern

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam

Originally posted by: Genx87
Really makes you wonder who didnt know about Plame?

Must have been a well kept secret.

How sad to be so emotionally immature as to constantly need to invent new lies to protect oneself from unpleasant truths.

Oh?

I have said from day one if a leak was involved that broke the law, whoever was responsbile should be put on trial.

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: BaliBabyDoc
The real question is whether anyone . . . aside from Faux News . . . will buy their raison d'hui.

Bunch of rats with stolen cheese on their whiskers, all trying to shift blame and obfuscate. Scurry, scurry, gnaw, gnaw -- but hey, we're not rats and the fromage is not cheese, jeez.

And LOL@ BBD: is raison d'hui an actually used French phrase or just your personal inspiration? In any event, I love it! :laugh:

 

[Harvey]

Originally posted by: Fern

Originally posted by: Harvey
That's all BS spin. What Fitzgerald actually said was:

In fact, Mr. Libby was the first official known to have told a reporter when he talked to Judith Miller in June of 2003 about Valerie Wilson.

That sentence has a vastly different meaning.

Vastly different meaning? How so?

The insertion of the word "know" by Mr Fitzgerald certainly stands as evidence of his professionalism and accuracy in his remarks.

However, the fact remains that Mr Fitzgerald was mistaken in his belief that Libby was the first offical to have communicated this info to a reporter. At least as the facts now stand.

The word was known, not know. Read Fitzgerald's sentence again. He was NOT mistaken. His statement says Libby was the first official he knew leaked Plame's name at the time he made the statement. It doesn't preclude the possibility that further information, such as Woodruff's new revelation, would show that someone else blew her cover before the date Libby was first known to have done it.

Fitzgerald's investigation is still open because he believed there may be more information to find and bring to light. Looks like he was right.

 

[piasabird]

How do you obsruct justice, when no crime was committed in the first place?

 

[Harvey]

Originally posted by: piasabird
How do you obsruct justice, when no crime was committed in the first place?

Simple. Justice is about getting to the truth. Libby lied to the FBI and the Grand Jury under oath. That's a crime that got him indicted on five felony counts, regardless of the underlying facts.

Your statement suggests you know no crime has been committed. How are you so certain when Fitzgerald said explicitly that Libby's lies prevented him from knowing the truth and determining whether a crime had been committed.

 

[PELarson]

Originally posted by: piasabird
How do you obsruct justice, when no crime was committed in the first place?

Ask

martha Stewart

Bill Clinton

 

[conehead433]

Interesting comment by Chris Matthews of CNBC on this evening's show. All of the White House officials contacted by CNBC denied that they were Bob Woodward's source except one - Dick Cheney, who apparently refused to comment about an ongoing investigation. Hope he gets indicted for obstruction of justice and for the original crime under investigation, that of outing a covert agent. Bet we see his resignation before this over.

 

[totalcommand]

Originally posted by: conehead433
Interesting comment by Chris Matthews of CNBC on this evening's show. All of the White House officials contacted by CNBC denied that they were Bob Woodward's source except one - Dick Cheney, who apparently refused to comment about an ongoing investigation. Hope he gets indicted for obstruction of justice and for the original crime under investigation, that of outing a covert agent. Bet we see his resignation before this over.

What about Steven Hadley NSA?

 

[Harvey]

Originally posted by: conehead433
Interesting comment by Chris Matthews of CNBC on this evening's show. All of the White House officials contacted by CNBC denied that they were Bob Woodward's source except one - Dick Cheney, who apparently refused to comment about an ongoing investigation. Hope he gets indicted for obstruction of justice and for the original crime under investigation, that of outing a covert agent. Bet we see his resignation before this over.

I'm just hoping Fitzgerald has the goods on him. If so, I hope it's for treason.

 

[smack Down]

Originally posted by: piasabird
How do you obsruct justice, when no crime was committed in the first place?

Who says no crime has been commited?

 

[wirelessenabled]

Originally posted by: conehead433
Interesting comment by Chris Matthews of CNBC on this evening's show. All of the White House officials contacted by CNBC denied that they were Bob Woodward's source except one - Dick Cheney, who apparently refused to comment about an ongoing investigation. Hope he gets indicted for obstruction of justice and for the original crime under investigation, that of outing a covert agent. Bet we see his resignation before this over.

I would think it more likely that Ol' Dick will have a () heart attack which will require him to step down. Let's hope Fitz has the fortitude to keep on working at getting to the truth.

 

[conehead433]

And in the latest Plamegate news.....Fitzgerald said today that there would be a new Grand Jury and this investigation would continue...Go get 'em tiger!

News

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Originally posted by: Harvey

Originally posted by: conehead433
Interesting comment by Chris Matthews of CNBC on this evening's show. All of the White House officials contacted by CNBC denied that they were Bob Woodward's source except one - Dick Cheney, who apparently refused to comment about an ongoing investigation. Hope he gets indicted for obstruction of justice and for the original crime under investigation, that of outing a covert agent. Bet we see his resignation before this over.

I'm just hoping Fitzgerald has the goods on him. If so, I hope it's for treason.

I know, I know... You want to watch him hang. :roll:

Well as of today... It ain't Cheney. Not that there is anything funny about any of this... But wouldn't it be funny if it was Wilson?

 

[conehead433]

"Well as of today... It ain't Cheney. Not that there is anything funny about any of this... But wouldn't it be funny if it was Wilson?"

We already know it was an official of the Bush Administration. Wilson was not.

 

[Todd33]

The third was Hadley it looks like. So three WH official leak her identity, that's not a concerted effort? I guess it was just random conversation with the media, these things happen.

Q: "Were you the administration official who talked with Bob Woodward about the identity of a CIA operative?"

MR. HADLEY: "I have seen press reports that ? and only press reports ? that Bob Woodward has talked about, I guess, three sources from the administration that he had. I?ve also seen press reports from White House officials saying that I am not one of his sources."

Leaving the room, Hadley was asked if his answer amounted to a yes or a no. ??It is what it is,'? he said.

 

[Harvey]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
I know, I know... You want to watch him hang. :roll:

Well as of today... It ain't Cheney. Not that there is anything funny about any of this... But wouldn't it be funny if it was Wilson?

The mission of every member of the Whitehouse staff has been to lie to the American public. As of today, I have no reason to believe any denial from any of them. I'll just have to wait until the info is made public.

Maybe it will come through a leak from someone in the Whitehouse with a conscience. Wait a minute. That won't happen. Having a conscience is an immediate disqualification from any job with the Bushwhackos.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

This is the part that fascinates me... The whole thing hinges on whether or not Valerie Plame was a "covert" agent or not. But that apparently hasn't been established by Fitz. In his press conference where he announced Libby's indictment he used the term "Classified" not "Covert" to describe Plame's status with the CIA.

Link

Valerie Wilson was a CIA officer. In July 2003, the fact that Valerie Wilson was a CIA officer was classified. Not only was it classified, but it was not widely known outside the intelligence community.

Not only did he not use the word Covert but later on in the press conference, when pressed about the issue he said this:

QUESTION: Can you say whether or not you know whether Mr. Libby knew that Valerie Wilson's identity was covert and whether or not that was pivotal at all in your inability or your decision not to charge under the Intelligence Identity Protection Act?

FITZGERALD: Let me say two things. Number one, I am not speaking to whether or not Valerie Wilson was covert. And anything I say is not intended to say anything beyond this: that she was a CIA officer from January 1st, 2002, forward.

I will confirm that her association with the CIA was classified at that time through July 2003. And all I'll say is that, look, we have not made any allegation that Mr. Libby knowingly, intentionally outed a covert agent.

22 months would seem like enough time to establish that one, simple, fact. So why does he have to keep dancing around it?

 

[Harvey]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
This is the part that fascinates me... The whole thing hinges on whether or not Valerie Plame was a "covert" agent or not. But that apparently hasn't been established by Fitz. In his press conference where he announced Libby's indictment he used the term "Classified" not "Covert" to describe Plame's status with the CIA.

Link

Valerie Wilson was a CIA officer. In July 2003, the fact that Valerie Wilson was a CIA officer was classified. Not only was it classified, but it was not widely known outside the intelligence community.

Not only did he not use the word Covert but later on in the press conference, when pressed about the issue he said this:

QUESTION: Can you say whether or not you know whether Mr. Libby knew that Valerie Wilson's identity was covert and whether or not that was pivotal at all in your inability or your decision not to charge under the Intelligence Identity Protection Act?

FITZGERALD: Let me say two things. Number one, I am not speaking to whether or not Valerie Wilson was covert. And anything I say is not intended to say anything beyond this: that she was a CIA officer from January 1st, 2002, forward.

I will confirm that her association with the CIA was classified at that time through July 2003. And all I'll say is that, look, we have not made any allegation that Mr. Libby knowingly, intentionally outed a covert agent.

22 months would seem like enough time to establish that one, simple, fact.

Sorry, but you haven't been paying attention. Fitzgerald specifically stated that Libby was indicted for obstruction of justice and perjury because his lies were obscured the specific facts that would support an indictment for the underlying charges related to outing Plame's identity, NOT that a crime related to outing her had not been committed.

 

[RightIsWrong]

Originally posted by: conehead433
"Well as of today... It ain't Cheney. Not that there is anything funny about any of this... But wouldn't it be funny if it was Wilson?"

We already know it was an official of the Bush Administration. Wilson was not.

How do you know that it isn't Cheney? The last that I had heard, Woodward's source didn't sign a release and Woodward didn't expose him because of that. That would still leave the door open that it could be Cheney.

 

[dahunan]

Something that sickens me is that people like Novak and Miller chose expose her identity to the whole world.. If that isn't SCUM I am no longer sure of the definition - What was their intent and what was the value in exposing her?

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Originally posted by: Harvey

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
This is the part that fascinates me... The whole thing hinges on whether or not Valerie Plame was a "covert" agent or not. But that apparently hasn't been established by Fitz. In his press conference where he announced Libby's indictment he used the term "Classified" not "Covert" to describe Plame's status with the CIA.

Link

Valerie Wilson was a CIA officer. In July 2003, the fact that Valerie Wilson was a CIA officer was classified. Not only was it classified, but it was not widely known outside the intelligence community.

Not only did he not use the word Covert but later on in the press conference, when pressed about the issue he said this:

QUESTION: Can you say whether or not you know whether Mr. Libby knew that Valerie Wilson's identity was covert and whether or not that was pivotal at all in your inability or your decision not to charge under the Intelligence Identity Protection Act?

FITZGERALD: Let me say two things. Number one, I am not speaking to whether or not Valerie Wilson was covert. And anything I say is not intended to say anything beyond this: that she was a CIA officer from January 1st, 2002, forward.

I will confirm that her association with the CIA was classified at that time through July 2003. And all I'll say is that, look, we have not made any allegation that Mr. Libby knowingly, intentionally outed a covert agent.

22 months would seem like enough time to establish that one, simple, fact.

Sorry, but you haven't been paying attention. Fitzgerald specifically stated that Libby was indicted for obstruction of justice and perjury because his lies were obscured the specific facts that would support an indictment for the underlying charges related to outing Plame's identity, NOT that a crime related to outing her had not been committed.

That's not what I said. Actually it was more of a question. Why, after 22 months can't Fitz answer a simple question about Plame's status in the CIA? Libby's lies have nothing to do with Plame's official status or Fitz's ability to determine it.

I'm not asking who outted her. I'm asking if her status was really "covert".

 

[ExpertNovice]

Originally posted by: sMiLeYz
Libby got indicted for other things i thought, like lying under oath. But it was probably Cheney

The hypocrasy of the left is astounding. Clinton commits perjury while obstructing justice (you know, just like Nixon although Nixon didn't commit perjury). For that the democrats praise him.

The new information indicates that Libby may not have even committed perjury but even if he did it may have been a mistake in his remembered timetable. One thing is for certain, this administration cooperated fully with the investigation unlike the Clintons you worship.

Two things to consider.

1. Since no charges have been made involving the supposed crime being investigated it would appear that no crime was committed. Since the fishing expedition took years during which no crime was investigated Libby should never have been placed under oath. Thus, no crime would ever have been comitted.

2. If Libby did commit perjury he should be punished. Yeah, I know, this is not very liberal like but that is because I'm a conservative and think that people who commit crimes should be punished. Liberals have proven time and time again that they only want to punish their "enemies."


(as for my last statement... remember the MMM spokeswoman who said no one should own a gun, even though she owned one. Then when she shot an honor student turning him into a paraplegic the liberals defended her and even paid for her defense. Of course she shot a minority so liberals had no problem with it and she did say no one should own a gun, thus, she is their friend.)

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
This is the part that fascinates me... The whole thing hinges on whether or not Valerie Plame was a "covert" agent or not. But that apparently hasn't been established by Fitz. In his press conference where he announced Libby's indictment he used the term "Classified" not "Covert" to describe Plame's status with the CIA.

Link

Valerie Wilson was a CIA officer. In July 2003, the fact that Valerie Wilson was a CIA officer was classified. Not only was it classified, but it was not widely known outside the intelligence community.

Not only did he not use the word Covert but later on in the press conference, when pressed about the issue he said this:

QUESTION: Can you say whether or not you know whether Mr. Libby knew that Valerie Wilson's identity was covert and whether or not that was pivotal at all in your inability or your decision not to charge under the Intelligence Identity Protection Act?

FITZGERALD: Let me say two things. Number one, I am not speaking to whether or not Valerie Wilson was covert. And anything I say is not intended to say anything beyond this: that she was a CIA officer from January 1st, 2002, forward.

I will confirm that her association with the CIA was classified at that time through July 2003. And all I'll say is that, look, we have not made any allegation that Mr. Libby knowingly, intentionally outed a covert agent.

22 months would seem like enough time to establish that one, simple, fact. So why does he have to keep dancing around it?

Yes, I've been wondering about the same thing.

Although I don't follow this as closely as the regular's here, so surley could be wrong, I have heard she (Plame) may have been outed by Aldrige Ames (sp?). IIRC, he's the "traitor" whose outing of covert agents in the field resulted in passage of the law against the outing of agents.(EDIT: no it was Philip Agee who credited with "inspring" the law)

AFAIK, you can only be outed once. So, getting the list of agents outed by Ames would seem to be neccessary, and I imagine rather difficult?


Hey Harvey,

As I was typing my message above my wife and kid you yelling at me to get offline as we had to go somewhere So pardon my typing, & yeah I know the word is "known", not know.

I still don't get how the two sentances are vastlydifferent. While Mr. F had qualified his statement, and the other didn't, it seems the thrust of both senatnces is the same. Namely, that Libby was the first official to speak to reporters about Plame. So, seems to me that they are substantially similar, not vastly different.

Well, since they are back to the GJ, looks like this will not be concluded very soon. This story is being drug-ut longer than the one on the TV series "Lost"

D@mn, being yelled at again. Hope there are no typo's this time

 

[conehead433]

"The new information indicates that Libby may not have even committed perjury but even if he did it may have been a mistake in his remembered timetable. One thing is for certain, this administration cooperated fully with the investigation unlike the Clintons you worship."


Obviously you are mistaken about the administration cooperating fully. One member of this administration withheld eveidence until after the Libby indictment knowing that the special prosecutor was investigating this matter. Hopefully that person faces at least obstruction of justice charges.