Via Memeorandum, this explosive news:
Newspaper columnist Robert Novak is still not naming his source in the Valerie Plame affair, but he says he is pretty sure the name is no mystery to President Bush.
“I’m confident the president knows who the source is,” Novak told a luncheon audience at the John Locke Foundation in Raleigh on Tuesday. “I’d be amazed if he doesn’t.”
“So I say, ‘Don’t bug me. Don’t bug Bob Woodward. Bug the president as to whether he should reveal who the source is.’ “
It was Novak who first revealed that Plame, the wife of former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, worked for the CIA. Wilson had angered the Bush administration when he accused it of twisting intelligence to exaggerate the Iraqi threat before the war.
Disclosing the identity of a CIA agent is illegal; the disclosure set off a furor in Washington, resulting in an ongoing investigation by a special prosecutor and the indictment and resignation of Lewis Libby, the chief aide to Vice President Dick Cheney.
Woodward, a Washington Post editor, recently disclosed that he, too, had been told by an administration figure about Plame’s secret identity — probably, he said, by the same source who told Novak.
Novak said his role in the Plame affair “snowballed out of proportion” as a result of a “campaign by the left.”
But he also blamed “extremely bad management of the issue by the White House. Once you give an issue to a special prosecutor, you lose control of it.”
Hrmm. Tom Maguire investigates the possibilities.
*** Update ***
Folks, if you are going to Maguire’s place from here, knock off the horseplay. When DougJ does that crap here, it is funny. But quit doing it at Tom’s place and other places I link to, because you make me look bad. Jeebus. And you know what I am talking about.
Barry
John, has Tom had a single post yet which was anything other than ‘nothing to see, move along’?
Rallyspay
Its legally okay if ‘Smokin’ Joe Wilson leaks his wifes occupation, right?
Plame sent out memo after memo to US governemt leaders to get a response(yes, the Bush speech was a set up to leak covert CIA WMD policy schooling at CIA,which no operations officer liked and Dr.Rice) and ‘out’ the people she worked with in Iraq and Spain. The only time she got the desired response was by her admission to being a CIA operations officer, paramilitarily trained at ‘Vanity Fair.’ Who cares if it was her husband? The results only came around after she made the request at ‘Vanity Fair.’
ET
I translated his reasoning as Armitage was the leak but I could be wrong. His blater went on too long. If so that I don’t think he is right. Can’t say I know Armitage but I don’t get the impressions that he has much patience for these kinds of games.
Steve S
Yeah, because the real problem is being caught…
Ignoring the fact that the name should never have been leaked in the first place.
I’m sorry, whatever complaint you have against some vast leftwing conspiracy… leaking a CIA operative name to score political points is treason.
Rallyspray
Armitage? He is the big guy who teleports, Right?
She leaked herself to GET A DESIRED OUTCOME and could get that outcome no other way. This is the point behind all the leaks, including all the memos after she got peeved.
Blater? What the hell is blater? Sometning like the bladder went on too long? That’s because you held it too long and that can cause cancer.
Pb
Wow. Bob Novak: stupid, crazy, or crazy like a fox…
Congratulations Bob Novak, you might have just given Fitzgerald a good reason to question George W. Bush, Woodward, and/or yourself (assuming you/they didn’t already spill it all) one last time… you should hope for your sake that your story matches theirs…
KC
Wow. Here’s someone from with an insider’s perspective telling us that the president probably knows who the leaker is. If Novak’s right, the president and his people have been fairly dishonest, right? I mean, I’m sure they’ll come up with some clintonesque word smithing to get themselves around the issue–the president never said he did not know, just that he would ask–but really, lets face it, it’ll be lame stuff. And jeez, I thought Bush was really not PR-made, but an honest talkin’, tough man.
Bob In Pacifica
Surprise, surprise. The President may actually know who’s leaking! Mr. Incurious may have glanced aside.
By the way, Bob Novak was speaking at the John Locke Foundation. A descendant of John Locke with the very same name was keyboard player for the sixties rock band Spirit. Great songs like “Fresh Garbage,” “Nature’s Way,” “I Gotta Line On You.”
NorthWstPHD
According to the know-its in the beltway, the President only recently found out who the leaker is and is assessing the situation before making a decision. I trust his ability to deal with it appropriately and for the betterment of the country.
Why can’t the rest of you just wait and see how its handled? Do you armchair quarterback the laundry and dishes as well?
Pb
Wow, I didn’t know DougJ had a Ph.D.
Davebo
John,
While you’re updating your blogroll you might consider moving Jim Henley’s Unqualified Offerings into a new category.
Not sure what the category would be, but the right side of the blogosphere has decided he’s “gone off the plantation” so he doesn’t seem to fit there.
stickler
Oh, God, that was funny.
Paddy O'Shea
Nice little batch of stories on this situation up on Raw Story.
1) National Review: Rove’s supporters getting nervous.
2) MSNBC confirms leak.
3) Novak: Bush knew leaker – Rove ‘hid leak evidence.’
Frog – Walk
Fat Lady – Sing
http://www.rawstory.com
ppGaz
Fitzy is getting closer and closer to his real target, Joe Wilson. When Wilson does the walk, justice will finally be served.
So, Stormy … what’s on tv tonight?
Call me insane
That was exactly what I was thinking.
DougJ
Actually, I do but I don’t live in the northwest.
DougJ
I started saying that at JustOneMinute and they’re still repeating it even after they outted me. God, they’re morons.
Stormy70
Oh, I’m so glad you asked! Here’s is what’s on in the Stormy70 household this evening:
1. America’s Next Top Model Reunion show. Nicole is annoying, yet deserves the win.
2. Martha Stewart Apprentice. This is my “rubbernecking” show.
(like a trainwreck)
3. Criminal Minds. Mmmmm, Mandy Patinkin. “You killed my Father, prepare to die!”
4.CSI NY may be a rerun, but we shall see.
5. Project Runway. YES! This show is sublime. The snark is so highbrow and snooty, it’s just delicious.
Still have six 24s to watch, but not tonight.
Plus, I have to wrap presents and watch my four kitties play with their new tall kitty condo. Their Christmas came early, and the hijinks are on deck for tonight. The kitten is attempting Mach 5 as I type.
No time for Plame nonsense, Boyos!
Peace out.
ppGaz
Stormy, we also watch “Criminal Minds” over here. Mandy’s best role in a long time.
Best of the new crime thrillers on the tube, although we are also fond of “Medium” because we like what’s her name, and also because the story is based on an actual woman who lives here in Phoenix. So, you know, local interest.
Perry Como
Crosspost back to the Neil Horsley thread? Giddyup.
Krista
Mandy’s best role in a long time.
He’s also quite good in “Dead Like Me”
DougJ
Folks, if you are going to Maguire’s place from here, knock off the horseplay. When DougJ does that crap here, it is funny. But quit doing it at Tom’s place and other places I link to, because you make me look bad. Jeebus. And you know what I am talking about.
I can’t post there anymore, so it isn’t me.
Stormy70
I love Medium, as you should know if you have been paying attention to my TV service announcements. :)
I like the quotes at the beginning of Criminal Minds the most, it sets the mood.
Blackhelmetorwasthatawhitecollar?
Insane,
She leaked herself. That is why they have to find someone else to blame. ‘Vanity Fair’ was an error that was intentionally irrevocable, like a sanction. Did the Director of CIA approve this sanction? All writing and dealings with the press must be authorized by CIA. If they authorized Plame confirmingher identity, they are as guilty as her of the sanctioned outings. They relied on the result.
Plame World opening in January 2006?
Paddy O'Shea
Now up on Yahoo:
Bob Novak Says President Knows Leak Source
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/cia_leak_investigation
Question: Why doesn’t Fitz just put the Kennebunkport Cowboy on the stand? I’ll bet he’d sing like a canary.
Sojourner
You mean he and Cheney are going to resign? Whoo hoo!!! At last they’re going to put the best interests of the country first.
neil
If you kids don’t shut up back there, I’m turning this blog right around! I mean it!
Frank
John- I read your comments and didn’t see why you were an idiot, but it might be because the league of women voters meeting was tonight at the county courthouse tonight on the third floor in courtroom #1.
It was an alright meeting there were quite a few concerned citizens and a guy from Electronics Systems and Software there (ES&S) to answer questions. There were also people from the state elections commision and district people. The nice thing about the system we are getting is that there is a paper trail. We are going to be using a machine that prints all the votes out on a long roll of paper which will be the official tallie in the event of a recount, which either of the candidates can call for for $300.
Now we just have to make sure that no one can dispose of the original paper trail and print off a new one, so it shouldn’t be too easy to steal an election here.
Our Sec. State was really glad Diebolt didn’t get the contract.
Krista
LOL. We better watch out…John’s taking off his belt.