You know what is so frustrating and sad about this statement, is there are those Republians out there, who will hear this and BELIEVE it, word for word.

Those damn obstructionist, Leftist, Liberals! That's all they will buy !

It has to be pointed out that the "discouragement" Rove offered, that Wilson had been given the job by his CIA wife, was a lie. Valerie Plame didn't send Joe Wilson to Niger, she merely pointed out that her husband was available to check out the yellowcake from Niger claims. A job he was most qualified to undertake.

Maybe the GOP can get some therapy for Karl Rove.

Gee, it can't be any more disapppointing to the American people than realizing that Bush's "flypaper" terrorist policy in Iraq failed to protect the people of London last week.

Since when in his long and jaded career has Karl Rove ever tried to stop a false story about any administration critic? He's always been the one to "plant" the seeds of doubt. He's been the one constant in the Republican party for the past 30 years.

Mehlmann's statement just reinforces the perception by a growing number of Americans that the Republican party is all about "retribution" not getting anything accomplished. Good job, Mr. NeoconChairman. Stir the pot till it boils over onto other White House "officals".

The Democratic Party needs to do more. I am starting to be ashamed to be a democrat when the democrat leaders are sitting around complacent with not only this Rove issue, but everything else that's important for America's future: War in Iraq, Energy policy, Healthcare, Economy, Housing Costs, Inflation, Substance Abuse...the list goes on and on.

How can you let Republican rhetoric go unanswered, it's pure nonsense?

Do something!!!

Gee, how could this be any more disappointing to the American people than the realization that Bush's "flypaper" terrorist policy in Iraq failed to protect all those that died in London last week.

Karl Rove has always be the one to plant the seeds of doubt. Since when has he ever discouraged the press from running a false story about an administration critic. This is a whopper for even the biggest Republican supporter to swallow.

Mehlmann's statement just reinforces the perception by a growing number of Americans that the Republican party is all about "retribution" not getting anything important accomplished. It's all about how they look not about what the country needs.

From CNN:

White House stands behind Rove over comments on liberals and terrorism
Democrats: Rove should apologize or resign

Friday, June 24, 2005; Posted: 12:49 p.m. EDT (16:49 GMT)

The GOP speaks up when Rove slims political opponents, but now they're silent. How queer.

Rove said liberals offered therapy and understanding in response to terrorist attacks, which was a lie. Liberals are proving again their concern about holding people accountable for their actions by demanding the mainstream media and governmental leaders hold Rove accountable for his role in outting a covert CIA operative.

Enter the "Karl Rove Whack-a-Mole Contest."

You could win a 1 GB iPod Shuffle...and the thanks of a grateful nation.

Funny how our law and order president won't apply his promise to flush out the traitor on his own staff. Ironic how many times Bush and his minions use double standards. They pummeled the Clintons about the stupid travel office and Bill's unforgiveably idiotic involvement with Monica, but those things pale in comparison to outting a CIA agent, trading and dealing with real terrorists (Saudis) and starting a war with false evidence. History will judge young W most harshly as he deserves.

I predict he will hang on to Rove like an albatros around his neck. Glory be unto them. Let them sink together.

Why isn't the Christian Right standing up for Karl Rove? After all, he's held their hand for six years now. At the least, they could pray for his soul.

Does the GOP Leadership Value Lying? A look at the record suggests some do. And I'd say shame on them, but Republican leaders don't seem to possess the internal mechanisms required to exhibit shame or truly understand the concept of accountability.

Consider:

W. led us to war with false information about WMD.

W. continues to suggest links between the former Iraqi leader and the 911 attacks, a link that doesn't exist.

W. said he would fire anyone involved in revealing the identity of an undercover CIA operative, but Rove continues to serve as Bush's hatceht man.

Isn't is suspect that Rove didn't known Plame's name and/or position (obviously influentual) at the CIA. The fact that there is not mention or question in Novak's email of this who she is or what her name is -- clear indicator that they were intentionally staying clear of the subject becausing KNOWING the answers would be criminal.

Where are the Republican insurgents, I mean trolls, who usually invade our blog under false pretense? Could it be they are afraid to get near the Rove roast that is taking place? If so, that's too bad as I thought they could provide us with some Texas bbq sauce from W's ranch.

Denise,

That's a great point. Maybe the assertion that Rove didn't know the CIA operatives name is proof they knew they were playing with legal WMD.

flagstaffpinetrees: There is no way people like Rove and Novak wouldn't know Plame's name and what her position was at the CIA....the fact that there was absolutely no mention her says a lot.

Besides exactly how many wife's doesn't Wilson have? Making reference to his wife pretty much narrows the pool down a bit.

I doubt Karl Rove would have the security clearance to know Valerie Plame's status through briefing, since such information would be on a need-to-know basis. The likely crime here is that someone who did have that need-to-know status revealed Plame's identity to Rove. There are only a handful of people who could have done that. We probably won't know the answer while the Bush administration is in power, think of the Teapot Dome scandal.

It seems to me the political focus should be that national security matters are so cavalierly spoken of in the Bush White House that political hacks know all the country's secrets. Loose lips sink ships, and stuff like that.

This may be one reason why James Carville wasn't Clinton's deputy chief of staff.

Wonder if someone in Cheney's office will take the fall. I've always thought he will step down sometime in the next year or so. Setting up a new VP and 2008 candidate?

I'm kind of hoping it will be similar to Spiro Agnew resigning. :^)

Conspiracy is Conspiracy all over the known world, therefore, when the time comes "We The People" are going to "Throw The Book" at george and karl.

Rove had claimed on Meet the Press earlier that his intention was to discredit Joe Wilson, not leak the identity of a covert agent. Let's take a look at that. How can Wilson be discredited? I believe the strategy goes like this:

Wilson is discredited because a (named) CIA employee authorized Wilson to take a trip to Niger in February 2002 to investigate WMD/Iraq linkages. The trip was not authorized by the DCI Tenet. Wilson's conclusions (written about in an op-ed piece in the New York Times on July 6, 2003) can't be trusted because the CIA can't be trusted. This is made apparent when, after appearing with Secretary of State Colin Powell at the UN Security Council on February 5, 2003 claiming slam-dunk proof of WMD/Iraq/Africa links, it is confirmed in three different reports by Hans Blix and Mohammed el Baradei (delivered to UN Security Council on Jan 27, 2003; March 7, 2003; and May 30, 2003. In the March report, el Baradei claims to have found no evidence that Iraq sought WMD materials from Niger).

Yet Tenet never authorized investigation of the claim and the CIA-authorized investigation by Joe Wilson must have been by an employee. Unauthorized investigations and incomplete investigations lead to conclusions of Tenet's ineptitude and insubordinate employees: America's intelligence apparatus is in chaos. Since Wilson is a part of it, he can't be trusted either.

So, we may conclude that Karl Rove did not leak Joe Wilson's wife's name, but did leak the identity of a CIA employee who was also Wilson's wife. He must have leaked her cover-name, not her actual name and identity as Wilson's wife. So Rove is correct thus far in saying he didn't leak Plame's name. But if she had a cover-name, then she must have been a covert agent. If Rove knew that there was thus a distinction between Wilson's wife's name and a CIA employee's name who was also Wilson's wife, then we can conclude that either Joe Wilson has more than one wife, or Karl Rove knew that she was a covert agent.

Moreover, the Washington Post reports on June 5, 2003 that Vice President Dick Cheney and his senior aide I Lewis "Scooter" Libby had made multiple visits to CIA during preparations for Powell's February 5 UN presentation, and also from former deputy defense secretary Paul Wolfowitz and undersecretary of defense for policy Douglas Feith.

On June 3, 2003, the vice president curiously briefed only Republican senators on weapons intelligence. Senators John Warner and Pat Roberts discussed a joint armed forces-intelligence committee probe. It is unknown what further action has been taken.

Published on June 27, 2003 in the Hartfod Courant by former CIA analyst of 27 years Ray McGovern, who also recently testified with Joe Wilson before a committee on the Downing Street Memos and Iraq war chaired by Congressman John Conyers, claimed that it is unprecedented for senior administration officials to be so intimately involved with intelligence.

After reports in winter 2001-2 claimed that Iraq had sought uranium from Niger, a request was initiated from his office that the reports be investigated.

McGovern says, "the fact that Cheney's office had originally asked that the Iraq-Niger report be checked out makes it inconceivable that his office would not have been informed of the results" or the person or persons involved with and authorizing the investigation of.

It is unknown whether the president knew that his vice president had ordered an investigation and then covered it up, potentially with the VP or one of his staff asking for and later leaking information regarding Joe Wilson's wife's covert identity and role in the investiagation.

Look at the first comment posted by the GOP lady. It amuses me that she, like most Republicans, use words like 'leftist' or 'liberal' as insults and actually expect people to be offended.

Karl Rove endangered the lives of our agents who are working to defend our country. His slimey lies are only a pretense.

My daughter went to Langley High School, here in Mc Lean, Virginia, and her school friends were (and are) children of some of those loyal Americans. I have friends and acquaintances in the Agency.

I have called my senators and representatives, written the White House, and written letters to the editors of new media asking that we remove Karl Rove's security clearances, discharge him from any and all Government employment, and begin criminal proceedings.

Please help.

You can contact your representatives at the Capitol switchboard. If you do not know your representatives' telephone numbers, try this link:

Contact

Thank you for helping our country.

Karl Rove endangered the lives of our agents who are working to defend our country. His slimey lies are only a pretense.

My daughter went to Langley High School, here in Mc Lean, Virginia, and her school friends were (and are) children of some of those loyal Americans. I have friends and acquaintances in the Agency.

I have called my senators and representatives, written the White House, and written letters to the editors of new media asking that we remove Karl Rove's security clearances, discharge him from any and all Government employment, and begin criminal proceedings.

Please help.

You can contact your representatives at the Capitol switchboard. If you do not know your representatives' telephone numbers, try this link:

Contact

Thank you for helping our country.

July 11, 2003: Karl Rove emails Matthew Cooper of TIME magazine and leaks a CIA employee's name who is also the wife of Joe Wilson.

July 14, 2003
Robert Novak writes his column revealing the secret covert identity of Joe Wilson's wife.

Downing street memos claim that the administration was planning to "fix intelligence around the policy" of war with Iraq since early 2002 around the same time that Joe Wilson was dispatched to Africa.

Several questions remain: Was Joe Wilson aware of, as the Downing Street memos claim (citing high-level meetings between the intelligence chiefs of both America and Britain), the plans of the administration when he went to Africa investigating the claim. Secondly, did Wilson's wife have access to the coversations that are reported in these Downing street memos? If so, is it possible that both Wilson and his wife went rogue engaging in un-authorized investigations driven by un-authorized access to senior-level intelligence and conversations, even if the conversations were about conspiring to lie?

If Wilson knew that the administration was planning to lie to take our country to an unnecessary war in Iraq, would this not give Wilson a moral reason for attempting to discredit the Bush administration?

If the Bush administration was planning on lying about it anyway, and so far there appears to be conspiratorial complicity going all the way to the top, then could we conclude that the leak of Joe Wilson's wife was revenge, which would certainly imply a level of intent on the part of the administration?

I wonder if during any of the times Tenet took the four senior administration officials (Cheney, Libby, Wolfowitz, and Feith) on their “multiple” “browbeating” tours of intimidated CIA analysts, asking them to falsify intelligence on Niger/Iraq/WMD links, Wilson’s wife was present. She may have volunteered her husband to go to investigate on any of these occasions. Certainly any of these five could have known of Wilson’s wife’s involvement, especially if they had asked her to handle the investigation.

But it seems unthinkable that at the very least, if Tenet didn’t authorize any investigation of Iraq/Niger/WMD links, then certainly Deputy Director of Operations (DDO) John MacLaughlin should have known, since he is in charge of the covert wing of CIA. Has he ever appeared in front of the grand jury?

Looks like Rove's foray into being the next "Deep Throat" didn't work out too well! This administration has been the most dishonest and manipulative ever. Getting rid of the puppet master might slow down some of this manipulation.

The point is that Rove used a tried and true tactic, with which he has had much practice, of attacking a perceived opponent on a personal level. When there are no personal foibles to magnify, it has become SOP to target a relative, preferably a wife.
Now why is that? Why is it that Republican operatives think the wives of political candidates (Muskie, Dukakis, Kerry, Dean) are fair game? Is it because Democrats pride themselves on being pro-family and their commitment to their spouses can be exploited as a weakness? Is it because an attack on an innocent party is extremely difficult to defend against, as the victims of terrorists can testify? Is it because lying is not a crime and lying about people in the public eye is virtually immune to retaliation or punishment?
Is it because the American public has become innured to lying?
Let's see. Let's make lying an issue in poll after poll and see what the American public thinks.
People may be confused about what "ethics" means, but everybody knows what a lie is. Indeed, while Nixon may have been forced to relishquish his office because of a cover-up. What he actually did was lie. It was true that he was not a crook (hadn't committed a crime) but he was a liar and that's why he wasn't fit to continue as president.

If George the Lesser renegs on his pledge to fire the leaker, he may try to plead ignorance, but it too will be seen as a lie and as a prompt for all his other lies to be exposed.

Maybe we should have a contest. How many Bush lies can you find?

Mehlman has come on Wolf Blitzer and he has lied to the American People.

He has said that we are smearing a character?? Excuse me, the reason that Karl Rover needs to be indicted is because of obstruction of justice, perjury, and violation of national security laws banning the public disclosure of the identities of American undercover agents.

There is no smearing going on here!

These are the truthes and the American People need to hear them.

It seems that the RNC talking points are going to be:

- Claim Rove was trying to protect Time from following a false lead

This is farfetched even without considering Rove's reputation in the industry.

- Hammer Wilson's credibility - this will be key

Wilson's credibility is important as it relates to the motive for Rove outing Plame. Rove's tactic needs to be exposed as part of a larger strategy of "fixing intelligence around the policy". To do this Wilson needs to be defended in his actions and we need to show how the U.S. Congress discredited Wilson over the objections of the Democrats on that panel. Was this inserted in the findings in order to protect Republicans from just this sort of shitstorm coming out?

Here is good background on who Wilson is and why he was qualified to be sent to Niger in the first place:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_wilson

Bush must not be allowed to distance himself from Rove which is a possibility if enough pressure is put on Republicans at the National Level.

This fight needs to be taken up by each and every concerned Democrat, not at the national level but rather locally.

With smart planning, there is no reason we should not win back the house and senate in next year's elections and then impeach and then indict and then imprison not just Rove, but Bush and Cheney for whom and with whose full knowledge Rove acted.

I'd like to encourage everyone to do three things: 1) write frequent letters to local media criticizing your local Republican Bush apologist,2) educate yourself on the true corruption of this administration by reading some of the authors below, and 3) get active with your state and local Democratic party and join the best local Democratic candidate's house campaign team.

Vital Reading:
Joseph Wilson
Richard A Clarke
Ron Suskind
Greg Palast

Right On

We all want to know the truth. The Congress of the United States of America has the right and responsibility to conduct oversight of the executive branch. This Congress is failing to do that.

If Rove have nothing to hide he should testify under oath in front of a Congressional hearing.

The people elected their representative and Senators to take action. If the administration is not guilty let them say so in front of the people.

Two things the White House cannot escape: How did Rove that Wilson's wife worked for the CIA and how did he know that she authorized the fact finding trip to Niger about the yellow cakes of uranium???

Just can't make that disappear!!! And that is what makes Rove so culpable. To know this info, he had to do some digging and abuse his security clearances. Now before this thing sinks which we are all hoping it won't some more folks will go down for perjury because most certainly there are more in the White House involved.

Is it not a federal offense for Karl Rove to have released the identity of an undercover CIA agent? How ironic it is with Karl Rove walking around scott free, and the White House mum, while the NY Times reporter Judith Miller is in jail!

Karl Rove is the one that should be behind bars for this offense. A full inquiry needs to be begun at once. He should be released from is duties immediatley. This is an outrage!

I have contacted my state representative and senators on this matter as well. We need them to take action in this right away.

The Lawyers who wrote the laws about all this stated that the law was not broken.........how's Ron Brown doing?

"Umm, Ken, the bottom line is that he was "discouraging" a negative story by leaking the name of an undercover CIA operative."

Be careful here - Karl Rove is covering for his screw up my setting a typical trap for those of us who are trying to point out his wrongdoing. In fact, it may be the case the Rove didn't actually leak the NAME of Valerie Plame (Remember his pathetic, "I didn't know her name, I didn't leak her name.") - but this doesn't make his actions any less dangerous or criminal. Let's be careful to always use the terminology that Rove disclosed the IDENTITY of a CIA operative - which he definitely did do, and which is where his legal and ethical violations occurred. Saying he disclosed her "name" allows Rove, Machiavellian Mastermind that he is, to claim "See, those darn Democrats they just go around exAGERat in all the time, I didn't even leak her name." Don't get caught in this trap.

Though Londonner said a lot by saying nothing at all, but even when we consider that he may be inaccurate in his sentiments that Rove is not quite as culpable as he should be, it is certainly quite clear that unless Joe Wilson has two wives, then Rove's admission that he DID in fact leak the name of Joe Wilson's wife, who happened to be an undercover agent of the CIA, AND that he also named a CIA employee who was also the wife of Joe Wilson -- though he did not mention Joe Wilson's wife's name -- can ONLY mean that Karl Rove gave up her cover name.

Since he was able to draw a distinction between Joe Wilson's wife's identity as Joe Wilson's wife AND Joe Wilson's wife's identity as a covert CIA employee, we can ONLY conclude that Rove was aware of Joe Wilson's wife's covert status and identity, and knowingly and willfully leaked it in order to "discredit Joe Wilson", which can only point to a political purpose and, specifically, "INTENT", which can only be the most grave and serious violation of ethical conduct since the Nixon administration.

If someone in the administration is willing betray a CIA Operative; it makes you wonder what is truly happening to our service men and women while in Iraq and Afghanistan. This "House of Cards", just needs one strong hand to remove the wild card, the rest will come tumbling down. The problem is, where is that stong hand? Complaicancy will only get more of our children sent to war, our social security raided, our rights further from our reach draped in "patriot acts", and no fly lists. It all comes full circle; for any story to work, the first lie has to be believed then all else will be understood to be the truth. As a country we let this President declair war, on a country that had not attacked us; to justify this we have seen the CIA rebuked and replaced, the Armed Services used as the strong arm of torture instead of honrable protectors, and the American public treated as small children who cannot take care of themselves, think for themselves or speak for themselves. SO is it really a big leap to think the Administration/Karl Rove would seek to out V. Plume? Considering their success thus far in getting away with murder, war, coersion thru fear.....our silence as a party will be our undoing.

If you say anything that leads to an outing it is a crime, I don't care what the politicians say? Let us all agree and don't allow any division amoung us! This is a crime and they will pay! Ignorance is no excuse? You can't break a law then claim I didn't know, you will still pay the fine or do the time. Don't allow anyone to weaken your confidence, if this was someone that has a low IQ or outright retarded they still need to be put away where they can't be a minace to society. Rove will have to pay the public is with us, everyone I have talked to from any party or no party don't appreciate anyone putting our lives and our spy's lives in danger over politics!

I'm curious about something and maybe some of you can help me. You guys spend a lot of time talking bad about the opposing party, who likewise spends a lot of time talking bad about you. You guys talk about one party or the other being "in power". Could any of you clarify something for me? Do you not understand that both parties are in power? Democrats and Republicans control the country. All of the rest of us have little or no influence.

One party talks about how bad the other is, and frankly, I just don't get it. No party that I am aware of is not rife with hypocrisy. In fact, the very word "politics" suggests coruption, power, and greed in the minds of many many people. You're all bad. Your ideals are wrong and certainly the ways you try to achieve them are wrong, Democrats and Republicans alike.

There is a reason most people in this country don't vote. Did you guys know that was true? Check the numbers. On a federal level and often times on a state level, most people don't vote. Do know what that means? It means that no matter who wins an election, most people didn't vote for them. Do you know why that is? It's not because they are lazy, and it's not because they are apathetic. At least, not the majority of them. I understand that most of you will deny that, but how could you not? To admit that there is something fundamentally wrong with our system would put you guys out of influence. Most poeple, more often than not, who don't vote straight up refuse to. The reason? Because they have no faith in any of you, Republicans or Democrats. They do not trust you to have their best intrests in mind. They refuse to choose the lesser of two evils. In fact often times, there isn't a lesser evil. You are all awful.

So next time to you start spouting all of your "this is what's best for the country" catch phrases, keep in mind that you don't represent the country. Any of you. You only represent a small percentage of it, and it's getting smaller all the time.

I mean, why would anybody who has any real knowledge of how nations are born and die join a political party? What is wrong with you people?

I don't believe any republican has asked again for Democrats to apologize since Cooper confirmed that Rove was the first to tell him about Plame. When is Rove going to apologize to Ms. Plame?