And let's not forget that if Rove got the knowledge from the media he's off the hook since you have to out somebody with information you got from access to classified sources.

Now, of course, the goalposts are moving and Rove is at fault for "not coming clean" and sparing the press and the Democrats all this embarassment for having to put their torches and pitchforks away.

These people are beyong shame, but they can still be embarassed. Let's make sure they are.

Nice coverage Ace. I don't know how the hell you post so much; did you clone yourself or something?

My theory is Rove heard thru the media (confirmed today) and Judith Miller is the original source of the leak. Remember, the leak is not just Plame's identity but the fact she recommended Wilson for the trip, so it's probably a CIA source.

More on my blog if anyone's interested and didn't already go there thru the link Insty was kind enough to toss me earlier today.

Speaking of the media's fixation on Karl Rove, check out my blog post on this week's smear piece in the Dallas Morning News.

So why the big deal on this smear piece as opposed to all the other smear pieces? Because the article's author, Wayne Slater, was the man responsible for giving credibility to Bill Burkett, the guy who fed the phony memos to Dan Rather.

Here's the link to the above-the-fold, front-page story that brought national media attention to Burkett (don't forget that CBS producer Mary Mapes was based in Dallas).

Not only that, but Slater is the co-author of "Bush's Brain," a Michael Moore-type expose on how Rove is the evil genius behind President Bush's rise to power. The book was also made into a Fahrenheit 9/11-style movie.

Thanks,

-Michael McCullough

TallDave: Good stuff. But on your theory a CIA guy is the source b/c revealed Plame was the suggester of Wilson, it's my understanding that this was in a State Dept. Report (INR). This memo was given to Powell and may have made it's way around the WH elsewhere.

Some are now wondering if Tenet wasn't the source (Tom McGuire), and that comports wiht your CIA theory. But, given the State dept memo, why not Powell? Why not Cheney (if he saw) or someone else in the WH?

I also wonder, is Novak's orig. source the same person as Miller's? It'd be nice if the press started hounding those two on their sources (not saying they should reveal, just like to see a little hounding there), but seeing as that source/s isn't named Rove, there seems a distinct lack of energy.

There's wiggle room there. Just because Plame was based in DC doesn't mean, I guess, she didn't take one or two short missions overseas, which would satisfy that requirement of the law.

This op-ed was in WaPo back in January; the authors were involved in drafting the Intelligence Identities Protection Act. Among other interesting things they said (they addressed the "affirmative action" issue), there was this point:

Her status as undercover must be classified, and she must have been assigned to duty outside the United States currently or in the past five years. This requirement does not mean jetting to Berlin or Taipei for a week's work. It means permanent assignment in a foreign country.

What annoys me the most in regard to the reporting by the MSM is the virtual absence of the fact that Rove waived confidentiality to the reporters in question over 18 months ago. Not logical if you are trying to cover up something.

Do not expect logic when the left is trying to dislodge Bush's 'brain' (aka Rove). That the blood they smell in the water is actually Red Dye #2 should not distract you from the mission.

Ray: Rove would not have been able to see that report. It's unlikely the WH saw it at all; it was an internal CIA matter.

Novak's source is almost certainly another journalist, probably Miller or someone who heard it from Miller. Why? Because if Novak's source (which he must have disclosed since he's not in jail) was the original source, that person would be indicted and Miller wouldn't be sitting in jail.

That's assuming this whole thing is about the same leak, of course, and there aren't multiple investigations going, and that Fitzgerald would indict the person for disclosing the fact Plame recommended her husband.

It is puzzling though; Wilson says his wife was not a covert operative. We've got a reporter in jail- what exactly is being investigated? Is there something else going on to justify all this time and money?

That's what I don't get either, lauraw. There must be *something* going on *somewhere* for the prosecutors to take the rather drastic step of jailing journalists for not revealing their sources? It might be just plain prosecutorial overzealousness, but I wonder if there's a really big story nobody's even guessed at lurking behind the obvious foreground events.

Bruce Sanford, one of the attorneys who wrote the op-ed you linked, was on Hardball with David Gregory last night.

Gregory did his best to try to stretch the definition of 'covert' so that there might be some possibility that Rove 'outed' a covert agent based on the Intelligence Identity Protection Act, but no sale. Sanford says is doesn't fit. Period.

Judith Miller isn't revealing her source because there IS NO SOURCE! That's right. My theory is Judith Miller broke into Sandy Berger's house, ransacked his sock drawer and found the information there. The fact that Sandy was really framed by Chimpy McBushitlerburton's evil master KKKKarl Rove is just another strand in the zionist controlled neocons web of deceit.

There must be a perjury or obstruction charge lurking around somewhere.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5570006/site/newsweek/

(oops. screwed up on the comment above)

TallDave: The report I'm referring to was a State Dept. briefing which detailed the CIA meeting, mentioning Wilson's wife picked Wilson to go. JustOneMinute discusses this as the possible source here starting at "Let's reprise..."

Powell had that info when Wilson's Op-Ed was the big news. Who's to say other in WH weren't apprised as well (or weren't for that matter)?

Also, you're claim re: Novak. Novak himself has made clear his origianl source was a "Senior Admin official." whom he also described as "No partisan gunslinger."

I'm just pointing out that Powell had the info via the INR report as the JustOneMinute links shows. Powell's been before the grand jury. One could also describe him as a SEnior Admin Official who's not a partisan gunslinger. Not saying Powell IS Novak's orignal leaker. Just saying he fits. (Others think Tenet.) But i don't think another Reporter fits according to Novak's own description.

I think Ace's logic is flawed.

"She was also teaching a lot of other agents/analysts, thus revealing her identity to a lot more people. True, she was revealing her identity to CIA agents, but real covert agents don't expose themselves to a great number of even fellow CIA agents."

You fail to account for the very real possibility that Plame was a covert CIA agent with an unofficial cover of being a flasher.

KKKarl clearly revealed her identity in an effort to chill her expression and punish her alternative lifestyle.

Shit Ace, I've been busier than Chris Matthews at a dick-sucking party, so you gotta be more careful when I'm not here to fact check you.

Loose shit:

GORMAN
At ease. I'm sorry we didn't
have time to brief before we
left Gateway but...

HUDSON
Sir?

GORMAN
(annoyed)
Yes, Hicks?

HUDSON
Hudson, Sir. He's Hicks.

Get it straight.

BTW, totally unrelated, have you seen this video off Drudge yet? Yeah, Allahu Akbar is a lovely saying, huh?

Religion of Peace my black fucking ass.

Cheers,
Dave at Garfield Ridge

P.S. No, I'm not actually black, but "white fucking ass" brings to mind pasty wussy ass, not manly kick-ass ass, and the latter was the image I was going for. You with me here, pal? Are you?

I believe it's demonstrable that Karl Rove can't the source.

1. The NYT makes it their business to bust open any CIA
operation possible, sometimes risking lives.
2. The NYT has some information on who the source(s) are.
3. The NYT hasn't yet offered Karl Rove a job.

Simple.

That video is outrageous! American fascist thugs repressing independent filmmakers!

P.S. No, I'm not actually black, but "white fucking ass" brings to mind pasty wussy ass, not manly kick-ass ass, and the latter was the image I was going for. You with me here, pal? Are you?

Speaking only for myself, it's the "fucking ass" part that gives me reason for pause, color aside...

Ya know Cat, I just figured that someone was going to bring that up in that context.

However, if I wanted to discuss "fucking ass" not in a descriptive sense but in an active sense, then I would prefer to use the phrase "the backseat of a Volkswagen."

But that's just me.

Cheers,
Dave at Garfield Ridge