As much as we all want to see Rove nailed for the Plame leak, The Denver Post points out “The Big Picture” in this op-ed today.
denverpost.com
Reggie Rivers writes:
“When it comes to political controversy, we always seem to sweat the small stuff and get distracted from the bigger, more substantial problems.”
“Clearly, Rove was wrong in revealing what he did about a covert CIA operative – even if she was not currently working undercover. He may have compromised her ability to go undercover in the future, and he threatened the security of all covert agents.
snip
“But what’s not so clear is why we’re focusing so intensely on this piece of the puzzle rather than the big picture. The Bush administration launched a war on false pretenses; caused the deaths of thousands of American soldiers and Iraqi citizens; has so far spent $192 billion on fighting in Iraq (the Congressional Budget Office estimates that war expenses will hit $600 billion by 2010); has created record-setting budget deficits; pushed the national debt to a new high; and is holding prisoners in extra-legal limbo – all of which damages the U.S. “
“The questions that prosecutors and pundits are asking do not focus on the administration’s overarching policy decisions in the build-up to war. Instead, they’re asking technical legal questions about whether Rove leaked the information and whether he broke the law.”
“Yes, Karl Rove deserves to be punished, but his indiscretion is just piece of a very big, coordinated puzzle. In the court of public opinion, President Bush is on trial for starting an unnecessary war, and everything his underlings did should be judged in the context of his broader policy goals. “
I couldn’t agree more. It’s ALL about Bush leading us into an illegal and immoral war based on lies. This is why the Treasongate MUST be first on our minds and pounded away to the media and the American Public at large. It’s about the ILLEGAL WAR stupid.
Great contribution to the discussion! I agree with you … and it’s ALL TIED TOGETHER … the same pathology that led to outing Valerie Plame also led to an insane war and thousands and thousands of deaths.
Thanks Susan. I just know for me that it is important to let the writers of these pieces that they are doing a great job and to keep the eye on the ball. Maybe between the Lobotomy Corp coming alive and folks like Larry Johnson coming forward the traction will keep getting better and the Bush Crime Family will go down.
If you turn on AirAmericaradio.com right now, you can hear the replay of Larry on with Al Franken.
Thanks….my hero!!!
I think if we can take Rove out of play, that significantly weakens the WH to fight other battles (DSM, Niger Uranium, Abu Ghraib). Rove is the glue that holds everyone together in message and deed. Without him, hopefully things will quickly fall apart for this administration.
Absolutely! One peg at a time and patience and perseverence will prevail. For anyone that missed the hearings yesterday cspan is now repeating. Guess they received alot of requests because it was also replayed last evening.
AG
why was the White House so worried about Joe & Valerie Wilson? Why did they inform 6 reporters and come close to breaking the law (we don’t know yet) over a relatively minor player on the Washington scene?
They were on the defensive because they knew that their build up to the war was false. So it is not so much what they did as why they did it. They had to protect their carefully constructed house-of-cards rationale for going to war. That crime is so monumental that there is no court with enough authority to try them for it.
You are probably right but there is always that good old standby when enough people pay attention and that is the Court of Public Opinion. We shall see.
Exactly. Wilson was a minor player, but was a credible voice against the war in Iraq. The Plame leak discredited him in the public eye for just long enough to get the troops in.
Maybe it’s even worse and more monumental than that. Maybe they knew the provenance of the forged papers.
I am of the opinion “they” know/knew everything that has gone done, except maybe Ol’ George. He may be the only one that is clueless. Follow the paper trail. As my son so rightfully said last night “We will never have find 17 minutes of missing tapes like they did during Watergate. Nixon never would have gone down if that had not come out.” Was/is there anyone inside the WH that covered their asses and secretly recorded conversations? Wouldn’t that be sweet?
I’m sure someone was doing some taping. Loyalty only goes so far and crooks/liars are probably the most conniving when it comes to making sure their asses are covered..which means I think there’s probably quit a few safe deposit boxes with tapes/papers/memo’s/phone logs in them. I don’t believe the myth of honor among thieves.
My fervent hope is that in the long run when the public and news media wake up from their seemingly mass hysteria about bush being a good guy that all kinds of exposes are going to come to light, one worse than the last. If I didn’t believe that I think I’d go crazy for sure.
through Rove.
Of COURSE they knew.
The free radical in this system…Powell.
The ghost in their machine.
Powell and the people for whom he works are leaking like CRAZY…all to pin Rove.
Nuthin’ personal. (Well…maybe just a LITTLE bit. Can you imagine Powell and Rove sitting down together for a good, old fashined talkfest? Evenm if they both worked in the offices of a bus company somewhere? Not likely…)
Nuthin’ personal.
Just business.
Bada BING!!!
AG
I wrote a LTE last week on the same subject after our local paper wrote an article about “Turd-Blossomgate” (my favorite name for the whole affair).
LOL…LOVE “Turdblossomgate”. Fits all the crap Rove feeds us.
I wish the press would latch onto a ‘gate’ to attach to this whole story. That’s what sticks in people’s minds and is shorthand that everyone recognizes. I don’t like Plamegate myself thinking it should have one of this criminals attached to it-like Rovergate or something similar. Course that would tie in with Wilson remarks about Rove being frogmarched out of the WH and make Booman extra happy. And I’m all for Boo being happy.
Amen to keeping Booman happy!
It’s true this is not just about Rove by any means and keeping the eye on the whole criminal house of cards is important.
But to the public in general who aren’t as informed(no thanks to the media)it’s one step at a time…first the Rove connection, now the added VP’s involvement via his Rove-Libby..building a noose I hope that chokes the life out of all of them….and especially leading also to just who did the crude Niger forgeries. If that didn’t come from Cheney/Libby I promise you guys I’ll eat my hat-if I wore on. That was willfully and purposely put in the SofUnion speech even though it had been thoroughly debunked. We’re back to those 16 words-again. Finally.
Also for some reason the press isn’t giving up on this story. I’m not really sure why but I’m not necessarily giving them any altruistic credit for it.
I think the press aren’t giving up on this because the WH, Rove & Libby all blamed members of the press for outing Plame and “giving them the info about her”. I think the press is pissed for being made stooges and for forcing Matt Cooper to give up his source and notes.
The press has been played for way too long and they are now starting to wake up and smell the coffee. Or maybe they are waking up and smelling blood in the water and want to be a part of the attack.
“The press has been played for way too long “. That is the only thing I disagree with you on. The press ALLOWED themselves to be played. Actually I consider them complicit and partly responsible for even letting this happen. THEY have a responsibility to hold our elected officials to the highest of standard and accountable.
How can we set an example for our children and tell them not to lie when our GD White House is full of liars.
Point taken about the press allowing themselves to be played.
It’s a co-dependent relationship, the abused make excuses for the abusers. But then the abused has a revelation and decides not make excuses for the abuser and to get the hell out of that relationship. Maybe that’s what is happening to the press now.
EXCELLENT analogy! Let’s all shelter the abused and give them support with letters of encouragement everytime they see fit to really do their jobs!
The media were “played” with massive money and the threat of LOSS of revenue if they didn’t play ball.
“Plomo ó plata”, Information Age style. (“Lead or silver.’ Mexican drug cartel threat.)
Only now the gunmen are UNDER the gun.
And the media…just another business, really…sees the possibility (No, make that PROBABILITY…enough for them to bet their asses.) that this particular gang can be taken down.
So it goes…
AG
Thanks for the link and good for the Denver Post!