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Fitz explains that the reason for the break was, the GJ testimony on tape was about to discuss David Sanger, and in reading ahead ("because I have no patience") Fitz had realized some material that should have been redacted was not. So they're fixing that right now.
And away we go...
NOTES: (1) This is not an official transcript -- just a very loose paraphrase, at best -- so don't treat it as one. Even exchanges that look like verbatim dialogue are just the gist of each question and each answer, with any key phrases or pauses included as best I can. (2) My own notes will be in parentheses and/or italics. (3) I'll tell you the time at the end of each update; expect about 15-20 minutes before the next one. The hamsters that run the servers will appreciate it if you don't refresh excessively in the meantime. (4) I didn't write the book on the Valerie Plame outing -- but you should buy it, if you haven't already. If you're wondering who this "Swopa" character is, my previous writings on Plamemania can be found here.
(Fitz brings up Libby talking with David Sanger of the NYT on July 2nd. Shows note saying "talking points - Hardball 7/14, wrong statement," along with others saying "Shapiro - Adam Levine knows," "Eric Sorenson," and "fax a station")
F: Can you clarify these talking points for us
L: First three were points Matthew got wrong, fourth was that Wilson report wasn't definitive, fifth is unclear, maybe that Hadley was told (what?), not Tenet
F: Have you talked to Russert since July 14th & Novak column about uranium/Niger
L: (pause) No
F: Have you talked to him about leak investigation
L: Once, to ask if he would talk to my lawyer
F: Did you talk to him about substance of investigation
L: No
F: Did you talk to him about whether he would testify
L: No
F: Have you talked to people other than your lawyer about what happened in GJ last time
L: (pause) no
F: Have you talked to VP about any of your interviews or testimony
L: Only told him that I would be absent for this general matter
F: Have you spoken to Karl Rove about the investigation since it began?
L: No.
F: Getting back to Russert, you mentioned that you felt you were learning about Wilson's wife for the first time. Any reason why you wouldn't have told VP about this new fact?
L: No.
F: Any recollection of doing so?
L: Question is, did I have time to mention it, didn't have any private time until Air Force Two when we were focused on uranium matter
F: When you spoke to Rove, you remember it being the 11th
L: Yes, was later in the day, I was checking to see if Tenet statement was locked down
F: Being later in the day makes it likely that you didn't talk to VP
L: Yes, private time is usually in AM, don't see him later sometimes
F: Why would it have to be private?
L: (I was distracted and missed this answer)
F: If you were told that Rove left on vacation the morning of the 11th, would that make it more likely that conversation was on 10th or morning of 11th?
L: Probably, WH is indoors, time can run together
(walks through Cooper story)
F: Did Cooper say he had heard about the wife before, when you told him
L: Don't think so
F: Did Miller?
L: Don't think so.
F: Did Kessler?
L: Don't know if I told Kessler that day, but whenever it was, don't think so.
F: So no reporter told you they had already heard about it when you told them?
L: (pause) No.
It's 11:08.
(long discussion of who might have been present during each Libby call on July 12th. Fitz brings up October 12, 2003 Washington Post article.)
F: This article mentions WaPo reporter was called on July 12. You had spoken to Kessler of WaPo on July 12. Did you think article was talking about you?
L: No. Did realize I had talked to reporter on July 12.
F: You didn't think you had told him (quoting from column) that Wilson trip was boondoggle set up by his wife.
L: No, because I said the opposite, we discounted report because findings weren't definitive, nothing about boondoggle
F: But VP had expressed concerns about this, as you say.
L: Our main concerns were other points.
F: I'm not concerned about other points. Was boondoggle one of the points, among others?
L: Actually, Kessler raised it with me (hubbub in media room) Asked me, "was this a boondoggle?"
F: Did you agree?
L: Felt it might have been a boondoggle in the sense of wife arranged trip, but not really in a bad way, we had not discounted report because of it
(Libby then gets very vague about when he had this conversation with Kessler -- was it in the van, was it at a later time, was it a later date, was it even Kessler. Nothing is certain.)
It's 11:23.
(Tangent about whether Libby told FBI about his phone call -- calls? -- to Judith Miller; missed his answer)
(Tangent about Andrea Mitchell at Ford birthday party)
(Fitz pulls out WaPo 1x2x6 article)
This article mentions Time magazine story talking about Wilson's wife, and WaPo implied you were a source for the Time article. You showed this to your staff?
L: Yes.
F: And you had spoken to Mr. Cooper, right?
L: Yes.
(Walks through Libby having Cathie Martin chew out Cooper for not using full quote, causing separate July 17 web article -- Libby had 1x2x6 article sent to Time with note saying "Have you seen this," but Libby says was just regarding use of full quote)
F: So, three articles -- WaPo 1x2x6, and you had talked to Cooper, Miller, and perhaps Kessler before the 14th. And you had spoken to Russert, who had told you about the wife. And you had spoken to Rove Did you think this article -- "two WH officials leaked to six reporters" -- might be about you?
L: I thought it might be mistakenly referring to me.
F: Around this time, WH spokesman Scott McClellan made a statement that Rove was not involved in this. Asked about you and Elliott Abrams, McClellan drew the line and stopped at Rove. How did you learn about this?
L: I was at WH and this came out, and I spoke to WH chief of staff Andy Card and McClellan and they said, we don't want to go down a whole list. I didn't think it was fair since I hadn't talked to Rove, but I accepted it. Then later it became clear there was no "list," really just me and Karl. So I wanted something said about me.
F: Did you tell Card and McC about Rove speaking to Novak?
L: No.
F: Why not?
L: Was more focused on having something said about me, also Rove said Novak had told him, so neither of us had told it to Novak
F: As you sit here today, is anyone in WH aware that you and Rove talked about Novak?
L: I don't think so.
F: Did you seek VP's help to have Card & McC clear you?
L: Yes, at some point (discusses what he said to VP)
F: Recall if VP ever called Card & McC to make this happen?
L: I hope he did. He may have told me that he did, but I don't recall.
F: Did you tell VP that you had talked to Cooper about Wilson's wife?
L: I don't know that I did.
F: So when October comes around and headlines are saying two officials may have called six reporters, did VP understand that you had called reporters and discussed Wilson's wife?
L: (quietly) I don't recall
F: In late September or October, did you bring it to VP's attention?
L: Went to him and said I didn't talk to Novak, added I learned about it from Tim Russert. He tilted his head a bit. I may have said that I talked to other reporters.
F: You're not sure?
L: I don't recall. What was important was telling him I did not leak to Novak, and I heard it from Russert, who said all reporters knew it.
It's 11:42.
F: You say VP tilted his head when you said you learned it from Tim Russert. Did he say, "No, you learned it from me, remember?"
L: No.
F: Did you tell anyone else about talking to those reporters?
L: Well, Cathie Martin knew about Cooper.
(Fitz brings up the haiku Libby wrote for McClellan -- "it was ridiculous about Karl, it is ridiculous about Libby," etc.)
F: Why deny leaking classified information, instead of talking about Wilson's wife?
L: Because that's what was being talked about. Perhaps I felt that was what people thought I had done.
F: Did you tell McClellan, "So you're not surprised, I spoke with Cooper, Miller, Kessler," etc.?
L: No.
F: Why not?
L: Thought it was more important to deny being Novak source, and leaking classified info
F: Did you tell President?
L: No.
F: As far as you know now, does President know you talked to those reporters?
L: I don't think so
F: And you never told VP?
L: I'm not sure.
F: You were precise in telling him you weren't source for Novak, but not precise saying you weren't source for others
N: I'm not sure
F: Did you think this was something Pres and VP would want to know? (Fitz continues to grind Libby into the dirt over why he didn't tell VP or Pres. Libby says at some point he asked if Cheney wanted to know more, and VP said, "I don't need to, I know you weren't a source for the leak.)
L: Did tell VP when investigation began
F: What did he say?
L: Didn't say much. Something like, "From me?" and tilted his head.
F: Did you tell him about Cooper, Miller, Kessler?
L: No.
F: And you had another conversation after this?
L: Yes, and again offered to tell him everything, he said he didn't want to know
F: Was this before you were interviewed by FBI?
L: Yes, think all conversations were.
F: Was investigation why Cheney didn't want to know details.
L: Not what he said.
(Fitz shifts to Cheney notes on McClellan haiku... Libby slow to accept that "this Prez" is crossed-out part)
F: What is meat grinder?
L: The fact that press was talking about me
F: And incompetence of others?
L: Uranium claim getting into SOTU in frist place, then early in July, backing off. One or both.
F: Maybe the delay in issuing Tenet statment?
L: I wouldn't have speculated on that.
Time for a break, both on tape and in real life.
It's 12:09. New thread when we come back. 39 minutes of tape left.
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FITZ! ; )
FITZMAS !!!
Go FDL and Godspeed.
Here’s an invitation. When the server load gets high, as it DEFINITELY will when Timmeh hits the stand, you may wanna join some of us at a live-chat on another server, over at
http://gabbly.com/firedoglake.com
It’s a fun kinda chat-app. Rayne introduced it a few days back. Sometimes we get harrassed by hackers, in which case we retreat to a private redoubt. Others of us know how to get its URL to you without publishing it here.
C U over in chat-land, if you wanna join us. Remember, because Gabbly runs on a completely other server somewhere on the ‘net, using it’ll take some of the heavy load off the FDL servers while Timmeh is walking over hot FitzCoals later…
Good morning ladies and gentleman, great job as always!!
EPU’d in prev thread:
***
Christy or Marcy, could one of you who are in the know talk about the obstruction of justice charge. Fitz has been all over the lying charge, but I’m not seeing much that points to obstruction. The mantra that “it’s not the crime but the coverup that gets ya” and the lying points to the coverup, right? But somewhere I read speculation that Fitz knows who committed the crime (outing a NOC), but because Scooter wouldn’t give them up, that’s why he is charged with obstruction. Somewhere there must have been someone who knows who is guilty of outing Valerie, but Fitz is holding him/her back else how would the prosecution know?
***
Thanks FDL bloggers. This is the most fun I’ve had since 1974.
Good morning Firedoglakers! I’m finally back from my extended tour of Siberia–actually Michigan and Minnesota–and wanted to reiterate my thanks to Christy, Jane and the gang for the live blogging of the Libby trial. This coverage –and by the way, trying to take detailed notes of a trial is grueling!–has gone a long way towards filling the gaping hole left by the mainstream media. Looking forward to the Book Salon discussion of U.S. v. George W. Bush et. al. on Sunday!
NIE was not declassified, they threatened to jail jane Harman over talk about ‘classified material.’
Did I miss it or did Libby suggest that Wolfowitz had leaded the Intelligence Estimate BEFORE it had been declassified? Uh, isn’t that, you know ILLEGAL?
froggermarch @ 7
Yeah I caught that too, and had the same reaction, so at least you’re not alone!
Wasn’t it also illegal for Scooter to talk to Sanger about it on July 2? I thought the insta-declassification occurred several days later, right before Scooter was going to talk to Judy Judy Judy.
It appears Fitzy has a good case against the VEEP…
If the VEEP’s testimony (June 2004) conflicts
with Libby, or if Libby’s testimony with respect to Cheney diverges, doesn’t he have an obligation to bring charges or to clarify?
Jack
Me too! Mornin’, Maam.
Elizabeth at 6 — Good to see you in the comments! Looking forward to doing Book Salon with you on Sunday. :)
Thanks for all your work and the opportunity to be in the front row for this historic event. Love the comments! Riveting stuff!!!
Just sent another $50.07.
Bay State Librul @ 10
Cheney has yet to be under oath, so no, yet
I’m not sure we have an exact date pinned down on the insta-declassification (TM).
F: So no reporter told you they had already heard about it when you told them?
To borrow a phrase from the inestimable Jane Hamsher: “Libby is SCREWED!”
Makes sense that the Media Patsy (Russert) whom you most trust to faithfully disseminate (catapult, ahem) your propaganda should also be your willing fall guy as well.
Russert was not apparently willing to take the fall. Herein lies the dilemma.
“F: Have you talked to people other than your lawyer about what happened in GJ last time
L: (pause) no”
Now we can start expecting more Libby pauses… He knows by now he’s being pigeonholed into telling the truth or telling a lie with every question, so he is formulating the chess game now with every question.
So a (pause) before a Libby statement might well be translated into (give me a moment to figure whether and how I should lie about this)
Wonder if it was Cheney again he was NOT referring to? Surely Cheney’s people debriefed all loyal parties after the GJ, so future lies could be better aligned.
PunchPrincess, from last thread
Fitzgerald alleges that Libby obstructed the investigation because the lie he told was specifically designed to take the IIPA charge off the table.
There are two important aspects of the IIPA. You need to have learned the Agent’s identity through classified channels. And you need to know you are outing her when you do so.
By saying the mode of learning of Plame that was operative when he leaked Plame’s identity was Russert, and not Cheney, Libby takes the classified channel out of the equation. And by claiming he said, “I don’t know if it’s true or not” when he leaked to Cooper and others, he’s pretending he didn’t know full well that Plame’s ID was classified.
That’s teh narrow aspect of teh OBstruction charge. The larger aspect of it is the centrality of Dick and Bush. When Libby says he was authorized to leak the NIE, he’s lying (buy my book if you want to see hte logic). He was actually authorized to leak Plame’s identity to Judy Miller; they wanted to launder it through her, as the Admin had done with the aluminum tubes, so they could point every journalist to it, as if it were fact.
By telling the lies he is, Libby is preventing Fitz from getting directly to Cheney. That’s the wider obstruction here.
I think Fitz has Cheney anyway, but in such a way that it would raise constitutional issues if he went after him (for example, Cheney would just say, I declassified Plame’s ID, suck it up). So the only thing we’ll get, if we get anything furhter, is a Cheney Perjury charge. IMO, anyway.
Cozumel @ 15
If Cheney lied to investigators,it’s still a crime, oath or no oath. And what would he take an oath on, The Satanic Verses”?
Hackworth- you made me think of a new word I’m coining today-
“PropagEnda”
waddya think?
What happened to
“Mystery Witness”?????
Seriously, I don’t know.
You can laugh or send me a get-well card but please someone fill me in?
ADDan
Tap at 22 — LOVE it.
JEP @ 18
The pause is reflective of the fact that LIbby is realizing that he is 100% out of the loop as to what others in the admin are testifying to. I doubt there was any more talk among members of the OVP staff (unless by Libby on deep, deep background with the VP himself) at this point because he does not have a clue as to who he can “trust” to carry water for him or not.
Elizabeth de la Vega in the house!
Love your work! Thanks for all you do.
Hey, Christy, Swopa, Jane and Pach;
My brother who is computer illiterate has been watching over my shoulder, and he was asking if this blog will be published as a book after the trial, so “normal folks” can read it.
Interesting thought.
That would be the ballgame:
F: So no reporter told you they had already heard about it when you told them?
L: (pause) No.
curve666 at 23 — That was actually discussed yesterday afternoon. Fitz is thinking about using a DoJ attorney to explain some legal intricacies.
froggermarch @
8
Just one more piece of proof that the NIE story is a ruse.
They were leaking it without declassifying it–as Libby’s earlier leaking to Woodward proves.
It was Plame’s ID that had been “declassified.”
OOOOhhhhhhhhhh, MSNBC busily vapor-izing hour by hour. Look, shiny object…astronaut in diapers. Is she blonde?
Corporate media are probably harnessed heavily by their lawyers on reporting Libby…too many co-opted media people, per Pach’s genius post this morning….meanwhile…
Rudy’s wife thinks he’s hot….
Here is what Scott McClellan had to say on July 18, 2003:
Q: When was it [the NIE Report] actually declassified?
MR. McCLELLAN: It was officially declassified today.
According to Fitzgerald’s court paper - Libby disclosed information from the NIE to Judith Miller on July 8, 2003 - ten days earlier.
So, what was the official status of the report for those 10 days? If it was declassified prior to or on July 8, why was it only shared with Judy Miller, and not released “officially” until July 18?
IANAL, but In a nutshell
Libby’s lies made it impossible for Fitz to determine whether Libby (or Cheney, or someone Libby had told) had violated IIPA.
That’s obstruction.
Tap Duncan @ 22
I like it. Hope is all we’ve got. It was the last thing to fly out of Pandora’s Box.
Prairie at 31 — Correction — Rudy’s THIRD wife thinks he’s hot. Accuracy is a beautiful thing. *g*
JEP @ 27
Don’t forget all this erudite commentary
/Preen :)
(unless by Libby on deep, deep background with the VP himself)
Well, doesn’t that mean he lied when he said “no?” What I meant was that his pause was not to protect himself, but to protect the VP.
_____
I wanna hear Deadeye make that specific assertion unequivocally in public for the record, that mendacious prick. They keep tangentially proferring that, via the ostensible ‘unfettered classification authority’ of POTUS and VPOTUS.
_
JEP @ 36
That’s what I meant!
Christy Hardin Smith @ 35
The devil’s in the details, Christy!
BobbyG @ 38 — And then he gets pilloried in public opinion for obvious TREASON. Catapult THAT propagenda, assh*le.
Hey, gang…. Just listened to Nina Totenberg’s morning coverage of yesterday’s GJ tapes, etc. on NPR (still 7:35 a.m. here). Like Christy, I’m a longtime fan of Nina’s, and have been glad to see her animated about this trial. But in today’s report, it seemed like her sense of humor has picked up more than a little bit of fdl-type snark. Must be my imagination.
BobbyG @ 37
I know! And will a reporter have the guts to ask him about this when he is next interviewed (if he is). Better yet, I would love to see one of the WH press corps ask either Tony Snow or Bush himself…
emptywheel @ 20
So when Libby is facing jail time (do you suppose Judy’s orange attire would fit Scooter? /snark), and he decides to come clean re: Cheney, could Dick be charged? Could he be charged after 1/20/2009?
Hmmmm…isn’t it interesting how vague Liby’s memory gets when the details have something to do with Vice President Cheney? What a coincidence, I’m sure.
/snark
Tap @ 22 — propagenda. Word of the year! You deserve the Colbert Truthiness Award
Is Swopa (?) providing just highlights? What is happening during the times he is not reporting?
hackworth @ 34
Actually hope didn’t fly out, Pandora managed to close the box before it could fly away and presumably back to the gods.
PunchPrincess at 44 — The Vice President could be charged with a crime at any time. The Spirew Agnew precedent on tax evasion stands up on criminal charges for the Veep. It’s only the President where that gets very murky and unlikely. But for a Vice President to be removed from office unwillingly, that would have to be done through impeachment, as I understand it. So a Veep could be indicted criminally and stay in office until impeached or until s/he resigns.
Teller @ 42 — Ooh, the thought of Nina even MORE snarkier :) than usual gives me goosebumps. She better not get TOO snarky or the toady-sucking NPR cowards will boot her, though… :( Stick to yer guns Nina!!
O/T (but apropos) -
Another U.S. chopper down in Iraq. Seven dead.
_
What was the date Wolfowitz started leaking the NIE details? Are there three dates on this getting out, ie Wolfowitz, Libby, McClellan?
JEP 27
Oh you just KNOW it’s coming! *g*
Why else all the gathering up of related comments within their own neat little separate baskets a week or so ago. HEH.
I’d buy it!
oops - one thing at a time - back to lurk…
prairie @ 46- Thanks so much, I get a kick out of Colbert, I can only accept on behalf of FDL because they are the TRUTHIEST!!!!
Getting closer each day to a real life Col. Dickhe*d moment - “You can’t HANDLE THE TRUTH!”
truthWoodhall Hollow @ 43
If they’re playing GJ audio tapes, how does it work when Fitz or someone
– that is, how do the auditors at the current trial know what was shown, or underlined, or redacted, from the exhibits? Does Fitz give a description of what he’s showing, or is there a voiceover commentary, or what?
(new poster here - kudos to all at FDL for the incredible job you’ve done and continue to do!)
Funny, all this testimony only further proves the unbelieveable amount of information being leaked thru a tremendous number of administration officials. Wasn’t it Bush who was railing that he wants to find the leakers and make sure they’re “taken care of”??
Methinks he may need to “take care of” his whole staff, starting with the Veep!
President Bush - 09/30/2003:
“Leaks of classified information are bad things. We’ve got too much leaking in Washington…I want to know who the leakers are.”
And if a Justice Department investigation of the matter reveals that the leak was a violation of the law, the “person will be taken care of.”
BobbyG @ 51 — every US soldier killed is a knife in my heart.
not to mention all the innocent Iraqis who have died and will die because of the LIES perpetrated by these chickenhawks.
EW, do you have a thread somewhere for book comments? The e-mail at thenexthurrah bounces back.
The financial links between those who lied, and those who benefited as a direct result of the lies (primarily in the oil and military industries - to say nothing of Israel) are clear. The evidence that the President’s speech knowingly included a lie about the Niger Yellow Cake is proveable in a court of law under oath.
That the Vice President knew for a fact that the claim was based on a forgery in advance of the President’s speech is a given (he ordered that the forgery be created and sent Ledeen to meet with Mel Sembler in Italy do it). That he instructed others to ensure that the sentence made it into the speech is also a given. What did the Vice President know, and when did he know it?
Every time the Vice President knowingly lied to the American People to advance the cause of war, he committed a crime against the United States which both directly harmed other US citizens and directly enriched himself.
Indict Dick Cheney for Fraud.
Section 1031. Major fraud against the United States
propagenda begets propageddon
Nina Totenberg this am!
Prairie Sunshine @ 46
that’s a word that deserves it’s own blog underneath it
Linda @ 57
Bushney: “It’s not a ‘leak’ if we do it. It’s ‘getting important information out to the Murkin Peeple.’”
_
punaise @ 61
Great… and
Chickenhawks down Blackhawks
punaise @ 61
what’s good for the propagoose is good for the propaganda
BobbyG @ 38
Precisely!! It sure would’ve saved the taxpayers a bundle on this whole investigation it he had just admitted that on Day 1!!
“Most people prefer to believe that their leaders are just and fair, even in the face of evidence to the contrary, because once a citizen acknowledges that the government under which he lives is lying and corrupt, the citizen has to choose what he or she will do about it. To take action in the face of corrupt government entails risks of harm to life and loved ones. To choose to do nothing is to surrender one’s self-image of standing for principles. Most people do not have the courage to face that choice. Hence, most propaganda is not designed to fool the critical thinker but only to give moral cowards an excuse not to think at all.”
Michael Rivera
“We’ll know our disinformation program is complete when
everything the American public believes is false.”
– William Casey, CIA Director (from first staff meeting, 1981)
SOS at 36
“Don’t forget all this erudite commentary..”
Hey, half the readers of this book will probably skip all the “erudite commentary” looking for something of a silly trollfest.
But this is a serious blog, except that its hosts tend to have a sense of ironic humor that makes it entertaining along with being informative.
I’ve spent some time on some very frivolous blogs, inhabited mostly by opinions sans- expertise, so I can attest to the fact this blog is making REAL history and not just imagining its own self importance.
Otherwise, why would they be talking about it all over the internet?
Christy Hardin Smith @ 49
It’s just too beautiful and gratifying a scenario to even hope for. Harps would play joyfully, angels would sing in the heavens!
Linda @ 57
Scoots was sure taken care of. Wasn’t he a “think-tank” beneficiary while awaiting trial?
JFinNE @ 47
He posts a chunk, then works on another chunk while we’re digesting the first piece. Updates happen about every 15 minutes, or longer if the court takes a break.
The servers would snap if the on-site poster was updating every minute, as they would if we all reloaded the page with the same frequency.
“Dinosaurs”
Mr.Murder @
7
The Decider only declassified it to reporters.
This is hysterical!
F: So, three articles — WaPo 12×6, and you had talked to Cooper, Miller, and perhaps Kessler before the 14th. And you had spoken to Russert, who had told you about the wife. And you had spoken to Rove Did you think this article — “two WH officials leaked to six reporters” — might be about you?
L: I thought it might be mistakenly referring to me.
Relevant Raw Story headline:
Ummm. Bear of little brain, here…
Even with his putative ‘insta-declassification’ super-power, Cheney couldn’t just ‘declassify’ Plame’s name and job! That’s the whole point of the IIPA, isn’t it?
emptywheel @
20
Didn’t the Executive Order giving Cheney the power to declassify go into effect just a few days or weeks prior to this leak to Judy Miller? Is it possible to pre-date an EO? And couldn’t Bush undo this EO to freeze out Cheney if he wanted to, and also reduce his access to intell?
S.O.S. from MA @ 36
WELL! Lah Dee Dah! Now it starts.
Hey Pups: Don’t glaze over, dreamin’ ’bout tomorrow’s treats & forget all the corn yet to pop today.
Sit. Stay. Good boy!
Stephen Parrish, CPA @ 77
the ship of state is leak king
Linda @ 75
Actually, McClellan Acknowledged that the information was released SPECIFICALLY TO REFUTE THE DEMOCRATS CLAIMS that the administration had cherry picked intelligence information to lead us into war.
McClellans use of the term “Public Good” must only have been for the good of Republicans, as no Democrats were helped by the LEAKING OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION WHICH SERIOUSLY DAMAGED INTELLIGENCE CAPABILITIES ON THE MOST RELEVANT SUBJECT (MIDDLE EAST WMD) DURING WAR TIME IN THE MIDDLE EAST…and he even CHERRYPICKED the information that was leaked, leaving the balance of the report which refuted the information that was leaked, CLASSIFIED.
McClellan ADMITS that this was done for POLITICAL REASONS, and then claims that if it’s good for the republican Party, it’s good for the ENTIRE PUBLIC, half of who did not vote Republican.
“Post-Leak Declassification?”
When King George begins to form a thought in his mind about the prospect of declassifying information, even if during sex or while sleeping, the Classified Information in question begins to change status. The more he thinks about it, the less Classified the information becomes.
The instant the thought takes form in his mind and manifests itself to the world in words, even if it occurs while he’s alone, say, taking a dump or shaving in the morning, at the very moment that he hears himself say the words: “I think I’ll declassify that” - the Classified Information comes flying back into the universe as “Officially Declassified.”
The King’s minions then run frantically to go through the quaint details of preparing the burdensome documentation necessary to create a good cover story for the media about how and when the information changed form, but really it’s just window dressing.
“It’s good to be King…it’s good to be an anus!”
There is no question that Libby’s job is to take the fall for VP. (And what does he get for his services?)
Peeved @ 73
OKok, what have we here? Someone who has trouble getting information from a human being rather than a tape recorder? :) hang in there Peeved, this is heavy lifting he’s doing, and only with his hands. And you’ll notice his fingers never leave his hands! :) :) Sure am glad it’s not ME in the media room. No way I could cope.
emptywheel @ 20 Awesome post, unsatisfactory justice. Perjury only for Evil Dick? But then, there’s that civil suit…
perris @ 63
Just what I need, another project, but I might think it over!!
They lied and lied with impunity..
The Congress needs to take up this issue…
Are they being briefed on this trial?
I want Articles of Impeachment!
And we are a democracy?
Sad
Canuck Stuck in Muck @
78
Laws/Process regulations (IIPA, FISA, 4th Amendment, Geneva, etc ad nauseum) are for The Little People, not for His Supreme Magnificence Cheney.
_
Gang — if we could all please keep comments in compact size, it would be much appreciated. The livebloging takes quite a bit of bandwidth and longish comments add to that substantially. Keeping the liveblogging up and running has to take priority on trial days in a liveblogging thread — thanks.
Ed*ard Teller @
52
THe article appeared on July 17, so the day before it was “officially” declassified.
As far as we know, Libby leaked or had leaked the NIE on the following dates:
June 23 (which he didn’t admit in GJ) Woodward
July 2 Sanger
July 8 Judy (though Judy says she got nothing new)
July 8 (possible) Mitchell and David Martin
July 17 Wolfie to WSJ
“That the Vice President knew for a fact that the claim was based on a forgery in advance of the President’s speech is a given…”
In Greenwald’s “The Truth about Iraq”, wasn’t one of the expert witnesses, the one with sons in the military, suggesting that Cheney may very well have ordered the forged documents to be created and passed along to the Brits?
Which means not only did Deadeye KNOW about it, he may well have orchestrated it.
I think the same fellow suggest that, if we just had the will to do the research, there would be no problem finding out the truth of this matter. Maybe the more Libby’s and Rove’s lipsloosen up, the more likely this hard evidence of Cheney’s subterfuge will come to light.
IMPEACH CHENEY FIRST!
On Countdown yesterday, David Shuster to Keith Olbermann:
Hi Everyone. Frustratingly way over the top too busy with work to stop in much (even to read -even the front page, alas). But I have a question, to check back on later. If Rove was cited at the outset by Webb as the cause of the problems for Libby, and Rove now is barely cited, is it possible that Webb hung Rove out there at the outset in part to get a deal from the WH to promise to pardon Libby early so he wouldn’t spill the beans? And, could this also be part of the strategy in not having Libby himself speak? Keep well, and enjoy it all. I won’t even get to read about Timmeh until late tonight. Thanks FDL for doing this for us (U.S.) -interesting how the two converge!
Up next on MSNBC? The news everybody’s talking about!!!!!!
Snickers.
That ’bout says it all.
Lois Fairbanks @
56
The jury (and we) will get these exhibits–we get our copies tonight.
Question for you legal types: Assuming Libby is convicted and appeals his conviction, what are the chances he would be out on bail while the appeals process plays out?
Prairie Sunshine @ 94
QUICK!!! Do something Manly!!!
Apropos of CHS @ 89
Go FDL and Godspeed.
Here’s an invitation. When the server load gets high, as it DEFINITELY will when Timmeh hits the stand, you may wanna join some of us at a live-chat on another server, over at
http://gabbly.com/firedoglake.com
It’s a fun kinda chat-app. We’ve had as many as 35 folks in today… Rayne introduced it a few days back. Sometimes we get harrassed by hackers, in which case we retreat to a private redoubt. Others of us know how to get its URL to you without publishing it here.
C U over in chat-land, if you wanna join us. Remember, because Gabbly runs on a completely other server somewhere on the ‘net, using it’ll take some of the heavy load off the FDL servers while Timmeh is walking over hot FitzCoals later…