RNC: Crazy Liberals need to stop acting like Rove did something wrong

So the Freeps at Fox are reporting on the Rove affair. They're repeating that correspondents from other networks have already decided Rove is guilty. They include interesting comments by Rove's attorney, Robert Luskin, stating that Rove merely mentioned that Joe Wilson's wife "apparently works" at the CIA and (inaccurately) stated she was the one who authorized the former ambassador's (supposedly botched) fact finding mission to Niger. Luskin also said [emphasis added]

"A fair-minded reading of Cooper's e-mail is that Rove was trying to discourage Time magazine from circulating false allegations about Cheney , not trying to encourage them by saying anything about Wilson or his wife."

It seems as though Luskin didn't read the same email that referenced the double super secret background that Newsweek reported about, [emphasis added]

Rove told Cooper that Wilson's trip had not been authorized by "DCIA"—CIA Director George Tenet—or Vice President Dick Cheney. Rather, "it was, KR said, wilson's wife, who apparently works at the agency on wmd [weapons of mass destruction] issues who authorized the trip."

unless he's implying that Newsweek and other outlets are intentionally refusing to print the part where Cooper tells his boss that Rove said "so you really shouldn't be reporting that Cheney or Tenent had anything to do with it because that's patently false; maybe you should just report that someone at a lower level or non-executive position in the CIA authorized the trip." Sure that's obviously what Rove meant when he said "Wilson's wife, who apparently works at the agency on wmd issues who authorized the trip."

Fox also includes statements from former WH counsel (under Clinton) Jack Quinn cautioning the assertion a crime was definitely committed by Rove in revealing that Mrs. Wilson worked at the CIA as that's up to prosecutorial discretion. Suprisingly they even included Quinn's comments about the BushCo credibility issue and that the Reps would be demanding an inquisition screaming for hearings if a Democrat were under suspicion.

But Quinn did note that Bush said he would deal with anyone involved in the matter, not necessarily just the leaker.

"That's quite a broader statement and I think right now Mr. Rove's credibility, Mr. McClellan's credibility ... until their credibility is sorted out, the president's credibility is really cast in their shadow," he said.

Of course they included RNC hair splitter Jan Baran ensuring everyone knows that Rove didn't identify Plame because he didn't use her name and that nobody in the administration misled the public or did anything even remotely wrong

Jan Baran, former counsel to the Republican National Committee and for the former President Bush's presidential campaign in 1988, pointed out that a crime involves actually naming Plame, which Rove apparently did not do.

"I don't think they [public] were misled and ultimately, when all the facts are out, we're going to see that no one acted improperly," Baran said.

I feel the need to (notso) respectfully disagree with RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman for saying folks are only upset because those Democrats are getting them all riled by

"taking their political cues from the far-left, MoveOn wing of the party."

especially since, as Luskin said, it's as obvious as the nose on your face that

". . .Karl Rove was discouraging a reporter from writing a false story based on a false premise and the Democrats are engaging in blatant partisan political attacks"

Take it from former RNC Chairman Jim Gilmore, Rove's not going to face any heat for this - he said he didn't break the law, so after the investigation plays out, he'll be OK. Gilmore didn't state whether his opinion of Rove's post-investigation toastiness will be impacted by evidence of guilt.

Mind you, what I'd like to know is why Faux'Reilly hasn't addressed this debacle in his "Talking Points" since the Roverbial pooh hit the fan. I went to find transcripts to see how Billy-boy dealt with confirmation of the turdblossom's involvement and found a transcript for 12 July (which is today, so either they've misdated last night's or this is tonight's planned Talking Points). Note the timely subject matter that is the focus: "How Jane Fonda & the BBC put you in danger." Oh those crazy conservatives, what will they think of next?

Tags:Rove; Plame; politics; Bush Administration; Foreign Policy; conservatism; media; matt cooper; Downing Street Memorandum; Fox news

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