Joseph Wilson responds to Tony Snow: Bush officials show "deep disdain" for those who risk lives for their country
During today's White House press briefing, Bush spokesman Tony Snow once again showed the administration's lack of respect for the intelligence community -- and their contempt for the rule of law. Mr. Snow managed to question the veracity of Ambassador Joseph WIlson. The transcript of the briefing is below.
Here is the response from Ambassador Wilson:
To claim that leaking the identity of a covert operative is simply part of the "Washington culture" suggests a deep disdain for those patriots who risk their lives to protect our national security. Mr. Snow's comment was insulting not just to Valerie Wilson, but to all covert operatives who believe that in return for their sacrifices, our government will do everything it can to protect them. A genuine and sincere apology from the White House -- not just to Mrs. Wilson, but the entire intelligence community -- is long overdue.
The president is now implicated in an ongoing cover-up and obstruction of justice, there remains, according to special counsel Fitzgerald, a cloud over the Vice President and Libby is a four time convicted liar, perjurer, and obstructor of justice. The administration once again, regrettably, attacks others rather than accepts responsibility for their actions and crimes. The American people know better. We know the difference between right and wrong even if the president, the vice president and their spokesmen do not.
And here's the latest salvo from the White House Press Secretary Tony Snow prompting that statement from Ambassador Wilson:
Q And also, let me ask you this. The President and other White House press secretaries would not touch this question of Joe Wilson during the height of the investigation. I'm going to ask you now, since the President is now basically saying this is over and he's done what he's done -- Joe Wilson asked for an apology for the American people because of the situation. Is the White House now willing to give the American people --
MR. SNOW: I'm not going to get into --
Q Why not?
MR. SNOW: Because --
Q Why not? It's over now. You didn't want to talk about it then. Let's talk about it now. Do you think the American people are owed something because of the breach?
SNOW: Number one, there is still considerable controversy about the facts of the case, including Joe Wilson's veracity. Number two, there is also...
QUESTION: (inaudible) question about his veracity?
SNOW: ... there is also -- just very quickly, you take a look at the Senate report, his characterization of who sent him over and what he told people when he was in Niger is at direct odds with what he tended to tell the American public.
it's not nice
to call poor Scooter a mullet. Criminal felon though he may be, disgraced and barred from law practice, reviled by the nation and a byword for comic dishonesty, yet it is still not nice of you to call poor Scooter a mullet, one of the foulest and most disgusting of the fishes.
Wilson and Snow
How can you possibly not remember that the CIA said she WAS A COVERT AGENT - SO where the heck are you getting your information?
From "I am not a crook" bush and cheny and rove.....
And how much money was spent impeaching a president for lying about SEX, which is no ones business except him and his wife, and you DON'T impeach a man who has done nothing but lie through his teeth, act like some out of control cowboy (remember his 'BRING IT ON" comment!!!!).
Lies lies lies, so why don't YOU wake up and see what is before your very eyes?
The American People Know Better
Yes, the American people know that no "criminal charges" were brought in this case but that was because Scooter Libby was very good at obstructing justice! Do you suppose that this is why he was convicted? When I was in the military 30 years ago, anyone who knowingly revealed the name of an undercover agent could be arrested for treason and shot!!! Are you seriously suggesting that it's OK to commit treason if its for a good cause?
As far as Valarie Plame being "not covert", you have got to be kidding!!! If this was so, why did the CIA refer this matter to the Dept of Justice for prosecution? Why did the CIA devote the time and money to provide a cover company such as Brewster Jennings to protect Plames identity and her contacts? Simply repeated a lie does not make it true!!!
Joe Wilson
You must be taking some special drugs to ignore the truth so well!
CAN YOU READ!!!!
http://thenexthurrah.typepad.com/the_next_hurrah/2007/02/indicting_dick_.html
Read that and once and for all get your head out of your ass. They were covert, the CIA even filed this in court.
It was confirmed since the start.
What these men did is far beyond politics, they outed an undercover CIA operation which protects America from being nuked.
Wrap your noodle sized brain around that for once!!!!!!!!
That's damn right, Libby & Cheney committed TREASON!!!!!
And then he ordered him to obstruct the investigation. Right afterward, he being Cheney also forced the removal of 9 US Proseuctors who were onto his bullshit.
Get a god damn clue or leave once and for all, you sad fool.
Not covert!
Not Covert!
You must be an anonymous idiot.
The American People Know Better
Clearly, you know nothing. Can you read? Do you have any critical thinking skills? The CIA has said, for the record, that Valerie Wilson was a covert agent. Did you get that? The CIA has said, for the recond, that Valerie Wilson was a covert agent. Time to join the fact-based universe, pal. Time to get your news from some other sources besides Rush-to-the-bottom Limbaugh. What the American people know is that people like you are rank fools.
You haven't been paying
You haven't been paying attention. The CIA has confirmed that Valerie Plame Wilson was a covert operative. Indeed, it was the CIA who requested an investigation of the outing of their operative.
70% of the American People Believe that Bush...
should have let Libby's sentence stand. And what is it with this "hot lips" comment. Misogynist idiot! Do you not read the newspaper or do you rely purely on Faux News for your information? The American People know this president has to go. The only ones who don't are the people who benefit from his presidency and have made a mint looting our country. Then again...are you just a religious zealot with a weapons cache who believes women should obey man, that homosexuals should be stoned, prayer should be in our schools, and abortion should be banned in every case. Millionaires and Zealots are the only Americans who believe this president belongs in office. Which one are you?
It's amazing that idiots like you are allowed to vote.
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/sections/news/070529_Unclassified_Plame_employement.pdf
There, right there in black and white is the unclassified statement from the CIA showing that Ms. Wilson, WAS IN FACT COVERT.
GET IT? Libby, Cheney, all of them are traitors; they outed one of our best spies just so they could have their war.
GET IT NOW?
They must have to lop off a node or two from your brain the moment you declare that you're voting Republican....
Impeachment is the only answer if they won't resign (fat chance)
With all the CIA disclosures in the past few days it has come to light that the worst the U.S. has done in its empire mentality is not at all distant history of a exuberant, burgeoning young nation riding the crest of manifest destiny to its Pacific conclusion -- empire did not end with the genocide of Native Americans, nor with the repression of Black Americans after the Civil War continuing to this day, nor with radiation and other experiments on its own citizens. Empire building, inward and outward, continues. Still. Couple this with constant assaults on the Constitution and it is, sadly, frighteningly more than likely worse now with Bush/Cheney and clan in power. For it is becoming ever more apparent that it is Cheney who is the chief conniver. And he has assembled a small army of silent minions, each equally without conscious or compassion. This is why he doesn't want his papers and records made public. Bush is just an arrogant, ignorant toady, perfect for their purposes -- and for those and other reasons, a very dangerous dufface Bush is. Both should be impeached. For these and miriad other reasons, is why it is all important to elect the next chief executive that is wise, fair, yet firm, trusts the people, and is humble -- and can sincerely present that face, along with policies born of those attributes, to the nation and to the world... that is, IF there is a next election and the "decider" doesn't decide, with Cheney's encouragement, to dissolve the election process and somehow devise a way to stay in power in time of global war on terror -- even though that action would be unconstitutional and illegal, such small bumps in the road to tyranny hasn't slowed their march yet.
~Bruce Freeman; Member: Veterans In Action, Veterans for Peace, Veterans Against Torture, Patriot Guard Riders, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans and Military Families Against the War, Veterans Defending the Bill of Rights, Veterans for America, Rural Organizing Project, VoteVets, Veterans for Common Sense; [Supporter: Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Against the War, Military Academy Graduates Against the War]
Olbermann: Bush, Cheney should resign
Olbermann: Bush, Cheney should resign
“I didn’t vote for him,” an American once said, “But he’s my president, and I hope he does a good job. That—on this eve of the 4th of July—is the essence of this democracy, in 17 words. And that is what President Bush threw away yesterday in commuting the sentence of Lewis “Scooter” Libby. Special Comment Related
SPECIAL COMMENT
By Keith Olbermann
Anchor, 'Countdown'
MSNBC
Video
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3809937639642044856&q=keith+olbermann&total=2214&start=0&num=100&so=1&type=search&plindex=0
full transcript
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19588942/
Keith Oberman
I have been very angry for years now, with our lying president, vice president (vice is certainly a TRUE statement), rove and good old Fredo...
Keith - I could not have expressed my feelings any better - its about time someone in MSM has come forward and expressed what a vast majority of people in this country feel.
Get the crooks out of office - BEFORE THEY DECIDE TO BOMB IRAN!!!
Keith Olbermann
Keith is the Thomas Paine of the 21st century. Thank God for him!!
Clinton
Clinton was the King of pardons and conmutations---remember Marc Rich or FLN members who are terrorists so before we are critical of conmuting the sentence of a fellow who was the victim of a witch hunt political in nature lets be sure our house is clean as well....
Clinton
man, you have nothing else to do or say except slam Clinton - grow up, read something other than trash that comes from neo-cons and evangelicals!
its always your way to jump in and try to pin something on Clinton - so what you are basically saying is, if Clinton did it, its okay for Bush???
What happened to bringing integrity back to the White House?
Someone needs to explain what integrity means to our prez....
Oh Please
Worst "but-but-but Clinton!" I've ever heard in my life. The number of times a president has exercised a pardon has nothing to do with this issue.
If anything you are reinforcing our point. Bush has pardoned fewer people than any president in history.
Also consider:
Karla Fay Tucker, for whom even the Pope joined in calls for clemency. Bush went on to mock her cruelly to Tucker Carlson.
George McFarland, whose lawyer frequently slept through his trial. Prosecutors did not furnish a single shred of physical evidence. Bush signed off on that and laughed about it later as well.
Betty Lou Beets, a 62 year old Great-Grandmother who murdered her husband after a lifetime of abuse.
And on and on and on...
But that Scooter guy, he was a victim.
Nobody is whining
just you Mr. Anonymous...the truth often hurts....Do not critical unless your house is clean...Clinton gave out more pardons 700 than Bush 77 that is a fact...Scooter did nothing with respect to the issue the Spec. Pros. was hired to investigate...Case should never have gone forward..Big waste of money...The fact is Fitz. knew exactly who let the cat out of the bag before he even spoke to Skooter and it was not Scooter...not to mention a little factoid that is really importent...She did not meet the covert definition required by the federal statute to begin with Mr. Anonymous....Ben
OH IS THAT A FACT?!!
You might want to do some homework there, buddy. Clinton did NOT give 700 pardons, he gave 456 Clemency Actions, which includes not only pardons, but commutations, conditional pardons, the whole shebang. George W Bush has given 118 Clemency Actions, and there's 18 months left in his term.
This is only the tip of your ignorance iceberg. You see, when people hear the word "fact" they want to see proof, and you don't have any. You'll notice that at the end of my comment I attached my PROOF to the previous FACTS I asserted in the paragraph above.
I give you this advice with a grain of salt, however, because it's obvious you can't spell worth a poo and have no concept of logic or grammar. Perhaps your time commenting online would be better spent cataloging your boogers.
http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/pardonspres1.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_pardoned_by_George_W._Bush
Nobody is whining
the folks he pardoned (Clinton) did not get us involved in a war that Bushie was just salivating for...do you see the difference?
Wilson can hold his own, for example, with Hardball today.
Obstruction of justice is what's happening. Is Fitzgerald waiting until they're out of office before dropping some shoes, in order to avoid pardons? That would be wonderful, but I don't understand why he doesn't have enough to file charges against Rove and Cheney. Help me answer that question.
What can Fitz do?
We all know perfectly well why no charge has been filed against #1 and #2 (what an appropriate sobriquet for The Shooter:) they learned well from the Nixon years. They have covered their tracks, destroying voluminous email records, keeping their personal emails on RNC websites, probably leaving nothing around on paper and the like. They know that their only vulnerability comes if somebody with direct knowledge comes forward to testify, and has some hard records to substantiate claims of malfeasance by Admin people. That's why the number of such insiders is so very small: not even SecState and NatSecAdvisor knew of the stuff that cheney was doing. Then (see the Wittenburg shooting) people must surely fear for their lives if they cross this administration, so nobody is going to talk. Be sure that anybody on the True Inside is vulnerable through their family contacts, i.e., nobody in the inner circle is single, which is why C. Rice was never in the closest circle of this group. That is, the White House has, I believe, been run like a Mafia family. The rule of omerta covers all like the darkest of eclipses.
Rita
And let's not forget that while Scooter Libby perjured himself in front of a grand jury and obstructed the investigation of a breach of national security (make no mistake, unmasking a covert operative is a breach of national security), Bush considered 30 months "excessive." Victor Rita, on the other hand, perjured himself and obstructed justice on a case about a machine gun kit and received 33 months for it, with nary a word from Bush.
And you people dare deny this is political favoritism? Ha!
SCOOTER LIBBY
Here is the response from Ambassador Wilson [0]:
To claim that leaking the identity of a covert operative is simply part of the "Washington culture" suggests a deep disdain for those patriots who risk their lives to protect our national security. Mr. Snow's comment was insulting not just to Valerie Wilson, but to all covert operatives who believe that in return for their sacrifices, our government will do everything it can to protect them. A genuine and sincere apology from the White House -- not just to Mrs. Wilson, but the entire intelligence community -- is long overdue.
########
I think anyone who believes what Wilson says needs to go back and take a look at the history of the CIA. I think a good start would be William Blum's "Killing Hope". This should be followed by a review of the recently released CIA papers, called by some as the "Family Jewels".
I always felt that this investigation was a waste of time, and also was just a distraction(attempted) by the Democrats to keep the public occupied while they finished betraying their voters by giving Bush more than he asked for to continue the war in Iraq.
Was the Plame investigation a waste of time?
Since Plame was a covert CIA agent (notwithstanding the incessant claims to the contrary, sworn testimony before Congress both by the CIA and Plame herself have established this as fact, with nothing advanced as a counterargument except such canards as, Her neighbors knew she worked with the CIA [Fitz actually polled these neighbors and specifically refuted this canard,]) and since her work was on proliferation of nuclear technology in places like Iran, WHY IN THE WORLD DO YOU THINK AN INVESTIGATION DETERMINED TO FIND THE LEAK OF SUCH INFORMATION, AND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE COVER COMPANY OF BREWSTER/JENNINGS, WAS NOT WORTH INVESTIGATING? I cannot understand how anybody can find this not to be vitally important to investigate. Please explain why you think this exercise was a waste of time.
Read the Facts my friend and not what you want the facts to be
1) Fitz knew at the beginning who caused the leak;
2) Wilson did not meet the standards of the statute they were proceeding under to indict anyone for the leak EVEN THO FITZ KNEW THE LEAKER
3) why do you think NO ONE WAS INDICTED FOR THE LEAK!!!!!!!!!!!
Just pay attention to the facts and timeline as to what happened...no one was indicted for the leak even the person known to Fitz who caused the leak was not indicted for anything...
God some people are stupid!!!
How do you think Richard Armitage got that CLASSIFIED information? He's from the State Dept and has no direct link to the CIA. Who does?....Starts with a C and ends with a HENEY.
Also, you've GOT to give up this lame line about knowing who caused the leak and there simultaneously not being a leak. Seriously, am I the only person who had to take logic in grade school? If A necessarily negates B's existence, in the presence of B, A does not exist. Please. Think about it. Draw it out on some scratch paper if you have to.
Lastly, no one has been indicted for the leak. Yet. If we can clear out the lies of the Administration, there may be an indictment yet. Several, if justice thrives as our forefathers intended.
There's a kind of person we
There's a kind of person we all run into in life, hopefully as rarely as possible, the kind of winning personality who cheers his kid at the weekend game when he makes a play by elbowing his opponent in the teeth when the referee is looking the wrong way but screams bloody murder when he/she perceives some transgression from the other side. Principle means nothing when this person thinks he's winning, but you'll hear nothing but whining and accusation when he's playing catch-up. This is the character of mr. anonymous above. When his party occupies the seat of power, treason,perjury and obstruction of justice mean nothing, when out of power a lie about a blowjob is serious enough to overturn a presidency. For years conservatives have railed against the evils of moral relativism; now they wallow in it like the 800-pigs they are.
This is good - you need to post this as
a Diary on Daily Kos - Really good points.
Sorry, that's 800-pound
Sorry, that's 800-pound pigs...
...
"I always felt that this investigation was a waste of time, and also was just a distraction(attempted) by the Democrats to keep the public occupied while they finished betraying their voters by giving Bush more than he asked for to continue the war in Iraq."
----
A "distraction by the Democrats?"
- Investigation initiated 22 months ago by a Republican-controlled Justice Department.
- Trial presided over by a Republican-appointed judge (by Bush himself, no less).
- Trial prosecuted by a Republican-appointed US attorney.
So, the Democrats managed to travel back in time over 14 months in order to convince Republican appointees to investigate the Republican Vice President's chief aide and friend in order to distract us from their current handling of the war?
Don't do drugs, kids.
A "distraction by Democrats"
It's scary how right and wrong are determined by a person's politics...God help us. The republicans should be sending presents to their democratic foes since the dems are always the fault for everything...God help us, save us from this king...
Deluded Believe Delusions
Recall: You're trying to use logic and reason with people who do not work at that level. Yes, the law is based on reason; and when the GOP uses delusional thinking, it will botch Iraq and Katrina.
Despite this convoluted thinking, it's infected the DNC: The DNC believes if it "dares" stand up for itself, it will 'backfire." Again, this is GOP nonsense.
Here it is: Dissembling Sample GOP Delusions in DNC
If the GOP's assertion that "DNC action on impeachment would backfire" was true, then the question becomes: Why would the GOP disclose this "help" to the DNC: and why wouldn't the GOP be silent?
Moreover, if it were "true" that the "DNC action" on impeachment would "backfire," wouldn't it make sense for the GOP to "bring about" the very thing that would "backfire for the DNC": Impeachment?
Of course not. Rather, the GOP is not taking action to impeach, but they are talking about the "bad effects" it will be for the DNC.
Yet, how can anyone -- without an investigation or a view to the future -- know with any certainty what will happen? DNC action on impeachment could reveal more information, solidify the DNC base. These are things the GOP doesn't want. Rather, who in the GOP would disclose anything of benefit to the DNC? Nobody.
Overall, the delusion about the GOP-DNC issues is part of the problem: WMD, illegal warfare, and non-sense interpretations of FISA-AUMF-Geneva is what got this legal community into hot water, and took the GOP and Nation With it. Granted, the GOP corrupted the legal community and vice verse, but horses and wagons.
What Can Be Done
Thank you for the reminder about the RNC delusions. I wish I had a solution other than saying, "Congress won't impeach; time for the States to prosecute a sitting President." The GOP isn't going to be happy. That doesn't matter: They're the minority.
Tiem for the DNC to stop asking for support as if they were the minority; and start reminding themselves:
"The majority of Americans want us in power and we already have the mandate and majority behind us. Stop looking over our sholders, and face this tyrant in the eyes. We outnumber him."
As long as the DNC refuses to stand up for itself, the GOP will continue to grow power confident in their abilty to manipualte from a minority status. That cannot happen unless the majority agrees to consetn to a tyranny of the minority.
This is how the Germans were manipulated by Hitler. Snap out of it. Let's get this President prosecuted through the State AGs.
To call this a Democratic
To call this a Democratic distraction is to ignore the facts to a ludicrous extreme. The prosecutor who brought charges was a Bush appointee. The judge who presided over the case, and reviewed whether the punishment was fair was a republican appointee. The three judge panel that reviewed that judge's decision was composed of two republican appointees and a Clinton appointee. They of course upheld the sentence with a unanimous vote. Libby was convicted by his peer republicans. This was no Democratic snow job.
What is a snow job is the fact that President Bush, as governor of Texas, put a record 151 people to death (granting clemency to only one) during his term, including the first female in over 100 years (who he famously mocked by saying "Please don't kill me!" in a comical tone during an interview). This same man is now saying that a single day in jail for a 4 felony conviction is "excessive"??? Utterly ridiculous. This was done to prevent Libby, who was now staring at a jail cell, from giving up Cheney and possibly Bush himmself.
turk
Bush Comic: Gone Fishin'
Did you hear about Bush and Putin's fishing trip yesterday.
Here is a comic that explains what happened
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The American people know better.
The American people KNOW that NO Law was BROKEN. Valarie "Hot Lips" Plame was NOT COVERT - NOT COVERT - NOT COVERT - NOT COVERT!!! Hello out there!! Valarie was NOT COVERT!
Fitgerald spent 2 years and 41 million dollars trying to catch a Tuna and reeled in a mullet.