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July 20, 2005
Mowbray On Plame
Joel Mowbray points out that Matt Cooper was the initiator of calls to both Karl Rove and Dick Cheney's chief of staff Lewis Libby. Only the hysterical Left could arm-twist this basic observation into a "Rove is shopping a vindictive leak" story.
Mowbray also reiterates his point that it is Joe Wilson who has the credibility problem:
Though the Left has largely been dismissive of the distinction that Rove was not telling Cooper to write a story but rather to be careful so as not to publish an incorrect one, at least one key Clintonite disagrees. Former Clinton spokesman Mike McCurry recently wrote in the Huffington Post, “A two-minute call such as the one now reported is basically to get the signals straight -- green, yellow, red. Rove seems to have been telling Cooper that the yellowcake story was a flashing yellow and he needed to be cautious.”
As it turns out, Cooper did have reason to be cautious. Wilson’s credibity was later eviscerated by the bipartisan Senate Select Intelligence Committee. Not only did Wilson lie when claiming that his wife had nothing to do with him going to Niger, but his report back to the CIA was interpreted by analysts as being somewhat supportive of the Saddam-yellowcake intelligence.
Emphasis mine. Wilson's credibility is in the toilet. Matt Cooper's credibility ought to be--his wife is former Clinton media gure Mandy Grunwald. No conflict of interest there, no sirree.
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Comments
Matt Cooper was the initiator of calls
So what?
Posted by: jpe at July 20, 2005 11:50 AM
Isn't there active speculation on the Left that Rove "outed" Plame? That he committed a crime for said "outing" (and from what I understand, for there to have been a crime Rove's actions would have to have been intentional, with knowledge that Plame was officially covert, as opposed to merely "employed")?
To me, the fact that Cooper initiated the calls puts the burden of proof squarely in his corner--the burdern of proving that he wasn't fishing for quotes to flesh out his hit piece.
Dick Morris got it right: This story is of interest only to the Rove haters.
Posted by: Jeff at July 20, 2005 12:12 PM
the burdern of proving that he wasn't fishing for quotes to flesh out his hit piece.
There's no exception in the law for having been asked, rather than for seeking someone out. So with respect to the legal question, the above distinction is just irrelevant.
One could posit that the distinction might undercut the revenge angle, making Rove's action less noxious or unethical than it might have been supposed. I don't buy that argument, but it's a reasonable.
Posted by: jpe at July 21, 2005 09:14 AM
Sure, it's obvious that who initiated the call is irrelevant to the legal question. Mowbray is careful to point out that the special prosecutor and grand jury will make the final call on that, and I agree.
But my comments were directed toward the the Rove haters who would like nothing more than to see their unfounded speculation result in concrete action.
Posted by: Jeff at July 21, 2005 10:18 AM
