When in doubt, stonewall
Tuesday, July 12th, 2005OK, let me see if I have this straight. Joseph C. Wilson IV is a former diplomat who traveled to Africa on behalf of the C.I.A. before the Iraq war to investigate reports concerning Saddam Hussein’s efforts to acquire nuclear material. Wilson publicly disputed one of the administration’s claims about the Iraqi nuclear program.
Karl Rove retaliates by leaking to the press that Wilson’s wife, Valerie Plame Wilson, is a CIA agent.
The White House pretends great outrage and begins an “investigation” of the leak. White House press secretary Scott McClellan explicitly denies that Rove did it. The President says, repeatedly, that whoever DID do it would be fired.
Now Rove admits it. And the White House suddenly has a new policy, which is that they won’t answer any questions about it, or even admit to their own earlier remarks.
Under often hostile questioning, Mr. McClellan repeatedly declined to say whether he stood behind his previous statements that Mr. Rove had played no role in the matter, saying he could not comment while a criminal investigation was under way. He brushed aside questions about whether the president would follow through on his pledge, repeated just over a year ago, to fire anyone in his administration found to have played a role in disclosing the officer’s identity.
I’m no friend of the CIA. It’s a criminal organization with a long, long rap sheet, and it should be abolished. Under a Socialist government it would be. That said, it’s worth pointing out that this administration apparently will stop at nothing to manipulate the press, silence its critics, and cover up its own lies. They’re shameless. And those who support them knowing this, need to be ashamed.
