Maybe I watched too many Capra movies growing up, but I honestly believe that most people working for the government - elected or appointed - want to do right by their job and this country.
See, I may not agree with all the things we, as a country, do. But the enemies are not the Republicans vs. the Democrats.
Nope.
It is the terrorists out there that would not blink about blowing up my home with me and my family it. THEY are the bad guys. They are who worry me, deep in the night. They are the people who need to be ousted, hunted, and addressed.
And I am counting on each and every man and woman who dedicates their lives in the service of this country to help protect us and, in the long term, think of solutions that will help move us towards a more tolerant and safe planet.
And for their sacrifice and dedication, I believe with all my heart that each of them deserves the complete protection and support they need to do their job.
ItÂ’s non-negotiable.
The thing with Karl Rove is that he disagreed with some people's statements on WMD's. He disagreed with how one of employees of the United States Government was using her position. Fine. He had a lot of ways to address his feelings. After all, he works across the hall from the President of the United States. HeÂ’s got a position, too. Right?
So according to these emails the reporter and Time turned over(with Rove's consent), it looks like he chose to use that position to expose her to the media. If he did, then he knew better. A high-placed employee of the United States government Intelligence community has her identity revealed to the enemies of this country because Karl Rove spoke to a reporter?
I don't give a shit why, and I don't want to parse the legalities.
If he identified her to a reporter. Knowingly. Then to me, what he did just about makes Karl Rove a traitor.
I don't decide what happens to him now. But I can tell you this from my heart. If it's true, I don't want President Bush relying on this man's counsel.
1
Very nicely put. Thanks.
Posted by: Angie at July 15, 2005 07:15 AM (PQx1b)
Posted by: Stacy at July 15, 2005 07:27 AM (yQ5Lm)
3
I haven't read any of the stories on this. You've peak my interest!! Thanks.
Posted by: Eyes for Lies at July 15, 2005 07:47 AM (QhI+Z)
4
Well, I'm not at all sure that's what happened, although I can see how you formed that impression about Mr. Rove. I think that the facts are still very confused and I am not going to make a judgment about what he did or didn't do until after the Independant Counsel makes his report. Indeed, a number of sources today are reporting that it was the other way around, that Rove learned of the identity from the media sources first. I'm not really sure what to make of all of this, so I'm going to wait it out.
As for your other comments, couldn't agree much more. Good stuff.
Posted by: RP at July 15, 2005 07:48 AM (LlPKh)
5
I concur with RP. It's inconclusive, at best. And if he did do the worst he is accused of, there were no laws broken, only common decency. I'm not on either side of the fence, just yet.
Sadly, though, this particular issue is a partisan war, and little else. It would be equally true were it happening in a Clinton White House.
Posted by: Jennifer at July 15, 2005 08:13 AM (jl9h0)
6
I would feel the same no matter who was president. I thought about this for a long time.
People "in the know" have a responsibility to protect the information they are entrusted with. I am scared to think that people would be loose with secrets due to moods or personality.
Maybe that's just me.
Posted by: Elizabeth at July 15, 2005 10:13 AM (EMzSS)
7
E -
You said it. I keep thinking this HAS to beat lying about a blowjob. I keep trying to reason it through and hope that he wasn't trying to discredit someone by outing the link to his wife, but the more information that comes out, well...... I see this as a real test of the president's character. He values honesty, integrity, all those things Clinton was not right? Well, here's the test!
Posted by: Amy at July 15, 2005 10:25 AM (x27jn)
8
Don't be so quick to judge. There are a lot of details that aren't fitting together. Was the CIA operative covert? Not according to most sources. Did Rove give the name or did he learn of it from a reporter? We're hearing both sides now, and interestingly enough the NY Times is backing Rove's version.
I'm a little tired too of the pick-and-choose outrage. Where was the hue and cry when Berger snuck classified documents out of a secure facility in his pockets? He later destroyed them without authorization, ya know. What about Reid announcing on the Senate floor details from a classified dossier of a judicial appointee? Didn't hear much whoop then.
Rove said the name of a CIA employee, and people want his head on a platter. I know a few, and if I typed their names here, it wouldn't necessarily be a crime nor treason either. Without knowing more facts, everyone is just jumping to conclusions and I'm rather glad that you're not in charge of anything important.
Posted by: Ted at July 16, 2005 03:07 AM (+OVgL)
9
Ted,
I do not now nor never have I ever subscribed to the notion that if other people did it and no one yelled then gee, why are we yelling now? Life isn't fair and I can't be outraged by what I don't or didn't know.
Let me be clear, since you don't know me:
I'm ALWAYS angry when people entrusted with information fail their responsibilities. Always. Republican, Democrat, Catholic, Jewish, Credit Report Agencies, Doctors.
I was a chaplain for a very long time, and saw what happened - through accident or through petty malice - when those "in the know" turned their trust into a power stick.
I can't imagine what happened in the life of the person Rove is accused of "outing" in this case. I've seen the devastation that occurs when non-public figures have exposure occur in their lives. And that is where my outrage comes from.
I am not political, but I am an American.
If Karl Rove DID identify a United States Employee to a reporter, then it was a serious breach.
Posted by: Elizabeth at July 16, 2005 05:03 AM (EMzSS)
10
P.S. Since I'm a mother, there's some - including me - who think I'm in charge of something pretty damn important, Ted.
Posted by: Elizabeth at July 16, 2005 05:04 AM (EMzSS)
11
Ted,
You're a jerk. How do you know she isn't in charge of anything important? A agree that being in charge of a family is pretty damn importatnt. She voiced a view. She didn't say she had all the facts, just stated what she thought. In fact, I saw the word IF used. If you don't agree, fine, but don't put her down in the process.
Oh, and whoopie do that you know some CIA employees. Let me know where I can mail your damn gold star.
Elizabeth-
Good points. I'm kinda confused about all the sketchy details myself. as you said IF it's true, I also hope Bush will reconsider his confidences.
Posted by: Melissa at July 18, 2005 05:10 AM (SGhcn)
12
Well, Melissa, I don't think Ted is a jerk. Actually, he's a really decent guy. You should check out his blog, maybe you'd have a different view.
Having read all the other comments, I stand by my view: I still think it may be too early in this process to form an opinion. Maybe I'm naive, and doomed to always be disappointed, but I tend to believe most people in govt. service are honest. I'd like to wait and see it proven otherwise. And not in the NY Times but in the report from the Independent Counsel.
And where the heck is Novack in all this?
Posted by: RP at July 18, 2005 06:35 AM (LlPKh)
13
So now Mr. Bush says that while he may not fire the person who leaked the information, they definitely won't work in his administration anymore.
This parsing makes my brain hurt. Somone explain it to me straight, please - did Mr. Rove make the leak, and if so - will Mr. Bush fire him at the very least?
Link:
Here.
Posted by: Elizabeth at July 18, 2005 07:16 AM (8ldNh)
14
Stumbled across the following article which I thought you might find interesting on this subject, Elizabeth:
http://nationalreview.com/mccarthy/mccarthy200507180801.asp
Posted by: RP at July 19, 2005 02:56 AM (LlPKh)
15
My 2 cents: I think that after two years and a couple of million dollars worth of investigating that if you don't even know whether a crime has been committed or not it is time to move on to greener pastures.
Posted by: Jim at July 25, 2005 05:49 AM (tyQ8y)
16
Elizabeth- I agree with you for the most part. Where we differ is that I guess I'm just more concerned with the christian terrorists we have here in the USA than with Islamic terrorists in the middle east.
Ted seems to be spouting the GOP line here where they're trying to spin this so that it sounds like nothing happened. While the CIA employee in question was no longer a covert operative, revealing her as such has the potential to compromise
every single person she worked with. The consequences from this could have far reaching effects.
I know the names of some CIA employees too, but none of them are involved in covert-ops. Covert-ops CIA employees don't tell their friends they work for the CIA.
Rove committed treason, plain and simple. Even if one assumes for the moment that he first heard the name from someone in the media it is his duty to try to protect whatever middle eastern assets we have, not try to discredit someone who he doesn't like.
Posted by: ~Easy at July 27, 2005 09:11 AM (muLIB)
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