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October 05, 2003

Comments

Kevin Drum

Well, McClellan was asked about it around July 21 or so. So he certainly knew by then.

Swopa

The official White House statement on the subject is that nobody (apparently including the President) knows when Bush learned of the leak, or what he did about it.

Which leaves open the theoretical possibility, I suppose, that he still doesn't know.

Brad DeLong

Well, we do know that Karl Rove was wandering around peddling the "Joe Wilson's wife is fair game" line in late July.

Or do we?

TM

I tkink we do. I am off to go apple-picking with the family - perhaps inspiration will strike. Worked for Newton, although he offered a substantially larger target.

I am hoping to spin this up in to a coherent argument folks (including me) can actually reflect on, but the theme for "responsible delay" would be:

- the DoJ and the CIA were treating this as routine;

- the media was ignoring it;

- her status was not clear (the CIA spokesman confusion with Novak and TIME is evidence here);

- if this is a shot in a bureaucratic war, the Wh can't be expected to surrender as soon as the CIA whistles a foul;

- and, yes, there was almost surely a faction in the WH counseling (at some level) delay and deny. My guess is that Libby in not in a hurry to air this out.

Doesn't mean the President took the ideal course, but it argues that his course was plausible.

Or not - that is the outline, though.

Regards,

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Wilson/Plame