I'm Afraid To Look, But...

I'm never sure what I will say or write after two cups of coffee, but do check out my Raw Story interview - I know I had fun (we were exchanging emails, but I was aiming for a "stream of unconsciousness" style), and I am sure something I wrote came off as cogent.  Well, here's hoping...

Comments

[windansea]

TM..the James Joyce of blogging :)

[windansea]

TM: Let's just say that Ms. Wheeler and others of my friends on the left have developed some fascinating theories of varying degrees of plausibility, as have I. However, when I encounter a five thousand word post titled "The Niger Forgeries, Part 8", my eyes glaze over and my knees buckle. Call it a character flaw. Can I wait for the movie?

classic!!

[Nick Kasoff - The Thug Report]

Wilson lied, Libby was tried ... beautiful! Well, in the unlikely event that you do "lapse back into obscurity" following a Libby acquittal, perhaps you can get a job blogging for Al Sharpton.

Nick Kasoff
The Thug Report

[clarice]

I liked it TM--esp this"Did I say "unethical"? Then I'm sure I meant it, although I prefer the word "disgrace". I think Fitzgerald's legacy is in two parts - first, he won a series of court rulings that have weakened the protections the press formerly imagined they enjoyed. Congratulations.

Secondly, Fitzgerald received an unprecedented level of cooperation from the Executive Branch. Bill Clinton invoked executive privilege, attorney-client privilege, Secret Service privilege, parking valet privilege, and pizza-delivery guy privilege while battling Ken Starr (I may have misremembered a few of those). With Bush, privilege was never invoked, no one took the Fifth, and where are we?

If Fitzgerald had brought a strong perjury/obstruction case that would be fine. But there is serious doubt as to whether he will get convictions, a hung jury, or acquitals and I don't think any serious observer believes he will get convictions on all five counts. This was a weak case with a parade of weak witnesses, and the result will be that no future Administration will try this experiment when accused of wrong-doing. Again, congratulations.

As to Libby's "I Forgot" story - my first reaction upon reading the indictment was that he should try for an insanity defense, and I still find his story somewhat unlikely. On the other hand, I find it unlikely that a high-priced Washington attorney could not invent a better cover story with about five minutes reflection - for example, if Libby is just making stuff up, why not say he had his moment of revelation with a call from Bob Novak - it fits the timeline, he knows Novak knew about Plame, why take a chance with Russert?

Instead, Fitzgerald asks us to believe that Libby made up the Russert story as a deliberate lie, and it was just Libby's dumb luck that Ari Fleischer may have leaked to David Gregory, Russert's colleague - oh, but that was never checked out by Fitzgerald, sorry to bring it up. My interpretation - Libby sincerely believes he got the Plame tip from Russert, and is either honestly confused or factually correct. But as a deliberate lie, it makes no sense"

[hit and run]

Sounds to me like 2 cups of coffee has you operating at peak performance.

It was very cogentiful.

[Sue]

My favorite...

But his sanctimonious rhetoric about Libby throwing sand in his eyes is absurd - Fitzgerald stuck his head in the sand and then blamed Libby for his vision problems.

[windansea]

a great piece of work TM...and also quite funny

the best filleting of Fitz and his case I have seen

If you are this quick on your feet I would love to see you have a political talk show

"Softball" with TM ... except the softballs have embedded razor blades

[windansea]

somebody get this posted on Lucianne

Clarice?

[politicaobscura]

Sorry, Tom, but your answer to this question: Do you buy the account--in Marcy Wheeler's book for instance--about the cooked Niger history?

really stunk... sorr.

[arrowhead]

clarice - "Bill Clinton invoked executive privilege...parking valet privilege, and pizza-delivery guy privilege"

LOL!

[windansea]

I just sent this to Lucianne...hope she puts it in must reads

[clarice]

arrowhead--that's TM I'm quoting.

[miriam]

Tom they love your interview over at firedoglake. Here is what they are quoting:

:Tom Maguire of JustOneMinute blog of the right

doesn’t completely buy Libby’s “I forgot” story, and believes that it’s possible that the former vice president aide was just trying to keep his boss’ involvement hidden.

“Personally, I think the single most probable scenario is that Libby uhh, shaded his testimony to keep Cheney out of the story,” Maguire says.

This guy thinks there was “no crime” just an accident, and Joe Wilson inflated the importance of his report. Hmmmm….all he did was find out the administration was promoting lies based on forged documents (that they probably had a hand in forging - see Michael Ledeen). Yet at the same time he “doesn’t buy Libby’s story” and that he “uhh, shaded his testimony.” Well I don’t know if you want to call shading or lying, it all sounds like perjury to me and then since it was uttered to impede an investigation into treason, that’s obstruction of justice. So I find it heartening to see Libby supporters basically admitting that he is a treasonous criminal.

[arrowhead]

clarice - I sit corrected.

TM - excellent interview!

[Sue]

all he did was find out the administration was promoting lies based on forged documents

LOL. Tell them to stay away from Wilson's letter to the SSIC. It might cause them to have to think about what Joe Wilson actually found out.

[Other Tom]

Great, Tom. And pretty goddam funny, too.

[Christopher Fotos]

Super.

[Patton]

Even if Libby was throwing sand in Fitz's eyes, it didn't matter because Fitz had his eyes firmly shut......DOJ guidelines ya know.

This case was about who said what, when to reporters. The idea that you could follow the DOJ guidelines on a case that involved 90% journalist witnesses is absurd.

[Lesley]

Fine interview TM. Reasonable, rational, and very witty. You have a very distinctive writing style which consistently reflects your "voice" (meaning: had I not known it was you being interviewed, I would have said, "geez, that guy sounds just like Tom Maguire."). Kudos on that inimitable Maquiresqueness of yours.

[miriam]

Looks like another day with no verdict. Unless something happens in the next 15 minutes.

[steve]

I particularly enjoyed the ginko-balboa comment. Dennis Miller-esque, in the best sense.

It reminded me of when I lived in Chicago and Scottie Pippen was plugging the stuff. Somehow, memory problems never seemed likely to be his biggest mental problem.

[Syl]

It was great, Tom!

And what Lesley said. It's odd but when you comment in a thread here, I only need to read a line or two to know it's you.

[Dwilkers]

Good job TM.

I like how you managed to talk to them for all that time and still hide our genetic right-wing desire to wage war with various brown skinned peoples all over the world.

ps: the Carter years? Hmm. I didn't think you were that old...

[jwest]

Good job, TM.

This is just the kind of exposure you need. Reminds me of this:

"Nothing? Are you kidding? Page 73 - 'Johnson, Navin R.' I'm somebody now! This is the kind of spontaneous publicity that makes people! I'm in print! Things are going to start happening to me now!"

[SunnyDay]

I guess it's now safe to say the museum curator was not a lone holdout. We would have a verdict by now.

[Patrick R. Sullivan]

'BB: If you had to characterize the evolution of all of this in a few sentences, what would your narrative look like?

'TM: Wilson lied, Libby was tried!'

Change it to, 'The Wilsons lied, Libby has been tried', and it's the post title after the jury concedes they can't agree on a verdict.

[Christopher Fotos]

NRO's Byron York:

Power seems to be back in most of the courthouse. Media room remains dark, lit by laptop screens. For some reason, officials have decided to pipe in John Hiatt music on the system that normally brings courtroom audio. It's been an odd day.

[Christopher Fotos]

Hey, here's something I haven't seen--and apologies if y'all have, from Orient Lodge:

The juror that was dismissed has apparently been forbidden by the judge to speak with the media.

[Gary Maxwell]

Yeah but maybe she will misunderstand those instructions too and blab to a reporter so we can see what in the hell she was up to.

[Sue]

In case you don't already know, the jury has gone home for the day.

[unsubscribe]

I thought it was interesting that you said you were too old to switch parties, implying that you likely would if you were younger.

[Jane]

What a great interview! It was interesting from beginning to end, funny, cogent, my eyes didn't glaze over once. Congrats!

[miriam]

Jury Slaps Defense Giant for Neglecting National Security

AJ Strata found this. An amazing story of corporate greed over national security

[Carol Herman]

FROM CAROL HERMAN

Down the road. And, not yet decernable, there stands a lanturn of light.

This case has exposed what happens when a judge dissmisses fair evidence, against an accused. And, also tries to bully the defendant.

So, in this environment, let's say the jury hangs?

11 people can't agree?

Do you see where I'm going with this?

Waltoon has damaged the system.

He's shown the court system to be a fraud.

Couple this to what goes on in Civil cases, where only 3% of all the suits filed ever get heard in a court room.

By the way? Also noticed with our current divorce laws, that its the kids who bear the scars. And, the memories. Especially if they've seen the times their moms have cried. Or even seen their dads' hurt.

Kids can't fix this stuff.

But they grow up with an attitude that the courts are not fair.

Just as it appears to have happened to religion.

Where, for instance, in europe, you see wall-to-wall cathedrals. Built to honor worship. ANd, now all they are ... are tourist traps. Not working buildings.

And, yes. you have a religious right in America. But it makes itself felt in politics. Which skews things, too.

For instance, the conservatives on the supreme-O's, began finding reasons prisoners could not be put to death. Do you know why? (It's not the Constitution's view on cruel and unusual punishment at all.) It's a RUSE. The conservatives who have been having tantrums for years; want to curtail abortions. In a universe where people use this stuff. (And, no, you can't put it back into the bottle.)

However, if the supreme-O's eventually rule al death penalties are elligal ... they think they can work anti-abortion laws into this mix.

WHich would do what? If you don't think the back alleys wouldn't be operational, again. You know very little about human behaviors.

The courts, however, are going to be MORE diminished, ahead, than Libby.

[Ralph L.]

I think TM's point about the Administration's high level of cooperation is an important one that I haven't seen elsewhere.

I remember in Stephanapoulas's book in late 93, David "RINO" Gergen wanted the Clintons to release all their Whitewater stuff to the WaPo, hardly an unsympathetic auditor. Steph. and the Clintons resisted into 94 until public pressure forced them to name Robert Fiske, Nussbaum's NY friend, as a SP. After the Ind. Counsel law was reauthorized later in 94, to the Clintons' surprise, Reno and the judges replaced Fiske with Starr and the stonewalling began in earnest. I recall there were also some shenanigans in the Treas Dept over the original criminal referral for McDougal's bank.

[JM Hanes]

TM

I'll see your sand-in-the-eyes and raise you an ostrich! Priceless! Raw Story certainly got their two cups worth. Well done.

[maryrose]

TM:
Yes it sounds just like you. You have a very distinctive flair to your writing that is evident almost immediately. You also have a rare talent for a turn of phrase. Were you an English major in college?
The Clinton comments were hilarious. Keep up the great writing and thank you for all you have done here at JOM.

[maryrose]

Ralph L:
I doubt we will ever know the full extent of the treachery of the Clintons.

[Ralph L.]

From TM's interview:
"And if Fitzgerald grilled him [Cheney] aggressively, it may have simply cemented the notion with the jury that the wrong guy was on trial."
So who was the right guy? An M'bat would say you meant Cheney.

[Alcibiades]

So who was the right guy? An M'bat would say you meant Cheney.

But a moonbat says that regardless of what TM says about Cheney.

So your point is?

[Jim]

There are a whole bunch of Bush/Cheney haters who would love to take down this administration or any part of it. But, Dick Cheney did not get to where he is in life by being some sort of ignorant lame duck. As much as I would like to see any Fitzgerald go home humiliated, if Fitz did challenge Cheney, I think Dick Cheney would not shy away from a fight. In my opinion, Cheney is probably already checked his weapons, and it would be one hell of a fight. I like Cheney because he thinks years ahead and has lots of powerful friends.

[Extraneus]

Good one, TM.

[Patton]

Fitz should have realized long ago that you would never know the whole story unless you put all these journalists before the Grand Jury and grill them with their notes, timesheets and phone records in hand.

To convict someone beyond a reasonable doubt without actually interviewing everyone and getting complete testimony is an abuse of our system. It would be a travesty if it happned in this case.

If these witnesses were a bunch of plumbers or school teachers, their wouldn't be any question about hauling them all in and get their full stories, just because their jounalists doesn't mean the justice system
has to waiver in seeking the truth.

If Fitz really believed his own court briefs about how this was soo critical to National security, he would have had no problem putting Russert, Gregory, Mitchell, etc. etc. before a Grand Jury like a real prosecutor.

[Tom Maguire]

Thanks very much, all. And if I made just one firepup smile, it was all worthwhile...

I thought it was interesting that you said you were too old to switch parties, implying that you likely would if you were younger.

I'm stuck on sports metaphors today, but I think folks who grow up Red Sox fans remain Red Sox fans, and folks who grow up Yankees fans remain... winners.

That said, I would be mortified if my kids just parroted my point of view back to me, and on a couple of topics I am not real interested in defending Bush - for example, gay marriage is a generational thing, and someday my lofty federalist arguments may resonate, but most teenagers aren't into that.

And on the war specifically and national security generally, well, I think if the Dems were in charge we could see for ourselves how weak they were, but no one is going to take my word for it. No one in this household, anyway (although the dog listens attentively, especially if I hold his food bowl while speaking).

[JJ]

I've always liked/enjoyed how you stick to the facts and aren't tempted to make certainties out of speculation, Mr. Magoo.

It really pays to be a little near-sighted.

I happened to catch Chief Justice John Roberts on CSPAN and he said something similar: that justices don't get into trouble when they address the specifics of the case in front of them and avoid trying to rule on the larger issues instead that surround the case.

He mentioned as an example Robert Taney and Dred Scott mess, saying that if Taney and the justices had stuck to the constitutionality of the Dred Scott and not slavery, then no disaster and no speed-up to Civil War.

Nicely writ.

[Ralph L.]

My point is I didn't know to whom he was referring, and it could easily be someone quite different from whomever he meant. I hope I got dem pronouns right.

[Other Tom]

Everybody's gotta keep in mind that this jury may already be unanimous on anywhere up to four counts, and may have been so for quite some time. So I'm hoping but not speculating. If they're still out 48 hours from now I'll begin to feel some optimism.

Anyway, Cboldt's verdict prediction time has expired.

[Ralph L.]

The interview was otherwise excellent, by the way; I just had to pick that nit.

[Other Tom]

While we're all waiting, please enjoy this disquisition on Mr. Gore, via Dridge:

"Last night, Al Gore’s global-warming documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, collected an Oscar for best documentary feature, but the Tennessee Center for Policy Research has found that Gore deserves a gold statue for hypocrisy.

"Gore’s mansion, [20-room, eight-bathroom] located in the posh Belle Meade area of Nashville, consumes more electricity every month than the average American household uses in an entire year, according to the Nashville Electric Service (NES).

"In his documentary, the former Vice President calls on Americans to conserve energy by reducing electricity consumption at home.

"The average household in America consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, according to the Department of Energy. In 2006, Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh—more than 20 times the national average."

[bad]

TM
Loved your interview in Raw Story. I laughed just as much as I usually do reading that rag but for different reasons. Let's do get together and raid the liquor cabinet- with everyone, of course.

[Christopher Fotos]

I'm stuck on sports metaphors today, but I think folks who grow up Red Sox fans remain Red Sox fans, and folks who grow up Yankees fans remain... winners.

It hurts to admit it, but your description of what Red Sox fans were thinking when the Hindenburg Pedro Martinez was pitching was perfect.

[Other Tom]

A nice little gem on a by-product of the Iraq war:

"NEW YORK — Hans Blix, the former head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, said Monday the world's approach to Iran's nuclear ambitions humiliated Tehran by insisting it stop research without giving any security guarantees.

"Blix, who was chief U.N. inspector for Iraq after 16 years as head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Tehran feared for its government's safety, with U.S. troops in neighbouring Iraq and in Afghanistan."

[steve]

Poor babies. I guess defining your foreign policy as "Let's piss off the Great Satan" isn't the best way to nights of peaceful slumber.

[Ralph L.]

OT, Gore cooks a lot of pizza and it shows.
Your post reminds me of my summer job with the Energy Information Administration, part of DOE. They tried to measure air infiltration in actual houses for a survey, but putting a big fan on people's houses sucked the soot out of their chimneys and deposited it around the room, much to their displeasure.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

NEW YORK — Hans Blix, the former head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, said Monday the world's approach to Iran's nuclear ambitions humiliated Tehran by insisting it stop research without giving any security guarantees.

Hans Brix? Hans Brix!?

[Ralph L.]

Where did Gore get all that money? His father was in thick with Armand Hammer, but we have to assume most of that went to the IRS, right? Speaking fees?

[MayBee]

TM- what a fantastic interviewee you are!

Did the Raw Story guy read your post about the interview with EW and contact you?

[Dan S]

Hans me some brix sos I can build deez reactor.

[Ralph L.]

So they've hired Mexicans to build their reactor? I didn't know the Iranians were that cheap.

[JM Hanes]

I remember Hans Blix. He's the guy who said he couldn't imagine what Saddam would want with nuclear weapons in the first place -- in an interview on MTV, no less.

[PeterUK]

Hard to believe,looking at that urbane and amusing facade,that Mr Maguire is the leader of a vicious band of right wing political thuggee.Still it works for the Democrats.

[MayBee]

P.O -

Sorry, Tom, but your answer to this question: Do you buy the account--in Marcy Wheeler's book for instance--about the cooked Niger history?
really stunk... sorr.

Why do you say that? Have you read eriposte's posts about that? I have seen at least two posts about the War on Wilson in which he dissects a one-word difference between something a report said and something Libby said while speaking without notes, months later. It is eyerolling.

[hit and run]

OK, the inverview was great. The blog...it's real and it's spectacular. Like others have said, your writing style is very distinctive and a beauty to behold...

Let's build on this. It's time.

We need.....the Tom Maguire Autobiography.

The Audacity of Trope

[clarice]

Wesley Clark--the word weasel crosses my lips--is on tv..URGH

[MayBee]

Where are all of our friends that were soooo concerned about Ted Well's well-being on Thursday?
Their concern seemed so geniune, yet they are not here mentioning his turn for the better.

[Sue]

I watched Hardball, so you don't have to. I was mildly surprised. No spit flew. In fact, they seemed somewhat subdued, even Shuster. As the segment ended, Matthews said he didn't think Libby would accept a pardon, because it would be admitting guilt and he thinks Libby is an honorable man. I must admit, I scratched my head on that one. He didn't say it in a snarky way, either.

[john jackson]

Those that believe that the Plame outing was an accident and not the result of Cheney's vengence, don't know Cheney.

[Sue]

Ahh...John knows Cheney, I take it.

[hit and run]

john doesn't know dick.

[Carol Herman]

FROM CAROL HERMAN

When Wesley Clark comes on TV do people recognize him for who he was? Or does he require labelling? Those running sentences under his face. Otherwise? Some people might guess he's just their long lost uncle.

By the way. TV comes in TWO FORMS. The Oscars. That got panned. But got a 42-rating, per Drudge's headline, this morning.

And, the other ones that just go unwatched.

How unwatched are most TV shows? Well, discounting the U-TUBE links, where people do post snippets; I'd bet porn flicks get more audience than the stuff people "say" they watch. Like Russert's potato. But you gotta take this crap served with grains of salt.

The very fact that Russert is out trying to rehabilitate; and it does NOT involve him putting his leg up, so you can watch him making circles with his ankle ...

Must mean one thing. There's dreck smells on his reputation right now. And, what you see is him trying to take his "garments to the dry cleaners."

[john jackson]

Yes i think i know him about as well as i knew Hitler.

He wants our kids to fight for his wealth ($10 million Hallibution stock options) but his kids are too good. And he opted out of fulfilling his duty.

[Sue]

You were right, H&R.

[MayBee]

Matthews said he didn't think Libby would accept a pardon, because it would be admitting guilt

That's been the mantra on the leftlibbysphere lately. Not that Libby wouldn't accept a pardon, but that accepting one means admitting guilt.
I wonder when Matthews decided Libby was so honorable? Although I do remember a time he thought the investigation was an attempt to criminalize hardball politics.

[john jackson]

He has no feelings for the dead American troops nor for the 100,000 dead Iraqi's. They are colateral damage to his quest for Iraqi oil.

[john jackson]

Libby won't go to jail. None of the corrupt republican go to jail. Frist made ten's of millions doing no more than Martha Stewart but she must not have paid off the right republican politicians.

[Sue]

I wonder when Matthews decided Libby was so honorable?

I don't know. As I said, they both seemed kind of subdued, at least in my opinion. And they had Isikoff on and a lawyer. The lawyer felt that the length of time deliberating was good for Libby and Isikoff agreed. No mention of the alternate juror rolling her eyes but Shuster did say she had her arms folded and appeared skeptical of Wells.

[PeterUK]

John Boy,
If the had wanted vengeance,it would have been the dead hooker or the horse's head,subject to availability.

[narciso]

Seriously, there were several reports of Iraqi agents contacting Nigerien officials
about yellow cake. One in 1999, in Algiers,
with IAEA delegate Zahawie, another with former Foreign min, future Propaganda min.
al Sahaf (aka Baghdad Bob) Wilson is sent
as by the CIA, they have no undercover people that can speak the local languages;
His account, repeats the same tale told by
Gen. Fulford (fmr NATO deputy under Clark)
and Ambassador Kilpatrick, neither is enough
of a specialist to have conclusive insight.
The British Hewitt Inquiry and the SSCI report conclude the opposite of Wilson's claims; in fact there is no actual physical
report, he argues that the amount involved
in the first set of documents (500 tons) would be too large to miss; however 500 tons
of yellow cake ore, can be refined into 1.77
tons of U-238, what was found at the Al Tuweitha reactor at the start of the war. The INR by Douglas Rohn, questions the CIA
assessment, and the propriety of the Wilson
trip. Using a discarded agency proprietary,
as cover, which was identified as a campaign contribution source didn't look kosher either;(Didn't these people learn
anything from the Edwin Wilson affair)
in addition, according to everyone's favorite NSA whistleblower Sibel Edmonds, this company was compromised as of 2000,
The fact, that Armitage brought this to
Novak's attention; both confirmed Iraq
war skeptics, that the NIE that no one
read;( much like the Clinton Senate conviction evidence)had to be declassified,
so as to prove how clueless the critique is; that Pat Fitzgerald of all people, have
to reminded of the importance of having
sensitive national security operations be
compromised (then again; he failed to effectively interrogate Ali Mohamed until
after the embassy bombings)That associates
of Phillip Agee, when he was 'blowing' Agency operatives; I don't mean figuratively either; like Sid Blumenthal,
Morton Halperin ( Soros financed think tank
CAP VP) suddenly go all high dudgeon on us,
is more than a little ironic, specially in
light of Am Prospect, Nation, & Boston Phoenix writer Jason Vest's disclosures of
key Company personel, the disclosing of Agency fin numbers on propietary aircraft,
the revelation of key interrogation centers,
the compromising of key Agency personnel in
Europe, with regards to the Abu Omar and Khaled al Masri cases. shows what a waste
of time this proceeding has been, for all
relevant parties involved.

[bubarooni]

Those that believe that the Plame outing was the result of Cheney's vengence and not an accident know John Jackson.

[Ralph L.]

Is it worth informing jjackson that Cheney cashed out of "Hallibution" in 2000 and gave his stock options to charity?

[PeterUK]

A few observations,
"Yes i think i know him about as well as i knew Hitler."

When did you last see Hitler? He's still on the wanted list.

"They are colateral damage to his quest for Iraqi oil."

Nobody is "questing for Iraq's oil,they already know where it is.

[PeterUK]

Narcisio,

"Wilson is sent
as by the CIA, they have no undercover people that can speak the local languages;"

Nobody in the CIA speaks French?

[Extraneus]

John has no feelings for the 300,000+ in mass graves, little 12 y.o. girls stolen from wedding parties by Saddam's favorite son(s) in front of their helpless dads and killed after what could only have been very entertaining evenings, or the many innocent Iraqis dropped through that same hole in the floor Saddam himself last exited, if they were lukcy enough to go that easily. Otherwise, he has very sincere feelings, mostly about dick, as h&r so quickly pointed out. Oh, and oil.

Sheesh.

[Jane]

I was on a lefty site last night where they offered me conclusive proof that Libby outed Valerie Plame - they had over 3000 posts on the subject, going back to when it all started. The proof was Fitz's press conference remarks, I kid you not.

They knew notning about Armitage, and after I posted a link from CNN and Talk Left (because only left wing links are to be believed) they argued that certainly there can be more than one leaker and it makes no differece if one is outed after they have already been outed because they are covert at all times for all purposes, regardless of what the statute says.

I posted the indictment and asked for them to show me where Libby had been charged with outing Plame. At that point I was told I was lying and disruptive and not welcomed.

They sounded a lot like John Jackson.

[MayBee]

From the Raw Story interview:
----
BB: At one specific point in your critique, you pointed to this bit of AP reporting:

Then-deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage met with Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward in mid-June 2003, the same time the reporter has testified an administration official talked to him about CIA employee Valerie Plame. Armitage's official State Department calendars, provided to the Associated Press under the Freedom of Information Act, show a one-hour meeting marked ``private appointment" with Woodward on June 13, 2003.

In your mind, is this enough information for Fitzgerald to peg Armitage as a leaker and begin questioning reporters about him?

----

That sounds to me like the RawStory guy didn't know Armitage had already told the FBI he was a leaker, and Fitzgerald knew it as well.
Yet he's obviously been following Marcy's reporting. Shocking he'd miss that.

[sbw]

TM, that was a top notch interview -- fact laden and presented in an aw shucks disarming tone. Bravo!

Not covered in the interview, I think that the book should be called "Misbehavior" because there was enough of it to go around.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

john doesn't know dick.

Okay, tell the truth: you guys set that up, didn't you?

[hit and run]

Charlie, I thought so too as I was writing it.

BTW - I'm pretty sure but would have to confirm...I think my brother does know Cheney. Well, met him. He was a lift operator in Jackson for a while, and I think Cheney held a press conference at the top of the mountain or something. I may be mistaken. I know it was someone with secret service detail, and Cheney makes the most sense with the Jackson connection.

[Colleen military mom]

TM You seem to be a genuine conservative. You give me hope. Also, there are many good commenters here at JOM.
.My son is in Irag, so I became a Plamaholic when I realized that Bushco had lied
.I think that Cheney/Libby etc used the whole Plame thing to smear Joe Wilson. To cover their lies about WMD.
.Anyone who uses the talking point that Valerie Plame was not outed-is not interested in the truth.

[clarice]

Dear Colleen--er--Stanley--nice try.

[MayBee]

Colleen- I wish your son godspeed.

[Sara (Squiggler)]

Well here is truth for you Colleen:

The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) tasked CIA and not Dick Chenney or Scooter Libby. It was the DIA inquiry that led to Wilson's trip.

Joe Wilson outed his own wife long before Novak's article and this was followed by Richard Armitage blabbing to both Bob Woodward and Bob Novak and probably others, but it would seem that Harlow at CIA was confirming sources for anyone who called and as about Plame.

[Sara (Squiggler)]

Oh, and Colleen, I took the time to write the above on the remote chance you really do have a son serving honorably in Iraq, even though I seriously doubt it.

[sbw]

Sara even though I seriously doubt it.

Thanks for phrasing it that way, Sara. It saves me from having to ask the graceless question, "On which side?"

[Ralph L.]

H&R, I believe Jackson is a lefty stronghold in deep red Wyoming. What would Cheney be doing there?

[hit and run]

He has a house/ranch there.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Cheney owns a home in Jackson Hole.

[Syl]

Speaking of War for Oil, I saw Howard Zinn on BookTV last night. Oh how I wished I'd been one of the questioners.

'Sir, you said we went to war in Iraq for the oil? Yes, I believe that's true. My question is...what's wrong with that? I have 5 little kids I have to keep warm at night. I can only afford a twenty-year-old car and uses a LOT of gas! I need the car to take the kids to grandma so I can work two jobs just to feed them. Sir, I really really really need that oil! Thank you.

[Sue]

Would it be wrong of me to hope the jury doesn't come back tomorrow? I have to be somewhere tomorrow night and I sure don't want to miss the celebration or the wake.

[Ralph L.]

I didn't realize the Cheneys were so fashionable. They were from Casper originally, weren't they?