Loose Lips Sink Ships

… even when they belong to "senior administration officials." Dems are calling for an independent investigation into the outing of CIA operative Valerie Plame by administration sources. Blogger and journalist Josh Marshall has been on this since late July, as have many other bloggers; now it seems to be emerging as a full-blown scandal.

Comments

[nm156]

The two officials responsible deserve guided tours of the latest rehabilitative establishments in the Third World hell-hole of Plame's choice. And then the embassy should refuse their calls for, oh I don't know, 3-5 years.

[Kevin Carson]

Anon 1039,

In government circles, it's what Irving Janis called "Groupthink." Insular good ol' boy clubs see taking the most optimistic view of policy outcomes as a function of loyalty; those who see potential pitfalls with a line of action are dismissed as "cassandras," "nervous nellies" or "not team players," or deliberately moderate their devil's advocate role to avoid such dismissal.

The top leadership of all large organizations live in imaginary worlds where data from below is filtered or falsified to fit their expectations, and they are insulated from stuff they don't want to hear. It's no surprise that history is one long "march of folly" by states.

[Frenk]

Too bad we'll probably never know for sure what happened. But anyone familiar with Karl Rove's unpleasant history will detect his stink all over this one.

Revenge is ugly. Guess that the Bush administration's supposed Christianity doesn't extend to the words of Jesus ("Turn the other cheek").

[Merkin]

Can anyone really see the Justice Department under Ashcroft investigating this crime with anything like the vigor it deserves?

I'm pleased it's come as far as this, but it'll just fizzle. The administration will stonewall, Ashcroft will try to appear to go through the motions, time passes... fizzle.

[R C Dean]

This is a long way from being a scandal.

First, of course, is the fact that we still don't know if Vlaerie Plame was covert and if the confirmation of her employment placed her in any danger. There is simply no information on that point (speculation, but when you look for a source you come up dry). Keep in mind that the CIA has a policy of confidentiality for a great many analysts and other desk jockey's who's greatest occupational hazard is the commuting the Beltline, and that the CIA violated its own policy in response to Novak's inquiry.

Second is the question of motive. Why would someone at the White House leak her name and status? I don't see how doing so accomplishes the alleged goal of discrediting her husband's report - he was so inept in his "investigation" that it is virtually self-discrediting. Was it to punish Wilson? Seems like an strange way to do it.

I guess it could turn into a scandal, but at this point its just more crying wolf. Sometimes there really is a wolf, of course, but the usual suspects bringing this scandal have pissed away much of their credibility.

[Karl R.]

Dear R.C.,

Your loyalty to the White House is praiseworthy, but -- based on what I've read -- trust me: 1) it would be a plain violation of federal criminal law; 2) they had plenty of motive.

-Karl

[LauraN]

Maybe it's just me but...since so many attacks against Bush by the Dems have failed miserably, is it possible that there was some sort of agreement made betwixt Mr. Wilson, Ms. Plame and some mysterious ?two senior administration officials? to reveal her in order to make more trouble for the Bush campaign? It may seem a tad far-fetched but, frankly, not beyond the ugly tactics Dems have used in the past.

Mind you, I am more of an anarcho-capitalist so I've not much love for any of the parties. But of all the dirty tricks and lies I've come across, the worst have come from the Dem side of the room.

[Karl R.]

Laura,

I think you're on to something. Obviously, the Democrats are a bunch of deranged psychopaths, men with dangerous religious zeal.

Those devils must have tricked the senior Bush administration officials, a former ambassador and a CIA agent, and poisoned them with "Dem-Juice." This is a wicked substance that causes Republicans to make up lies implicating other officials with breaching of national security and with acting -- in the words of former President George H.W. Bush -- as the lowest of traitors.

I only hope the Democrats evil plot is uncovered. But it will never be. Oh, how I wish that -- even once -- one of those corrupt Democratic officials in the Clionton administration had been subjected to the scrutiny of an independent counsel. Why do Democrats get to benefit from such a terrible double standard??

[joe]

"Can anyone really see the Justice Department under Ashcroft investigating this crime with anything like the vigor it deserves?"

And just a couple years after Kenneth Starr was allowed to run amok and undermine the Independent Counsel law so thoroughly that it was allowed to lapse! Gee, that's such a terrible, sad, unforseen coincidence.

Oh, and um, as a lifelong Democrat, I consider these charges to be obviously false, and further proof that my party is to the left of Stalin, and little different from terrorist traitor puppy killers. As a lifelong Democrat.

[Karl R.]

Oh, and um, as a lifelong Democrat, I consider these charges to be obviously false, and further proof that my party is to the left of Stalin, and little different from terrorist traitor puppy killers. As a lifelong Democrat.

Read Josh Marshall's reporting. I don't think there's anything false about the charges at all. Of course, without an independent inquiry we'll never know whether Karl Rove is a "traitor" or not.

I guess it's better that independent counsel laws be used to blow $40 million on the question of whether or not an intern had spooge on her dress or not.

[Karl R.]

Josh Marshall's full reporting is available here.

[LauraN]

Phew! Karl, thank you SO MUCH for exposing the truths so long hidden...

PFFT! As noted, I don't think much of either party. However, again, as far as very nasty tricksters go, the Dems are definitely better at it.

Does anyone really think that the Bush admin is stupid enough to have allowed, "...two White House officials [to]cold-call at least six Washington journalists and identify Wilson's wife."?!? C'mon. They may be morons but they are not suicidal morons. That is my main reason for doubt. Mind you, they're all untrustworthy demons but I do not think they are that inept.

[Karl R.]

Laura,

No, they're just fanatics.

And remember that it was Bob Novak who a) reported the information about Wilson's wife being a CIA agent, and b) identified Bush administration officials as being the source.

Do you know who Bob Novak is? He ain't no Democrat.

[Julian Sanchez]

Laura may be on to something. While I don't think the adminsration is above doing this, the likely backlash seems so obvious that it's difficult to imagine why they would.

[joe]

Getting called on their misdeeds in the middle of the War on Terror probably seemed difficult to imagine for the people who blew her cover, Julian. Go back to the tax cut figures they put out during the campaign; why would think they'd get in trouble for anything?

[John Hood]

The motivation for the leak, assuming it came from the Bush administration, was probably to suggest that the hapless "investigation" by Wilson of the Iraqi overtures in Africa was compromised by his wife's position at CIA, where skepticism abounded about the president's policies.

On the likelihood of White House involvement, don't discount the possibility of misjudgement here. Officials could have leaded the info to journalists not thinking much of the safety issue (Wilson's wife isn't an overseas spy) and not carefully considering the legal issues. Their fury with Wilson did appear to be massive back in the summer (and was largely deserved, by the way). Righteous anger can led to unrighteous behavior.

[Anonymous]

I don't get this "why would they do this and risk getting caught with the inevitable backlash" talking point.

People commit crimes every day assuming they won't get caught. It's almost a prerequisite. There's nothing particularly rational about risking 10 years in jail for stealing a lousy $500 from a bank, but people do it every day.

[Jon H]

Julian writes: "While I don't think the adminsration is above doing this, the likely backlash seems so obvious that it's difficult to imagine why they would. "

Why?

Because Karl doesn't have an intern under his desk to, uh, blow off some steam.

[Flem Snopes]

"Do you know who Bob Novak is? He ain't no Democrat."

nawssir. he sholly ain't. he is a paleo-conservative who, along with the likes of the esteemed Pat Buchanan, is withering pissed at this neo-con administration for having ignored paleo-con isolationism in its foreign policy. novak has been hotly critical of the Iraq campaign since forever.

and who would the primary white house architect of the paleo-con defenstration be? why...karl rove as it turns out

[Karl R.]

Flem,

Karl Rove as neo-con? That's a new one. Regardless, Karl and Bob Novak are old friends and have worked together .

[Anonymous]

Er, I mean it's here .

[Anonymous]

and read Daniel Drezner's thoughts here.