It's not every day that this humble blog can get ahead of the wonderful georgia10 over at Daily Kos. Today she hammers home a point I mentioned, but did not sufficiently stress, yesterday: Fitzgerald probably spoke to W about the NIE estimate during his interview with the president. If Bush did not 'fess up at that time to authorizing the leak, and if Libby is telling the truth on this score (as I think he is) -- then Fitz has him.Obstruction of justice. Lying to a prosecutor. Game over. Georgia thinks Bush can spin his way out of this one; I cannot agree. The American media may allow themselves to be bamboozled, but Fitz won't.
Although the press gaggle gave Scotty a hard time, the press still has not awoken to the key question of Bush's interview with Fitzpatrick. Rep. Maurice Hinchey argues that Bush may have "knowingly lied about uranium to the Congress, which is a crime." Absolutely true, but let's not forget that it is also against the law to obstruct an investigation.
Buzzflash reminds us of an interesting bit of history. Plamegate started when David Corn made a close read of Novak's column and thought Something's not right here...
That sort of thing is what bloggers do regularly. We may not have budgets. We may not have the time to call sources and dig up tons of new info. But we can draw attention to news nuggets which may otherwise slip past unnoticed.
Why did the Bushies leak to Novak about Plame? Because they were arrogant. They thought they could get away with anything. And they would have been correct in that presumption, if Corn, Buzzflash and their net-based compatriots had not sunk their incisors into this issue.
Bushie wasn't under oath during the interview with Fitz. That's how he'll squirm out of it.
ReplyDeleteIf you tell major lies to an Assistant D.A. conducting an official investigation of an important matter, you violate the law.
ReplyDeleteIt’s all over now Baby Bush or the song of the Scooter is heard in the land.
ReplyDeleteThese are the (hopefully) the best of times and (potentially) the worst of times
Scooter sang like the sweetest bird I have yet to hear in this difficult spring. I’m sure the midnight oil will be burning brightly in Karl’s office all this weekend as he spins the recent revelations from Fitzgerald’s investigation that Cheney and (dared we even hope) Bush himself may have been finally caught in their own trap. Despite Bush’s “L'Etat c'est moi” defense for his declassification of the relevant material, I believe this one will stick like a tar baby and every attempt these two rogues make to extricate themselves from penalties will only serve to implicate them even deeper.
More importantly, these revelations will finally bring the whole issue to its long postponed crisis. These longsuffering, devout fence sitters and all those who have been going along to get along lo these many years, will now finally have to commit to one side or the other. The pundits, the press, the Jurists, the Democrats, and yes, even the Republicans now will have to take a stand either for democracy and honest, legitimate, government or for fascism. I don’t see how even the dullest member of the great unwashed will fail to perceive this dichotomy. At last we have finally arrived at the fork in the road that leads either to the difficult, perilous path back towards democracy or the far more serious, far more devastatingly path to despotism. When this whole matter plays out to its inevitable, conclusion we will have to either impeach this President and indict the Vice President or admit that we are living in a dictatorship. I believe we made the correct, painful decision in ’74 when a bipartisan effort forced another despot from office. We are no longer the same country we where then however.
I wish I could be optimistic about the outcome, but I am not. I fear for the worst. The only positive product resulting from a decision to scrap this two hundred plus year experiment in self-government will be that at least we will all know once and for all that we are slaves. Such knowledge is the grist for all true revolutions. I’ll see you on the barricades!
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Excerpt from “The Second Coming”
W.B. Yeats
Peace? – Perhaps not in our time,
Bob
I know Joseph, but that is how they will spin it. And if history is any guide, they'll get away with it. Let us hope that Fitz is the hero we all think he is; as John Dean says, he could convene a g/j on these charges. Any and all crimes arising out of Plamegate fall under Fitzs' mandate, no matter who committed them.
ReplyDeleteFitz may *have* him, but the question is, does he *want* him?
ReplyDeleteI'd wager, no, he won't pursue this matter against Bush. It'll be the old story, "what's good for the country", etc.
sofla said:
ReplyDeleteFitzgerald would have no option in re: Bush. It is rather settled in law, and agreed to by about all parties and concerned, that presidents cannot be indicted while sitting presidents.
'Unindicted co-conspirator' is about as far as a special counsel can go. I don't think he can even recommend impeachment to the Congress, as an independent counsel could.
So, unless Bush were to 'voluntarily' (heh!) 'resign,' and/or the Congress convict on impeachment charges and thereby remove him, Bush stays there until the end of his term, untouchable by Fitzgerald.
Note, I don't favor that result, but that is the case and the fact of these matters.
"The American media may allow themselves to be bamboozled, but Fitz won't."
ReplyDeleteSo true. My Fitzy would not let W. off just because W. whines and cries and hides behind spin like the worthless addict he is. Kisses, Mr. Fitzgerald. Let's hope you stay safe.
I've got a fairly long new post up exploring the obstruction of justice issue more deeply, relying partly on this piece of yours. God, I'd love to bring them down on a cover-up...
ReplyDeleteVichyDems: Dick Cheney "Spun" Attention Away from Bush in February. Did He Similarly Misdirect Fitzgerald, Too?