Political Cortex: Despite Efforts To Distract, CIA Leak Remains Front And Center

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Despite Efforts To Distract, CIA Leak Remains Front And Center

By Georgia10
11/01/2005 02:12:26 PM EST

In the four days since the indictment of Scooter Libby, the Bush administration has attempted to divert the public's attention from one of the most serious criminal investigations of our time. From Bush's terror speech, to Cheney's speech on indictment day, to the Alito nomination, and finally, with today's unveiling of a $7.1 billion dollar flu plan, there is no doubt that the administration is engaged in a desparate attempt at deflection.

But no amount of distraction can take away from the fact that this investigation will hang over the heads of Bush and Cheney for months to come.Yesterday, the first question at Scott McClellan's press briefing (contrary to the outline provided by the White House) was not about the Supreme Court, but about the CIA leak:

Q Some Democrats say that the President should apologize for the role of some administration officials in the unmasking of the name of a CIA undercover operative. What's the White House reaction to that?

Following a weekend pow-wow with the disgraced Harriet Miers, it's the administration's position that it still will not comment on the leak. Under "advice from White House counsel", Scotty refused to answer a single question.

This type of stonewalling was to be expected, of course. It is their attempt to not make news, to keep mum in the hopes that the news cycle will be dominated by a focus on Alito rather than a focus on Cheney and Rove. And their conspicuous silence would have worked, as it has worked so many times before, were it not for Fitzgerald who is still dead-focused on this case.

Despite the mantra that the White House "dodged a bullet" when Rove wasn't indicted on Friday, we learn today that the "exculpatory email" touted by conservatives is not the only evidence Rove coughed up at the last minute, not by a long shot:

A source familiar with the discussion between Rove and Fitzgerald said the Tuesday meeting was about a lot more than "just an e-mail from Levine." He would not elaborate.
Rove remains a focus of the CIA leak probe. He has told friends it is possible he still will be indicted for providing false statements to the grand jury.
"Everyone thinks it is over for Karl and they are wrong," a source close to Rove said. The strategist's legal and political advisers "by no means think the part of the investigation concerning Karl is closed."

Be prepared for the administration to kick up a lot of dust in the coming week or so. From bird flu to sweeping tax reforms, every effort will be made to distract the public from this criminal case.

Much buzz has been had about whether the Democrats can "multi-task" and handle attacking and defending on all these fronts. It's quite possible, because everything ties into one singular and common theme: the last throes of a failed Presidency.

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< Maybe I was Born to Blog | Nothing is Sacred: Scotty On Point >

Despite Efforts To Distract, CIA Leak Remains Front And Center | 2 comments (2 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

From yesterday's press conference (none / 0)

Transcript at whitehouse.gov

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, wait a second. Let me just interject there. I think there are many people in this room I see expressing their own commentary on TV all the time -- not just reporting. You do a job to report the news, as well, but many people in this room also go on the air and express their views and their commentary. And I've worked with many of you for quite some time now.
Q I didn't follow that. I can't go on TV and say, "America believes Scott McClellan." That's not my role.
MR. McCLELLAN: No, you go on TV, though, and engage in commentary about views and things that are expressed here at the White House.
Q Right. But what I can't do is carry your water for you. And I wonder --
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm not asking you to.
Q Well, there -- yes you are.
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm just asking you to speak to who I am. And you know who I am.
Q There's been a wound to your credibility here. A falsehood, wittingly or unwittingly, was told from this podium. And do you really believe that the American people should wait until the conclusion of all of this process and just take on trust everything that comes from that podium now, without the explanation and the answer that you say you want to get --

Sounds as if the press is not likely to forget about being lied to for the last, well, the last five years.

by Devilstower on 11/01/2005 02:22:51 PM EST

The "briefing" (none / 0)

yesterday was amazing.

Why don't they just fire Scotty and get on with things.
I used to think Administration spokespersons were just isolated cases of incompetence, but lets count the heads: John Ashcroft, Ari, Tori Clarke,Larry DeRita, General Myers, Bartlett, Devenish, Mehlman, Gillespie, etc., etc., etc.

by QueenB on 11/01/2005 04:41:13 PM EST

Despite Efforts To Distract, CIA Leak Remains Front And Center | 2 comments (2 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)