Eric's rule of thumb is that if a scandal can be well defined to the average person on the street, then it has legs and will cause problems.
When I say...
Watergate?
Iran-Contra?
Monica?
almost everyone can at least explain the scandal in 30 words or less.
The current Karl Rove flap does not fit this criteria. Honestly, I'm trying to understand and view in a non-partisan way, but I just can't wrap my mind around it.
Can anyone explain to me in 30 words or less what the big deal is and why some are asking Karl Rove to resign? This is not a sarcastic request - I admit, I haven't paid attention and would like to know if it is truly a big deal.
9 comments:
30 words or less might be tough, but here's my summary as I understand it.
Wilson was very critical of the administration's WMD assertions (specifically, the yellow-cake stuff) in the build-up to war. Later it was leaked that his wife is/was a CIA operative. Most people feel that the leak was retribution for his statments regarding WMD. Bush said that whomever was responsible will be fired, and now is backing off of that since it is out that it was Rove.
66 words, sorry.
OK, that makes sense. The leak came from Novak, correct? And the question in the scandal is where Novak got the information from?
If that's true, then why is the NYT reporter (Judith MIller) in jail? Why isn't Novak in jail?
I've had zero exposure to this story. Lee's story doesn't help me at all. Who is Wilson? Why is leaking that Wilson's wife is a CIA operative such a bad thing?
One question I forgot to raise for Leland - it is not proven that the leak came from Rove. Is it? That's the question. Who gave Novak the information - that's the question, right? And it's not clear (yet) where Rove is on that.
Derek - Wilson was an ex-administration official who, as Leland says, was critical of the WMD rationale.
And you shouldn't go naming CIA oepratives when they are working undercover. For instance, "my cousin is a covert CIA agent, and his name is Jay Barnes" is not something you should do to the mdeia.
But was she actually working undercover for the CIA at the time? I heard there are questions about that...
think of the cia information leak as being the noc list that maverick. marcellus wallace and co are trying so desperately to get back in the original mission:impossible flick.
except this one ends in a boring media scandel instead of fisticufs on a high-speed train. and no rubber masks this time either. except for maybe novack.
and is anyone surprised that bush is back pedaling on his fire the bastard statement?
OK, now you're really testing my limited knowledge. As I understand it:
Joe Wilson was an ambassador (I think) sent to Niger for some reason and his wife was undercover CIA. I am assuming that their CIA mission was to check out the yellowcake thing.
Yes, the leak came out in a column by Novak (UMD grad), but somehow was acutally given to a guy at the NYT (I think). The NYT guy cut some sort of deal with prosecutors and revealed his source b/c he was facing the same sort of jail time Judith Miller was/is.
Rove leaked the info, Novak printed it. Not sure exactly what the difference is and why Novak is not in trouble.
My guess is that Dems are going to continue to call for Rove's resignation, but it's going to look politically motivitated (b/c it is) and not really have legs outside the beltway. What Rove did clearly violates the spirit of the law, but as I understand it (albeit a limited understanding) it's going to be pretty tough to convict him of anything. There are three things that you have to prove and I seem to remember thinking that would be pretty tough to convict people on.
Sorry, Matt Cooper writes for Time Magazine. Got him confused with Judith Miller who writes for the NYT.
Cooper was on Meet the Press this morning and was pretty interesting. Russert asked him why Novak wasn't in trouble and he said that he didn't know, maybe he had already cut a deal with the grand jury.
The really interesting thing was that Time was threatened with legal action and turned over all of Cooper's notes against his wishes. Of course, the notes had all of his sources identities, outing Rove. It's going to make it hard for Time reporters to get confidential sources to believe that they are going to stay confidential if they turn over notes at the drop of a hat...
FUNNY SHORT STORY THAT WILL SHED SOME LIGHT
Somewhere in the former Soviet province of Communych, super-secret agent Joe Wilson's wife is suspended by wires over pressure sensitive tiles in the database of this evil country's headquarters. Unbeknownst to her, the phone rings in the other room.
"This is Karl Rove," said a mysterious voice on the other line, "Joe Wilson's wife is a CIA agent."
"Why does this concern us?" demanded the captain of the guards who answered the phone.
"I don't know," answered the voice with a chuckle, "Just telling everyone." Then the line went dead at the other end.
"One of the cameras is out," said a guard, "Is that a glitch?"
"No, I think I know why we got that phone call," said the guard captain, "We are being attacked by the mysterious agent known only as 'Joe Wilson's Wife.'"
"I thought she was just an urban legend," another guard, "I mean... other than that she posed in Vanity Fair."
The guard captain watched as more cameras went out. "I wish that were so."
"Well, we finally know her identity!" shouted a guard, "She’s the wife of Joe Wilson! What do we do?"
The power suddenly went out.
Unseen in the darkness, the captain took a sip a vodka. "Wait for death."
* * * *
"Karl Rove risked my wife's life by outing her as a CIA agent!" Joe Wilson yelled at President Bush.
"I understand your anger," Bush said, "but still..." Bush took out a bat and hit Joe Wilson in the stomach, causing him to fall to the ground and curl up in a ball. "...you're a partisan hack – you only got to come talk to me because your wife recommended it - and, when I meet a partisan hack face-to-face, I hit him with a bat. That's my policy, Joey. Now crawl out of here before you vomit on the Oval Office carpet!"
Once Joe Wilson was outside, Bush called out, "Rover, did you really rat on Joe Wilson's wife?"
The hooded figure of Karl Rove emerged from the shadows. "My ways are mysterious."
"You rascal," Bush chuckled, "Well, hopefully there won't be any political fallout."
Scott McClellan ran into the Oval Office. "The press keep hounding me about Rove! I don't know what to do! It's just question after question after question..."
Scott was silenced by a baseball bat to his gut which caused him to fall to the floor and curl up in a ball.
Dick Cheney entered the office and stepped over Scott. "This is trouble. We need get the press off of this subject."
"Maybe I could fire Karl Rove," Bush suggested.
Rove pointed at Bush and there was a low rumbling noise. Bush then started choking.
"On... ack... second thought... ergh... that's a bad idea."
Rove lowered his hand and Bush rubbed his sore throat. "I know!" he finally exclaimed, "I'll eat and eat and eat until I become the World's Fattest Man! That will push this all out of the headlines.
Ummm.... great story?
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