The Prospect destroys WaPo.
http://www.prospect.org/horsesmo...6/ post_127.html
Nigel Elliott | Homepage | 06.17.06 - 10:47 pm | #

here we go...the Rove machine is out for all of us. There is no way to stand up to this assault...we are one but separate. They don't get it. crap...the only voice we have and now will become the voice of evil and ridicule. There is no way out of this mess with Bush, Rove et al. NO WAY.
mary | 06.17.06 - 10:54 pm | #

maybe we need to get truthout to disown and denounce this guy. too little too late
mary | 06.17.06 - 10:55 pm | #

WaPo has a problem with Leopold, but had no problem with Judy Miller, or Novak, or Armstrong Williams, or James Guckert - and really, I still think this one is funny, no problem with Ben Domenech.
But Leopold, yes, get all over him even though the whole story has not been told.
That makes sense.
And it also makes sense to jump on the anti-Leopold bandwagon, and to set up a false us-vs.-them crazy dichotomy.
Did I miss something, because I'm still waiting to hear something from Fitzgerald himself on this matter.
I got bored ages ago listening to the spin from Rove's lawyers.
hmmm... | 06.17.06 - 10:57 pm | #

Leopold is a dick. Merry Fitzmas, everyone!!!
warhawk | 06.17.06 - 11:00 pm | #

hmmm...I couldn't agree more.
alicia | 06.17.06 - 11:02 pm | #

DNA testes prove they is us.
afafkd | 06.17.06 - 11:03 pm | #

I will agree that that the newspaper that brought us Bob Woodward, and thought what he did was no big deal, has some issues here.
John Aravosis | 06.17.06 - 11:04 pm | #

John, it also speaks to the shift in values among the media. I am reminded of an incident here in San Francisco a few years back when disk jockeys from a local radio station took several vans and blocked access to the Oakland/San Francisco Bay bridge during the height of rush hour for a skit in which one of the dj's was given a haircut "on air".

The was their way of responding to the (later proved false) report that Bill Clinton had held up air travel at SFO for an hour while he sat Air Force One getting a haircut.

As a working newsman at the time I was on several "broadcast professional" mail lists. There was a lot of discussion over the incident, and I was blown away by the large numbers of broadcast folks who felt that holding up thousands of people for almost an hour was OK, because it had the effect of raising ratings. According to those folks, the ratings are the only thing that matters.

That is just so far from the beliefs that I grew up with, which are that radio and television stations operate for the "public good".

So for a lot of folks out there in the "news business" nothing matters anymore except profits and ratings. Truth, responsibility to the community, honor - all obsolete, old fashioned ideas that have no place in this modern world.

One of the reasons that I chose to leave that particular business.
Paul in SF | Homepage | 06.17.06 - 11:05 pm | #

Has fitzgerald ever confirmed rove's lawyer's assertion that rove would not be indicted?
Anonymous | 06.17.06 - 11:07 pm | #

Yes, typically such characters are ignored...but of course, since Leopold is a liberal, he will be destroyed.

What a sorry state our country is in under President Rove.
T | 06.17.06 - 11:10 pm | #

Well, it's not exactly the case that any old wacko can broadcast to the world. Leopold had a fairly prominent platform on Truthout, which established considerable cred during the early years of the Bush admin thanks to William Rivers Pitt, who was courageous, eloquent, accurate, insightful, and ahead of 99% of American journalistic voices at a time when the profession as a whole was descending into madness.

Unfortunately, the Leopold disaster was only compounded by the bizarre solidarity shown by executive editor Marc Ash, who doesn't even have a background in the business. Truthout was valuable, but it's essentially destroyed as an independent news organization, although I imagine it will survive as a link site. I hope Pitt will dump the whole thing and find success under other auspices.
cervantes | Homepage | 06.17.06 - 11:13 pm | #

they have successfully destroyed the viability of the government

why not now the viability of the internet
dad | 06.17.06 - 11:18 pm | #

Well, yeah, when the Post starts turning its laser focus on its own reporting, or lack thereof, then I'll be impressed.

This smacks a lot more of trying to control competition-- the MSM just loves going after the blogosphere. It's the mote in your neighbor's eye-- they ignore that beam in their own.

After all, there has been NO real analysis in the Post about its war coverage, and the whole Woodward thing got swept under the rug. And anyone remember their sister pub Newsweek recanting on their extremely inaccurate (dictated by the Pentagon)story about poor Jessica Lynch, the Annie Oakley of our century?

Not to excuse Leopold (though I certainly hope that if it turns out Rove did a deal, the Post reports on that too...). But compared to Bob Woodward? Howie Kurtz? That sad excuse for an ombudsman?
telly | 06.17.06 - 11:19 pm | #

dad?
smoke | 06.17.06 - 11:19 pm | #

420?
8)
smoke | 06.17.06 - 11:20 pm | #

anyway - another day in America without an opposition party has passed. The media is an arm of the GOP - until we realize that all this other stuff is dribble. The Post and all the rest are so far into their hall of mirrors they can no longer see the relentless pro -Right bias. until the MSM is pulled back to center the rest of the country will suffer. but there is no alternative to the GOP story line - which is why Coulter and the rest get free reign.
do not expect anything to change as long as Pelosi and Reid lead the retreat. We are gonna lose in november because we have leaders who are cowards and idiots. the media has no reason to do anything besides trash the Left and prop up the Right.
sockmonkey | Homepage | 06.17.06 - 11:21 pm | #

DIEBOLD
smoke | 06.17.06 - 11:24 pm | #

Mark Shields told Jim Lehrer: "But I think it showed that Patrick Fitzgerald had the guts not to indict him. You know, I think he's been fearless throughout. And I think he's been a person of integrity, and he wasn't going to make a case against the president's top guy unless he could make a case that would stick. I think what did come out, obviously, is that the White House was up to their eyebrows in trying to discredit Joe Wilson and, even if it involved Valerie Plame, after his piece in the New York Times.

Shields also reports that Trent Lott, no fan of Karl Rove, said: "He was not indicted. That means exonerated? Not where I come from."

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/p...6/sb_06- 16.html
Grant in Houston | 06.17.06 - 11:25 pm | #

Do you not understand? The majority of our race is insane. American culture is particularly nutty. Where else do people go apopaleptic at the sight of a breast (which provide nourishment to babies, are perfectly natural and are possessed by over half the species) and yet feel that sending people off to bleed, suffer and die for the sake of a bunch of memes is perfectly okay, desirable even? (these memes are to wit and in no particular order: Money, America, and God, none of which exist outside the minds of our aforementioned nutsy race). Why on earth would you expect sane and rational behavior from a race that is neither of those things? Last I looked well over half the species professed a belief in imperceptible magic people (various names, same concept) and a not inconsiderable number of them were willing to kill others because they thought that their imperceptible magic person was better than the one belonging to the people they were killing. Do yourself a favor, accept the obvious. When there are more people there will be more insanity. So, sit back, relax and enjoy the show. Or, if you want to tear your own heart out you can cultivate the forlorn hope that somehow the voice of sweet reason will be suddenly heard above the thunderous din of wrath and rapaciousness which presently dominate human interaction. Needless to say I am not holding my breath for that.
Thameron | 06.17.06 - 11:26 pm | #

I hope all readers click the link you provide. When I first read your post I saw this sentence like this:

What this story says about this guy - has nothing to do with the kind of journalism I practice.

So it wasn't clear to me whether it was the story itself or "this guy" to which you objected. In other words, was the author's attacking JL unfair?

Maybe others won't have the same confusion.

spiiderweb | Homepage | 06.17.06 - 11:27 pm | #

......we have leaders who are cowards and idiots

How'd that happen?
afafkd | 06.17.06 - 11:30 pm | #

.....possessed by over half the species

Breastlessness. I had no idea.
afafkd | 06.17.06 - 11:34 pm | #

We are the target. We are in the minority as defined by the MSM. They continue to look up to rove and the rest and will continue to bash those of us who do not agree. The press does not care about public opinion because they are owned by big business. That is where the MONEY comes from. doesn't get any simpler than that. until we take back the press...seems like we are doomed...or the voting booth. neither seems likely.
mary | 06.17.06 - 11:34 pm | #

All generalizations break down.

Including this one.
My 2¢ | 06.17.06 - 11:37 pm | #

Exonerate (verb): To declare blameless.

Not!
Dave of the Jungle | 06.17.06 - 11:37 pm | #

expunge
afafkd | 06.17.06 - 11:42 pm | #

Very good Mary,the main-stream press are nothing but Bush lapdogs. They tried to make a big deal out of Zarqawi dying and things are still going to hell in Iraq,until we vote these idiots out of office we can expect no better from the way Congress is trying to see this is that Iraq was a good thing?
Surely they don't think we are that dumb?
Floyd | Homepage | 06.17.06 - 11:44 pm | #

The kind of "journalism" John practices...

Keeping the aluminum foil hat wearing Liberals whipped up with phony scandals and calling every Republican a closeted gay. And NEVER forgetting to pass the hat every month.

Sure beats having a real job and actually being productive.
. | 06.17.06 - 11:44 pm | #

----calling every Republican a closeted gay

Do occasionally call closeted gay Republicans, it's much less messy than a mercy fuck.
afafkd | 06.17.06 - 11:49 pm | #

Disgusting! even if Joe Lauria wants to make his own case, there is NO reason for the piece to be as long and involved as it is. It serves only to try to destroy Leopold.
thisattractivemotherof3 | 06.17.06 - 11:49 pm | #

http://books.guardian.co.uk/ extr...#article_contin

... They might have felt that taking our country into an endless war was simply something decisive to do. What has allowed so many PPs to rise so high in corporations, and now in government, is that they are so decisive. They are going to do something every fuckin' day and they are not afraid. Unlike normal people, they are never filled with doubts, for the simple reason that they don't give a fuck what happens next. Simply can't. Do this! Do that! Mobilise the reserves! Privatise the public schools! Attack Iraq! Cut health care! Tap everybody's telephone! Cut taxes on the rich! Build a trillion-dollar missile shield! Fuck habeas corpus and the Sierra Club and In These Times, and kiss my ass! ...


http://today.reuters.com/news/Ar...-USA- HAIDER.xml

... Austrian right-wing populist Joerg Haider called President Bush a war criminal on Saturday, days before Austria's government hosts Bush and European leaders in Vienna ...
tofubo | 06.17.06 - 11:50 pm | #

Most of this guy's article is him dissing Leopold because Leopold used to be a cokehead, and therefore L's reporting must be inherently unreliable.

Where is the part where the writer freaks out about Bush's actions, since Bush used to be a cokehead, and therefore his actions are inherently unreliable?

Methinks he doth protest too much.
No Blood for Hubris | Homepage | 06.17.06 - 11:52 pm | #

.....and In These Times

Lordy.
afafkd | 06.17.06 - 11:53 pm | #

extirpate
smoke | 06.17.06 - 11:54 pm | #

-----used to be a cokehead

not prefect, forgiven
afafkd | 06.17.06 - 11:56 pm | #

Night, the beloved. Night, when words fade and things come alive. When the destructive analysis of day is done, and all that is truly important becomes whole and sound again.

exupery. Saint.
afafkd | 06.18.06 - 12:06 am | #

Huh. Now we're supposed to marginalize Jason Leopold and hang him out to dry? Has the entire truth come out? Do we know for sure that Rove wasn't indicted, only to have Gonzalez and Fitz's new boss didn't seal the indictment? Why the HELL should anyone care what the WaPo says with their dirty deeds of the last 5-6 years? All of this makes me disgusted.

I guess I must have missed John Aravois' acknowledgement and apology to the last "liberal" he chose to target, to distance himself. Where's the story on Cynthia McKinney NOT being indicted? Hmmmm? Remember how loud and vituperative John got over a blown out of proportion incident?

Frankly, I couldn't give a damn what WaPo or anyone else has to say about Leopold. He has done some incredible investigative work during this rogue Presidency and he may have jumped the gun, maybe he didn't. The fact is that common sense tells you that Rove SHOULD be indicted and that there's gotta be some reason that he's not, other than he's "innocent".

I'm just not going to sacrifice anyone just because they've become the target du jour. Shame on anyone else who does, whether they run a popular blog sight or not.
BelmontShore | 06.18.06 - 12:11 am | #

"site" dammit. I hate when I do that. :(
BelmontShore | 06.18.06 - 12:13 am | #

The only problem I have with Jason is that he said if the information was incorrect that he would reveal the sources.

Jason, please do so.
illegalsmile_420 | 06.18.06 - 12:18 am | #

.....common sense tells you that Rove SHOULD be indicted and that there's gotta be some reason that he's not

My common sense is that any one of us could be indicted and most could be convicted. Momma said, every dog has his day.
afafkd | 06.18.06 - 12:28 am | #

Crazys...? Backwater...?


HEY!


Salmineo | 06.18.06 - 12:28 am | #

That article is frickin' digusting. Going to that extent to attempt to bury Leopold, with all the references to substance abuse issues, this is a blatant attempt to marginalize the man. He may or may not have these issues, but using them to discredit, only, so early and so often is more than disturbing and unethical, as well.

Why this kind of attack on Leopold, to this extent, when no words even remotely as harsh are used against this administration, its' minions and the culpable media, who have never properly attacked what has gone on in this secretive government. What is, really, the greater sins here? Did Jason's story kill 2500 service members? 10s of 1000s of innocent Iraqis? Will ANY of us ever know if Rove was actually indicted until a list of last minute pardons is revealed on the last day of Bush's "presidency"?

There are more assumptions, factless acquisations and character assassination in that article than in anything Leopold wrote. I mean, MY GOD, what a disgusting bit of yellow journalism by Joe "don't call me Joel" Lauria.

The truth of the matter is that we have an admin, a congress, a press that is playing so dirty and so below the belt, that more extreme means are going to be needed to get out ANY truth from ANY of them. With an admin who will out a CIA agent, expose the brass plate company who was the ONLY source for info on a nuke Iran, putting all sorts of lives at risk and will tell any lies, spend any amount of money to muddy the water and some jackass is gonna worry about someone using his name to try and get info? You gotta be kidding me.

Besides that, I see NO references or attempts to link Leopold to anyone else on the left side of the blogosphere. What the hell are we doing to our own? To tell you the truth, the only person I question after reading that is Joe Lauria, because I'd like to know who got to him and what he got for it.

What a hachet job. You have to ask wny?
BelmontShore | 06.18.06 - 12:31 am | #

This article is a story written by a freelance writer who feels Leopold impersonated him. I don't that that qualifies for the WaPo position on matters. I have no love for that rag, but I think you are over-reacting.

Jason said on Ed Schultz radio he was waiting to hear corroroboration from Fitzgerald or the letter Luskin claims to have which excused Rove. Neither has made a move. Meanwhile, the notion that the Grand Jury went beyond what Fitzgerald sought (run-away jury) has been floated at another site and "might" explain why neither Luskin not Fitzgerald have done what you would expect them to. I don't know anything about Leoplod, but it is worth noting he was not the only guy making report about the impending indictment---David Schuster and Wayne Madsen also reported it. Were they impersonating Mr, Lauria?
Suds | 06.18.06 - 12:32 am | #

Maybe his source was a Rovian plant, designed to produce this result.

Rove SHOULD be indicted and convicted, along with the rest of the MF's.
Matthew | Homepage | 06.18.06 - 12:33 am | #

-- ... To get coke, he lied, cheated and stole. --

JOHN ... remember all the predictions that Rush Limbaugh made that Hillary would be indicted any day? and other such garbage ?

Has Joe Lauria or the WP ever done a similar hit job on Limbaugh and what reportedly he did to his maid and her husband to score his illegal Oxycontin?

fucking Lauria and that whole right wing whacko group that runs the WP these days ...
Nanite | 06.18.06 - 12:35 am | #

Does John A. even read his own website??

In his recent post, John A. mentions:

kind of journalism I practice

But in is bio on Americablog.org, he says:

John A. ... is a writer and political consultant, specializing in using the Internet for political advocacy.

POLITICAL ADVOCACY. John A. is no more a journalist than Al Franken or Sean Hannity.
Are You Insane? | 06.18.06 - 12:36 am | #

You think maybe Jason Leopold was "set up" just as was Dan Rather and CBS???
Grant in Houston | 06.18.06 - 12:39 am | #

O.T.

Laugh. Its important these days.

Game show blooper...trust me

http://gorillamask.net/catchphrase.shtml
---
TheManTheyCallJane | 06.18.06 - 12:43 am | #

That article was nothing more than a blatant attempt to cause people to dismiss anything Jason Leopold ever says and don't sit there and think for a damn moment that the WaPo editors and such didn't know exactly what Joe Lauria was going to write and why.

Can we NOT be naive when we see what happens in the media these days. There is nothing that comes from the MSM that is without it's specific purpose.
BelmontShore | 06.18.06 - 12:44 am | #

The blogosphere is growing up.

Just as there are good newspapers and crappy ones, there are good blogs and not-so-good ones.

As you say, the only thing many have in common are their delivery methods.
Bush Bites | 06.18.06 - 12:47 am | #

Oh, and ditto for news networks, magazines and radio stations too.

The medium doesn't determine quality, the content provider does.
Bush Bites | 06.18.06 - 12:49 am | #

Grant in Houston 12:39 am
====
Hell Yes!
smoke | 06.18.06 - 12:51 am | #

Any journalistic deficiency on Leopold's part doesn't match that of WaPo. At least Leopold didn't collude to bring war to another country.

And where was WaPo when Jerry Falwell was putting out videos accusing Pres. Bill Clinton of murder and drug running?

By now I expect the worst from these rags. The Post of Katherine Graham is gone forever. Let's get used to it. These corporate media outlets are dying. So it's time for us to birth new forms of journalism that escape the corporate progaganda outlets.
Bill R. | Homepage | 06.18.06 - 12:56 am | #

The WaPo would appear to have a little too much hubris on this one.

May 15 Xymph if you can stomach him predicted that Leopold was being taken to the cleaners. The WaPo followup all but confirms this.

http://xymphora.blogspot.com/200...5/rove-m- o.html
patience | 06.18.06 - 1:05 am | #

I do not believe this. Taking the Wash Posts's word for ANYTHING truthful? hahahahahaha

At this point, I still hold Leopold on a much higher level than the Wash Post.
Shell | 06.18.06 - 1:06 am | #

Noam Chomsky goes in depth about this in his documentary "Manufacturing Concent"...it is available on the internet and it spells out how the newsmedia makes shit up then reports it and that is what drives public opinion....it is very scary but then it has been going on for many years, but it is really ugly now.
shannon | 06.18.06 - 1:08 am | #

"Live by the sword, die by the sword."

The blogosphere, both liberal and right-wing, specializes in the kind of stuff that the Post did on this Joel guy. The difference is that the Post had its facts straight.

Deal with it.
WW | 06.18.06 - 1:09 am | #

The writer will likely get a $500 reward for the article. After AP dished out that prize, reporters all over the country are starting to figure out that one good created "story" pays them better than having to shovel two or three a day for the company.
Kevin | 06.18.06 - 1:20 am | #

the leopold issue is insignificant. this is the first in a major hit against the increasingly successful work of the lefty blogs. imagine had the major blogs gone with his rove story -- which was most certainly a dirty trick orchestrated by rove's operatives.
bkny | 06.18.06 - 1:21 am | #

Has anyone heard any late-breaking news on what's going on tonight in N. Korea with their missile test?
Cheetos | 06.18.06 - 1:28 am | #

Has anyone heard any late-breaking news on what's going on tonight in N. Korea with their missile test?
Cheetos | 06.18.06 - 1:28 am |

I don't know, but I'm sure the CIA faxed him the coordinates for the Whitehouse.

.
ShockNAppalled | Homepage | 06.18.06 - 1:45 am | #

The United States and Japan both issued fresh warnings June 17, calling on North Korea to desist from launching a test ballistic missile.

This from Fox News, IOW, the White House:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/ 0,2...,199952,00.html
Grant in Houston | 06.18.06 - 1:47 am | #

Japan warns N Korea on missile test
Sunday 18 June 2006, 6:29 Makka Time, 3:29 GMT
Reports say North Korea may have fuelled a long-range missile ready for a test flight, prompting Tokyo to warn that any missile falling on Japan would be considered an attack.

Satellite photographs showed fuel tanks at a missile launch site in North Korea, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said on Sunday quoting diplomatic sources in Washington
bkny | 06.18.06 - 1:48 am | #

prompting Tokyo to warn that any missile falling on Japan would be considered an attack.


Did they seriously say this? I am LMAO here. Well, duh.

.
ShockNAppalled | Homepage | 06.18.06 - 1:54 am | #

That read like a hit piece to divert attention aweay from the fact that Rove WAS indicted, but events behind the scenes reversed that.
Blomi | 06.18.06 - 2:01 am | #

Washington Post destroys Jason Leopold

Yes, but why? A preemptive strike?

This special WaPo hit-piece by Joe Lauria -- disingenuously entitled My Unwitting Role in the Rove 'Scoop' -- might as well be entitled "Rove's Revenge" -- and it happened so fast!

First, I challenge Joe Lauria's assertion that Jason Leopold's indictment story was "explosive" and that it "set off hysteria on the Internet" -- unless said firestorm occurred on blogs that I don't frequent.

Second, I regularly frequent and comment at AMERICAblog -- and I make frequent visits to all of the bloggers who appeared on the Plame panel at the Yearly Kos event last weekend, as well as Atrios and Digby and Billmon and Josh and Jeralyn -- and I observed that Jason Leopold's story was receiving scant to zero attention on any of these stellar left-leaning blogs.

Hence, the liberal bloggers did not pick up on Jason Leopold's indictment story, let alone "run wild" with it -- despite empty assertions to the contrary by various shills in the traditional media.

Did the right-wing bloggers get all "hysterical" and go nuts over this story? You tell me, because I wouldn't know.

In any case, the "left-leaning" bloggers' archives speak for themselves!

As to Lauria's other assertion that the "mainstream media scrambled to nail down" the story, only Joe Laurea and his nameless "mainstream media" mavens can say for sure.

Still, before I add my rhetorical voice to punish Jason Leopold -- and whomever he may have relied upon for his story at Truthout.org -- I have not recovered entirely from my intense feelings of disgust toward the following six and/or seven-figure earning media shills who really are implicated in Rove and Libby and an unidentified mystery leaker's roles in the unmasking of Valerie Plame:

Robert Novak
Judith Miller
Bill Keller
Bob Woodward
Leonard Downie Jr.
Matt Cooper
Vivica Novak
Tim Russert
Andrea Mitchell
Chris Matthews

Have I left anybody out? There are so many highly-paid media shills implicated directly in the profoundly unethical, if not illegal, blowing of Plame's CIA cover -- and damaging her undercover networks and destroying her long and distinguished career! -- that I have the nagging feeling that I've forgotten to mention someone.

Frankly, I found Jason Leopold's story mildly interesting and curious and nothing more -- and I maintained a very skeptical "wait-and-see" attitude about the outcome.

My chief criticism of Jason Leopold -- and his editor Marc Ash -- is that both should have been more skeptical about whatever Leopold's sources had to say (or spin?), Moreover, they should have proceeded with extreme caution before publishing a scoop of such magnitude.

For that reason, I would urge Jason Leopold to reveal his sources and tell everything he knows -- whatever the consequences -- if only to set the record straight.

Nevertheless, Joe Lauria's hit-piece on Jason Leopold is such an obvious Karl Rovian tactic -- it would be laughable if it weren't so pathetic!

Finally, as to the WaPo and Joe Lauria, this is no time to allow these professional shills -- or anyone else -- to paint the left-leaning blogosphere with a broad brush as the result of what appears to be a fatal mistake on the part of one marginal writer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sarah B. | 06.18.06 - 2:02 am | #

The risk takers will inherit the earth.
The washington post won't inherit anything.
Thank God for the Jason Leopolds who feed us critical thinkers.
Frank in LA | 06.18.06 - 2:08 am | #

Jason Leopold published "Karl Rove was indicted" and most internet sites remained skeptical. George W. Bush said there were WMD in Iraq, and while internet sites remained skeptical the traditional media parroted Bush. Then the biggest lie of all was, "EVERYBODY thought there were WMD." No, everybody DIDN'T... Many of us thought Bush was RUSHING us into Iraq and diverting us from the true war on terror and that would be Afghanistan/Osama bin Laden. So, who truly has the better record? Internet or Traditional Media... Need I ask?
cowboyNEOK | Homepage | 06.18.06 - 2:12 am | #

Hi Everyone

I just want to say that these past few days have been the worst in my life. I feel like the worst human being in the world. I was only reporting the truth. Everything I wrote in my book, News Junkie, is now being used against me in the worst way. There is more to this story than you know. I cannot believe Joe Lauria would print such bullshit. Worst of all, he contacted me via email and wrote to me saying he was "very good friends" with Wayne Madsen and he believed my story to be true. He asked me three weeks ago about Corallo and I said I had no idea where Corallo came up with this story. But Joe never told me that my private communication with him would be used for a story. So here is a guy questioning my ethics and never even bothers to tell me that my email correspondence with him was for a story. I'll tell you all this much. No one has been harder on me than me. No matter what these people write about me I broke my own story first. I was the one who came clean about my past, my crime, my substance abuse. I put it all out there.

And for the record, I posted this on Talk Left when the question about "outing" sources came up Like much of the misinformation being peddled about what I said or didn't say or "invented" about this story the issue of "outing" my sources has taken on a life of it's own. It seems that people hear what they want to hear and then post it as fact--ironically, doing the same exact thing I have been accused of doing as it relates to my Rove story.

For the record, I did not "boast" about outing my sources if my story turned out to be wrong. On the Ian Masters radio show on Pacifica radio on May 14th I said, and I quote, "if my sources knowingly led me astray... then they know I would no longer be obliged to protect their anonymity."

That comment was made in a very general sense and was in response to a specific question.

People heard it and like children playing a game of telephone passed it on and on and on until it became "Jason Leopold said he would out his sources if his story is wrong."

Neither I nor the staff of Truthout believe we were lied to or knowingly led astray or manipulated or duped by our sources with regard to the specific details of my story.

And there you have it.
Jason Leopold | 06.18.06 - 2:24 am | #

Grant in Houston

I missed the Shields and Brooks puppet theatre on The NewsHour last night, but I did hit the TiVo so maybe I'll fast-forward to that segment and check it out. I just hope the feeble Mark Shields wasn't drooling too heavily while waxing idiotic about Fitzgerald. WTF? It takes guts not to indict?

Actually, I think legal scholar Jonathan Turley expressed it best in a piece by Ken Herman for Cox News Service that appeared in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/ na...93_leak14x.html

Legal scholar Jonathan Turley, a George Washington University law professor who has closely followed the case, said he was surprised by the move.

"The decision not to indict Rove only reflects the view that Scooter Libby is the designated defendant in this scandal," Turley said.

And Turley, who has represented clients in cases prosecuted by Fitzgerald's office in Chicago, said, "This is not an investigation that seems in character for Fitzgerald."

"His office tends to indict everyone and let God sort them out," Turley said. "And Rove was given so many opportunities to correct his testimony. It seemed like there was a virtual turnstile on the grand jury door. I've never seen Fitzgerald give a witness so much time to work his way out of a criminal charge."

A very interesting take from an intelligent and well-informed expert, to say the least.

In addition, that's a mighty intriguing quote about Karl Rove by Trent Lott, which makes me think that there may be some long knives out for Rove on Capitol Hill from a few people on the right who feel betrayed by the consummate Mayberry Machiavelli!

Still, how nice for Karl Rove that he has the WaPo standing on its hind legs and wagging its tail and panting with eagerness to perform as his very own personal PR firm -- and they're certainly wasting no time in helping Rove to burnish his badly-tarnished reputation.

Alas, the WaPo's herculean effort to make a silk purse out of this sow's belly is going to be futile, because you can't burnish a rotting and rancid slab of bacon! :o(

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sarah B. | 06.18.06 - 2:51 am | #

Neither I nor the staff of Truthout believe we were lied to or knowingly led astray or manipulated or duped by our sources with regard to the specific details of my story.
Jason Leopold | 06.18.06 - 2:24 am |


Then what is it you think happened?
Because right now your integrity and Truthouts is on the line, and its not the time to sit back and be all noble. Call them out on it. WaPo's credibility didn't just suddenly escalate in everyones mind.

If it comes down to a Mea Culpa, then so be it. Not for WaPo or the MSM, but for the people who stood behind it.

They may have been aiming for you, but they pulled the whole liberal blogosphere into their little gloatfest. Divide and Conquer.

I have the unrelenting urge to dust for Rove's prints.
.
ShockNAppalled | Homepage | 06.18.06 - 3:11 am | #

I like Truthout and Jason Leopold a little more everyday, except Lauria's article makes me like them a lot more today. My father is a retired architect who did many public works projects where his extreme design and engineering was often called into question in a very public way. Our family got dragged through the mud for years by a bunch of idiotic loudmouths who had no idea what they were talking about. There is one thing you can rely on about this story: Fitzgerald isn't doing his job, because Bush, Cheney, Rove and Libby haven't faced a firing squad.
Springtime~In~Baghdad | 06.18.06 - 4:11 am | #

I just say for all you blog-owners and readers who are lapping up the Wash Post's story about Leopold: it will be YOUR turn soon. Count on it.

Oh yeah -- Leopold is bad because he took drugs in the past and the Wash Post is good. Yeah, right. Are you THAT naive?

Just remember: "First they came for ...." While shaking your heads and/or slamming Leopold, just remember: when they come for you, there might not be many left to speak up for you.
Shell | 06.18.06 - 5:05 am | #

Well, all I can see is that once again-- as with Dan Rather-- the focus has turned from the administration to the messenger. Rove did what he did, and he's pretending he's been exonerated, and the WaPo is acting like the real villain is some reporter.

If the MSM used half the energy figuring out how they got so spun on the war, and who was behind that, I'd be happy.

It's like the Times-- think how much ink they wasted on Jayson Blair, who was a minor reporter who committed some minor offenses that really affected virtually no one... compared to how they reacted to the Judy Miller debacle. With Jayson Blair, heads rolled-- the two top editors had to resign. But Bill Keller's still there, and still making sure that no one asks too clear questions about how Judy Miller got it so wrong. When it got too close, they fired her, but still no real examination about the culpability of editors and other reporters.

And exactly how much investigation did the WaPo do to the Woodward problem, that he refused to report on several issues because it would damage the administration right before the election?

No, much easier to go after some minor, already discredited journalist like Leopold... especially since it's also going to score some points with Rove.

My guess? Rove agreed to testify against Libby and maybe Cheney, and that's why he got off. And if he doesn't testify, he'll be indicted. This sure sounds like a deal. That whole "of course Karl will cooperate like a good citizen" we're hearing from his attorney is bull. He can't be forced to incriminate himself, so he's only going to testify if he gets some form of immunity.

We'll see... I just hope we see soon.
telly | 06.18.06 - 5:09 am | #

Yes, Lauria's article is typical GOP bluster, a bandwagon upon which the Post has been more than willing to hop. I've followed this story closely and had a high degree of confidence in Jason Leopold's stories because (1) that Rove was indicted makes sense and (2) Truthout and Leopold went above and beyond the call of duty to confirm and verify the information. Whether or not I "believe" is another matter which falls under the category of "a bunch of idiotic loudmouths with no idea what they're talking about." And only someone who has been privy to every second of the grand jury's business firsthand, and every bit of conversation and correspondence can "know" the whole story--a group which includes no one, not even Fitzgerald.

A bigger and more important story is emerging from this, and that is, why is the criminal justice process being subverted? Perhaps Lauria's little hack brain would like to ponder that one.
Springtime~In~Baghdad | 06.18.06 - 5:33 am | #

There's no point in defending Jason Leopold. He gets what he deserves. And the blogosphere shouldn't be the last resort of dishonest 'journalists' who would do everything to produces a scoop.

Criticism on this WaPo article should concentrate on their boring old talking point: That the crazy liberal blogs fall for every sensationalist anit-Bush story, no matter how obviously false. This simply isn't true. In fact, the left wing blogosphere reacted very cautious on Leopold's hype. There has been anything like the blogosphere went wild".

There really should be a concentrated effort to stop this continuing WaPo smear campaign. The public should know that this media corporation simply invents accusations in order to diminish the new competition out of the internet. "The truth shall make us free", but it can't be found at WaPo anymore. The public ought to know that.
Gray | 06.18.06 - 5:34 am | #

I don't know why some of you people are so ready to put Jason Leopold's head on a pike, or disassociate him from the rest of us. Can you say with certainty that he was wrong about ANYTHING in his article other than giving people the impression that Karl Roverer's indictment would be public record during the following few days?

Is there a single sole on here who can say with certainty that Rove WASN'T indicted last week? All we have is a cryptic statement from his attorney and a no comment from Fitzgerald.

Let's consider a few possibilities that would make both Leopold's story accurate and Rove's attorney's announcement truthful:

1.) Rove was indicted but the indictment was quashed by Abu Gonzalez.

2.) Rove was indicted but the indictment was placed under seal, and now resides in the court as the infamous SEALED vs. SEALED case.

3.) Rove was about to be indicted but cooperated at the last minute, rolling over on Cheney.

4.) Fitzgerald was forbidden to indict Rove by Abu Gonzalez, who has power over him, as does the President - he is not a fully independent counsel - BUT the (run-away) grand jury DID decide to indict Rove on their own, at which point Abu went ballistic and sued the grand jury resulting in SEALED vs. SEALED. Note that this would still make Rove's attorney's statement technically accurate as he claimed that "Fitzgerald" had declined to indict his client.

You people seem to forget that we are dealing with an executive branch that is power-mad, and a political operative who's willingness to deceive and destroy people in order to protect himself and his candidates knows no bounds.

Rove, the man who bugged his own office in order to appear the victim of his political opponent. And he has an entire army of right wingers, Rendon Group employees, and corporate media shills willing to play his game.

What's happening to Jason Leopold is what happens to every journalist who poses a threat to herr chimp or his propaganda flinging sidekick. Dan Rather was a recent example. But the one I am most reminded of is JH Hatfield, the man who wrote the book, "Fortunate Son" - a book in which the author claimed Rove to be a source of some of the dirt on Bush. That was, of course, denied, and after the book went to press, Hatfield was mercilessly smeared for having committed a crime in his past, and for, if I recall, drug use. The message to the public was, "don't believe the message because the messenger is a lowlife". And the publisher, as I recall, dropped the book.

The book was eventually taken on by a small publisher, Softskull Press. Meanwhile, Hatfield was found dead of a drug overdose in a hotel room on July 18, 2001 (http://sanderhicks.com/hatfieldhome.html)

As far as I know, nothing in his book was ever disproven.

There is one thing I disagree with John Aravosis about with relation to the WaPo commentary. I didn't see any effort to paint the left blogosphere with a broad brush. I only saw an effort to destroy one reporter and the website he writes for. No doubt this fits well into the corporate media's agenda to crush the increasingly competitive alternate news media. And no doubt Karl Rove and his fighting 101st keyboardists will stop at nothing to destroy every one of our sites if they see an opening to do so.

These things must be taken into account when judging Jason Leopold, his work, his employer, their credibility, and our willingness to join the pig-pile meant to destroy them.
CTPatriot | 06.18.06 - 5:40 am | #

Suggested Reading:

http://citizenspook.blogspot.com...e-has- been.html

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

STRONG INDICATIONS ROVE HAS BEEN INDICTED BY RUNAWAY GRAND JURY IN "SEALED VS. SEALED"

I'll begin by telling you straight up, Citizenspook has no sources for this headline. But I believe it is the most likely explanation for all of the anomolies, strange quotes and secretive actions invoved with the official Special Counsel investigation by Patrick Fitzgerald. The following argument is my analysis of the LAW and FACTS. Unlike previous disserations by this author, the following is short and firmly based upon the evidence. I am attorney so let me argue the case based on the following mysterious indicators:

1. The "Sealed vs. Sealed" matter.
2. Luskin's carefully worded statement from this morning.
3. The carefully worded statements of Randal Samborn, Fitzgerald's press officer.
4. The strange case of Jason Leopold
5. The Constitutitional grant of authority to Grand Jurors to indict on their own volition without requiring a US Attorney "seek charges".

...

For more: http://citizenspook.blogspot.com...e-has- been.html
CTPatriot | 06.18.06 - 5:50 am | #

telly

By Jove, I think you've got it!

Your take seems spot on to me with regard to Rove's "non-deal" -- in which Rove agreed to cooperate fully with Fitzgerald in the prosecution of Libby (and perhaps others) in his capacity as a "good citizen" -- hence, Fitzgerald's letter stating that he "does not anticipate seeking charges" against Rove in the case.

The idea of Karl Rove as a "good citizen" is a bit of a stretch, but it's better than an indictment!

Sweet! ;)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sarah B. | 06.18.06 - 6:07 am | #

I confess to having gone wild over the story by eagerly anticipating the sodomization of Karl Rove in prison.
bob h | 06.18.06 - 6:13 am | #

For the WaPo to report that "the blogosphere went wild" over Leopold's story is gross misrepresentation.

No reputable bloggers believed it, nobody linked to it, and any reference to Leopold's story was followed with "I'll believe it when I see it."

Typical for the Washington Post to lie these days whenever reporting on blogs.
Mr Boogie | 06.18.06 - 6:22 am | #

I admit to more than a little wishful thinking about it myself. Leopold and Truthout have been steady and potent critics of the Bush administration, and you can bet they haven't taken their last punch in the nose from these weasels who hate discourse and democracy. Truthout isn't fond of any public servant who screws up, and I don't consider them partisan. Lauria's or anyone's personal attacks on Leopold are inappropriate. Anymore, the truth of this story be hanged! Leopold is a thorn in the side of Bush and Rove, and he's a hero to me. I sent him a note of support through TO's website, and encourage others to do likewise.
Springtime~In~Baghdad | 06.18.06 - 6:32 am | #

Hi,

I was the person who reached out to Hatfield when he became the center of a right wing media conspiracy orchestrated by KARL ROVE who was ALSO THE PERSON WHO TOLD HATFIELD ABOUT BUSH'S COKE DAYS!!!!---I saved Hatfield and got him restarted.

During the following year, his new publisher revealed to the press when the NYT and WP attacked the book yet again, he revealed that Rove told Jim about the coke arrest. Jim freaked out. I said, "You are in grave danger now, Rove will destroy you," and I begged him to stay with me until we got a handle on things but he insisted on continuing his book tour.


He then published at Online Journal a story about Bush worrying about bin Laden using planes to attack America....in July, 2001.


My alarm bells went off. I said, "This is extremely dangerous. Americans don't know the Bush/bin Laden connections! Please be careful, they can't smear you anymore but they can destroy you in other ways."


Well, Jim had financial problems (DUH!!!) and he tried to solve them by breaking the law. So the FBI visited him one night in a hotel, not to arrest him BUT TO SCARE HIM DELIBERATELY. They then left, knowing he was now properly suicidal, he was warned to talk to NO ONE especially me, and so instead, I woke up to frantic calls from other reporters telling me of his death.


At that moment I knew the impending "bin Laden" attack was going to proceed and this was the SAME DAMN WEEK that Judith Miller laughingly told her editor that she had nifty news about an impending attack on America but couldn't reveal her sources (Mossad).


Jason Leopold is the new Hatfield and they want him to suicide, too. Jason, you are reading this thread (hope you remember me!): HANG TOUGH. Don't let them destroy you too.


Elaine of Culture of Life News
Elaine Supkis | Homepage | 06.18.06 - 6:36 am | #

"Mankind" John? Frankly, I stopped reading after that.
RevPhat | 06.18.06 - 6:37 am | #

ANY fucking one who believes that Karl Rove got off the hook without a big FUCKING CROOK is stupid.

Leopold's story was correct. Fitzie is playing footsie with the fascists. He IS a fucking fascist.


The outing of Plame was a dirty deed done by the WP and NYT and a host of other media. They orchestrated this in a conspiracy with the WH and all should be fucking ARRESTED, my blog often ends news commentary with 'arrest them all'!


These co-conspiritors work with the Shadow Government to lie and decieve Americans. I grew up deep inside the CIA and spied on my own parents to find out what was going on and trust me, the government lies reflexively about nearly everything especially now that Bush is running things.


Fitzie could fix this mess if he spoke up but he wants to spook the leakers who let us know of the backroom doings of his little tin-pot crusade. Libby is the fall guy and he is going to be rewarded when Bush pardons him.


Rove knows too much and might squeal so they had to cut a deal and let him stay no matter what and we better all worry about a damn MILITARY COUP instead of Mr. Leopold's past drug use.


Geeze f-c in a can!


Wake up, every one!
Elaine Supkis | Homepage | 06.18.06 - 6:43 am | #

Frankly I'm worried about Jason, too, and I'm so mad at the Bush administration I'd like to personally skin all of them. Their worthless hides would look nice tacked up outside drying in the sun. There was never a time when our country was more in need of strong statesmen to defend liberty. I know one and am trying to get her to run for office, but I don't think she'll do it. Meanwhile, be on guard and learn any self defense you can if you aren't planning to move out of the country, because we aren't out of the woods with these communists yet.
Springtime~In~Baghdad | 06.18.06 - 6:48 am | #

As far as I know Fitzgerald nor his office has said that Rove will not be indicted. The only word we have is from Rove's attorney Luskin. On the same tack, David Shuster of Hardball also announced that Rove was going to be indicted.

Personally, I thought the piece in the WaPO was a juvenile hatchet job.
ann | 06.18.06 - 7:08 am | #

At least they acknowledge that they are a conservative leaning mainstream paper:
" I can only speculate that he either was trying to get a reaction and thought Corallo would be more likely to respond to a conservative-leaning mainstream paper"
rjv | 06.18.06 - 7:37 am | #

Lauria's article is typically Rovian--the personal smears and the assertions of professional misconduct--neither of which he backs up with actual facts. Read this piece closely, please, it's a public hanging on the square. And it attempts to inject doubt into reporting by the blogosphere ("they're amateurs and has-beens; pay attention to what we publish, instead").

I agree with the posters regarding Sealed v. Sealed--this administration will do anything to ensure that Rove is kept out of jail at least until the 06 elections are over.

I don't trust this administration or any of their lackeys (either inside or outside, including the MSM).

The hypocrisy of the WAPO, with its schmoozing reporters at the WH, is disgusting and misleads the public more than any mere blog journalist could do, after all.
Just Saying' | 06.18.06 - 7:43 am | #

This has Rove all over it! Many of us thought that it was possible it was Rove's camp who leaked the 'story' to Jason Leopold to make the liberal bloggers look untrustworthy. Funny how the WaPo is NOW talking about this because it's been a week since Rove's attorney came out and said Rove was going to be indicted. Here's the funny thing: Fitzgerald hasn't come forward to update the public on whether or not Rove will not be indicted! We trust him to do that, right? Well, I'm having this sneaking suspicion that Fitzgerald is prolonging this case so by the time the trials come around and if they're found guilty, Libby and the rest won't be able to spend much time in jail because Bush will pardon them all. Is Fitzgerald part of this circle of Evil in the White House? Could be.

Rove will do anything to win. I think Jason Leopold should release his sources...especially if they are connected to the Rove Monster. He needs to expose to the public what Rove and his minions are all about!
KayInMaine | Homepage | 06.18.06 - 8:01 am | #

John -- you, Markos, or Josh at TPM should really get an editorial on this piece -- the fact is that no major blog that I read believed Leopold. Even RawStory, who were dying for a lead like this.

It's a credibility moment for the blogs. And if there's one thing the blogs should 'go crazy' about, it's about being accused of a general lack of journalistic ethics, because as far as I'm concerned, the Post and the Times have demonstrated amply their complete lack of same, while the blogs have maintained a pretty hard line. After all, that's kind of the whole point.
Jeff in Providence | 06.18.06 - 8:23 am | #

How we all wanted it to be true about Rove though! There has been so much corruption coming out of the Bush Regime and from their minions in the House and Senate, that we wanted to one of them....any of them!...face justice!

We did question the validity of it especially when Fitzgerald didn't come out to tell the nation. An interesting note? He hasn't come out to say that Rove WON'T face indictment either!!

So, what is really going on? Rove trying to squash the online protest by the liberals? Yup!
KayInMaine | Homepage | 06.18.06 - 8:47 am | #

NBC's David Schuster also kept reporting that Rove most certainly would be indicted via Hardball on MSNBC.
Its a good thing that the Post is only a local rag in DC. Yea, I'm seeing Rove is getting around all over, with the reporting of "all the GOOD NEWS" regarding IRAQ and Bush's jump in the polls. Bush's poll numbers still suck and we are not buying it out here in America. I'm just glad that this spin is happening because I don't see anything good happening in Iraq this summer and neither does the administration. Thats why they've already named Zarqari's replacement, along with his picture, "memorize this name people", you're gonna be hearing alot about him in the next few months. Osama who?
Can't wait to see Frontline's PBS report about Dick Cheney's world of darkness Tuesday night. Spread the word about that program and expect Congress to really cut PBS funds to the bone on Wednesday.
Glenn McGahee | 06.18.06 - 9:39 am | #

As one of blogging's top "crazies" I am offended by this post.
Mark Spittle | Homepage | 06.18.06 - 9:51 am | #

"It's a credibility moment for the blogs. And if there's one thing the blogs should 'go crazy' about, it's about being accused of a general lack of journalistic ethics, because as far as I'm concerned, the Post and the Times have demonstrated amply their complete lack of same, while the blogs have maintained a pretty hard line. After all, that's kind of the whole point."

YES! Exactly! Thx for so eloquently phrasing it, Jeff.
Gray | 06.18.06 - 10:04 am | #

BREAKING NEWS
June 16/06


Lawyers and staff tied to the Fitzgerald Investigation are now in revolt. They are reporting that Karl Rove was indicted by the Grand Jury in Washington, D.C. for perjury and obstruction of justice and the indictments were recorded and handed to Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald.

It can now be reported that a Federal Magistrate (a Republican hack) expunged the indictments without objection from the Special Counsel in charge.

http://www.cloakanddagger.de/
Anonymous | 06.18.06 - 10:25 am | #

.....And there you have it.
Jason Leopold

Good enough for me.
afafkd | 06.18.06 - 10:48 am | #

I'm not ready to toss Leopold to the sharks. I don't think we know enough yet.
PW | Homepage | 06.18.06 - 10:54 am | #

You can't believe anything in WaPo or NYTimes....but Jason Leopold is demonized? I still believe him. They've called off the investigation...You don't hear anybody asking serious questions about that. The entire administration is guilty of treason and war crimes...and somebody is worried about internet ethics. McKinny is a wackjob because she thinks Palestenians are people who might be upset by Israel ssealing their land and killing them at will...financed by our tax dollars.Let's get real about ethics.
Kos banned Martha | Homepage | 06.18.06 - 10:56 am | #

Gawd. I just read the Lauria article. Whether it's true or not, it's so bad that it makes the WaPo look even worse than before. Lauria's article is really crappy stuff, without dignity. And talk about craving attention! Who is this guy!
PW | Homepage | 06.18.06 - 11:02 am | #

I am fascinated by how wide-ranging this thread is. Some conclusions I draw are:

1) Leopold derseves time to vindicate himself. It is plausible that he was misled or circumstances around the case may have secretly changed.

2) The messenger was attacked by Mr. Lauria. His sense of journalistic standards and personal ethics was offended. He used the Post as a platform, but doesn't speak for WaPo. It seems to me WaPo would grant space to respond in kind. If they do not, they will merely confirm what we already seem to have realized: it's mostly a propaganda sheet staffed by sometimes journalists who occasionally (but almost never intentionally) get a story right. Their bonus system seems to work against accuracy.

3) If you think KR is the source of attacks bloggers through surrogates, you can bet you are being distracted by paying attention to Leopold or Lauria. My bet that he has manuvered already for the wholesale destruction of free blogging via flanking strategies on Net Neutrality. How strong would a newspaper be if it couldn't get paper and ink?
cromulant | 06.18.06 - 11:07 am | #

A prime example of the pot calling the kettle black! Since when did The Washington Post stop being an unbelievable hack rag long enough to be worthy of criticizing anything? It must be hard to accept that people armed with nothing more than freedom of expression do a better job of conveying the news than they do, and that the faultering of newspapers' influence and relevance is their own damn fault.
Springtime~In~Baghdad | 06.18.06 - 11:22 am | #

I find it simply amazing that the White House trick of weaving off the misdeed by focusing discussions on the media's misreporting to distract the public from its criminal conduct still works after 6 years.

Jason Leopold published the Rove indictment story and I listened to Chris Matthews, and David Schuster say Rove would definitely be arrested probably that weekend, over and over as well.

While I would think stories about Judy Miller writing lies upon lies about WMDs in Iraq in order to instigate a senseless war might warrant calling her a liar again and again, but that did not happen.

That Rove sleazed out of the indictment in some way is surely not surprising. Because the Republicans control every branch of government this has become standard operating procedure with the Bush administration.

Again and again, they do whatever they please and walk away unpunished and that is the story.

We spent 10s of millions of dollars to find out what we knew to begin with when the investigation began, while the White House played a cat and mouse game with our tax dollars.

The story is that the President and Vice President of the United States and their gang of underlings disclosed the identity of a CIA agent working on WMDs, who was a 20 year career employee, at a time of war when the administration took this country to war under the fraudulent excuse of ridding Iraq of WMDs that never existed.

And it was done to retaliate against her husband for making allegations against the administration that were true.

People need to think about how this situation looks like to the rest of the civilized world and to current and future intelligence agents.

Reports by Jason Leopold, Chris Matthews and David Schuster about Rove's imminent arrest are not the story; the blatant illegal conduct by traitors in the highest level of our government is the story.

If we want to focus on lies that harmed us lets rehash all the lies force-fed to us by the media that got us into a war where our young people are still being slaughtered day in and day out.

Those reporters are worthy of the attention as well as the title of liars.

Evelyn Pringle
Evelyn Pringle | 06.18.06 - 11:26 am | #

And while I'm taking up more than my share of space in this discussion (sorry), I'd like to add I've been depending on this investigation to be a gateway to more probing investigations about more serious lawbreaking by the Bush administration, despite the indescribable harm this incident has done--and it is a very serious thing. Congress won't do it, and we don't have many venues left. I accuse the Bush administration of treason and obstruction of justice. Credit where credit is due.
Springtime~In~Baghdad | 06.18.06 - 11:33 am | #

This is why I love Americablog. John and his readers don't take the easy way out in this case by jumping all over Leopold. Usually they see through the bullshit. I liked Lepold's writing and I'm not willing to condemn him based on the Washington Post. On some of the blogs, a lot of so called liberals are gleefully dismissing the man and by association William Rivers Pitt. I read Pitt when he was one of the only voices out there(he was fiercely against the war) and he'd have to do a lot more than stick up for Leopold to lose me.
PacificCoaster | 06.18.06 - 11:52 am | #

dun ta da da daaaaaaaaaa...
the Commie Post strikes again!
DKarma | 06.18.06 - 1:05 pm | #

ya know, folks, truthout boasts a number of very strong folks, and they as a staff are standing by leopold's story. for what it's worth.

and it should be worth something, given that the only new info we have on this whole story is an incredibly waffly statement by rove's lawyer that has been somehow spun to mean that rove is completley off the hook.

read that announcement again; it does NOT say rove is free and clear, NOR DOES IT SAY ROVE IS INNOCENT.

don't you think that, if fitz had told luskin that rove was completely free and clear, they'd be using all manner of definitive language, along with profuse champagne corking and confetti flying? the two of them are NOT; the minions are, but they are NOT.

be very very careful here, folks. be wary that we don't get roved along with the msm. we really need to be more scrutinizing than this. all we have right now is what luskin carefully selected from whatever fitz did tell him.

and we have the knowledge that rove is the maestro at spinning such info for his own needs. so, take note. the info is spun just so, and the msm take it an run with the hyperbole that rove is off the hook. now we have, based on that extreme analysis, folks openly expecting bush to pardon libby based on rove's new status. (while i actually question whether rove's status is really all that different than where it was last week.)

in any case, as for leopold's story, we would be highly remiss if we forgot the nature of such stings in rove's past, e.g., dan rather. if memory serves, THE CORE FACT IN THAT STORY - THAT W GOT THE GRAVY NG ASSIGNMENT BECAUSE OF HIS DADDY, AND HE THEREBY COULD DODGE THE DRAFT AND THE WAR - WAS **TRUE**. rove's cunning simply creates a distraction scandal that discredits the source, AND the core truth of the story gets lost and undermined in the process.

this case is not over till fitz says it is. but in the meantime, check out all the rovian results we are getting in the msm, AND in the liberal blogosphere. in fact, if you read luskin's interview in the ny observer, and rove's recent comments, you'll see these snakes have launched an all out war on liberal bloggers.

rove is comparing conservative bloggers - those who have benefitted from the opportunity for discussion and growth - with liberal bloggers, who use it to spew anger and hatred. talk about projection. which happens to be one of his favorite tools; blame your opponent of your own crimes so their defense of that's not me, that's you' looks silly.

in addition, rove and luskin have set up a remarkably gutsy switch to a love affair with the msm. to hear luskin tell the story, rove was only in jeopardy in the eyes of the liberal bloggers. he praises the msm for doing their best under such pressure from the msm.

talk about a flip flop. and talk about strange bedfellows. watch the myriad ways in which the administration uses this newfound love of the msm industry to go after liberal blogging. can you say 'sedition laws'? i knew you could.

all the while, everyone seems to have forgotten all the info that has come out through filings that rove knew a lot more than he admitted to, and so did a whole host of others in the WH, including cheney.

is this the way several convictions for felonies in iran-contra fizzled into the mist and reagan went on to be our 'fave' prez, despite the biggest scandal in our history?

again, folks, we have to get really cagey about these events, and stoning our own without appropriate scrutiny is NOT going to do us good service. never forget that rove is not beneath using our own honesty and self-scrutiny against us. not to mention our understandable need to establish credibility. we really have to be ready to see this guy's hand in every questionable event that comes down the pike. precisely because he is determined to have his hand in everything that comes down the pike.

rove took a look at what happened in LVNV, and how the liberal blogosphere was likely the ONLY reason his case stayed in the public consciousness, and concocted a clever way to undermine the power he saw there. the good news is he finds it formidable enough to attack. the bad news is, you have to make yourself think like this scumbag in order to beat him before he wakes up in the morning.

pay attention; don't get roved again!
lll | 06.18.06 - 2:34 pm | #

The Post. What a joke.

I still believe Leopold was onto something and he got "rathered".
There is more to this and our problem is we arent priviledged to it.

Who of us would have been allowed to have Luskin and Rove come in time and again until the emperor was in proper attire?

My thoughts? Fitz allowed Rove to testify till he got it right. Personally I feel the sealed vs. sealed is something that will be pardoned and the details never disclosed. Sort of a ruse to keep us quiet.

When Bush starts pardoning Cunningham, Abraham, Libby and others, it is going to resemble a human rendition of a Chip and Dale cartoon.

Last, in all of this, what actually struck me odd and angered me were the "liberals'" reaction to Jason's story when the indictment didn't transpire. The attacks on his history with mental illness and drugs, both issues Mr. Leopold has been so honest about, were so upsetting. Good God, who are we anymore?
Sandy | 06.18.06 - 2:36 pm | #

Leopold was well and truly Rathered, by Rove.
No Blood for Hubris | Homepage | 06.18.06 - 4:03 pm | #

Very good serious dialogue on this thread. The Houston Choronicle had a headline this morning, Despite Rove being cleared, Bush mum on details. President, who pledged to reveal all, now calls it 'a chapter that has ended'

Remember, the White House, which at first promised to get to the bottom of the "outting" of Valerie Plame, then used the excuse they couldn't comment because the "case was ongoing". IF there is no indictment, why cannot they comment now???

"Rove isn't giving interviews. Former spokesman Scott McClellan is gone from the White House. What about Bush?

In July 2005, Bush said he was eager to tell all, but the ongoing investigation made it impossible.

Now that it looks like the investigation into Rove is complete, Bush has had a change of heart.

"It's a chapter that has ended," Bush told reporters Wednesday. Later the same day, Bush made clear that he had no interest in returning to the matter.

"I've made the comments I'm going to make about this incident, and I'm going to put this part of the situation behind us and move forward," Bush said.

But what about those pledges to provide a transparent accounting of what happened?"

http://www.chron.com/disp/story....on/ 3977601.html
.
Grant in Houston | 06.18.06 - 5:31 pm | #

Did I miss something?

"...One last note on former CIA Analyst Larry Johnson's comment on Democratic Underground that Joseph Wilson received the same information as Jason: Some have questioned whether Larry really wrote the comment, or whether it was an imposter. I e-mailed Larry, and he responded, indeed it was him. He added,

Joe heard the same things but not from Jason. If these multiple sources are lying then I certainly hope Jason outs their a*s.

http://talkleft.com/new_archives...ves/ 014842.html

Did I miss a follow-up posting after Leopold was attacked? -- Has anyone gone back to either Larry Johnson or Joe Wilson to clarify THEIR side of the story?
SandThroughTheEyeglass | 06.18.06 - 5:59 pm | #

All the flying speculations and assumptions in the world will not garner the Truth of the matter.
It might give you a little insight to know that the TruthOut forum went under heavy troll attack with all this foofaraw. The Rovian's I would guess, of course, sent in quite a pack of low level trolls who swarmed the place for a couple days or so, then by later yesterday they seemed to be clearing out, leaving behind tons of droppings..... This seems though to have been a tactic of mass distraction so that folks might not notice the more "sophisticated" trolls who slipped in under the cover of the chaos stirred up by the swarm of novice trolls. These more trained and practiced trolls are there yet, plying their trade.

What IS "Liberal" and "Leftie" in blogland??? Is this a classification denoting people who toss their own any time one comes under attack by the RRwingnuts??? Is this how they would be "better" than the criminals now in charge???

There is a whole string of possible reasons "why" for just about anything and everything to do with the whole case, or set of possible cases, being handled by Fitz and the Grand Jury. Everywhere I keep seeing people saying, "If it isn't THIS, then it must be THAT, just like those dadgum 2-dimensional flatworld black and white ultimatumist neocons and neorepubs! Are you walking and talking and dressing just alike them too???

There are also a number of very valid reasons why Jason Leopold cannot come out and SAY just what at this point, though if any of you dissers even had a thinking cap to put on, SURELY you would have thought of that. Really, its a no-brainer sort of thing to realize!

Perhaps, if people on the "blog Left" were actually what they so like claiming to be, they would drop in over at TruthOut and show SUPPORT! Perhaps instead, they are too chickenshat, afraid Rovies might get their number and come after them too??? If you can't support one of your own, what WILL you do when they come after you??? Perhaps your memory will be too short to remember that YOU didn't give support to others, so why then should you GET support from others???

Well, enough of that, hunh?!
I believe it will all come out in the wash for Jason, Marc and TruthOut. Learn to recognize that "something's fishy" smell, there's an awful lot more yet to come before we get ourselves, our country and the world OUT of this RoveCheneyBushco hellluvaMESS. We'd best learn to stick together and watch each other's backs!
(-:G
G Achin | Homepage | 06.18.06 - 6:17 pm | #

when Hatfield came out and admitted KARL ROVE fed him the Bush coke arrest story, within 2 WEEKS Hatfield was DEAD right after the FBI visited him and muscled him, pretty much telling him to commit suicide or his whole family would be dragged through the MSM gutter.


Still pisses the holy hell out of me. It was in July right after he published a story about planes attacking America in the near future.


They want Leopold to "suicide". It ticks me off to see leftist bloggers tossing him under the wheels of the Rove Express.


Trust not anyone connected with the mainstream media. They are part of the RULING CLASS!!!!
Elaine Supkis | Homepage | 06.18.06 - 6:55 pm | #

Would somebody please reference the actual tangible evidence that Leopold is wrong... all that anyone has (and you all fucking ran with it) is the word of an Rove's attorney. No statement from Fitzgerald, no letter...

5 easy pieces:

1.) Kill Zarqawi.

2.) Clear Rove.

3.) Produce document showing failing insurgency.

4.) Quick photo op in Baghdad.

5.)Start blaming Democrats for undermining war effort.

None of them require anything in the way of resources. Not a one based in reality.

They simply gamble that the truth won't come out until it's too late. And you are playing right into their fucking hand.


I really don't understand everyone's problem with Leopold... what, is he not gay? Geez.
Vote your desire. | 06.18.06 - 7:49 pm | #

Maybe "Sealed vs Sealed" will be UNsealed after the November elections!
Grant in Houston | 06.18.06 - 9:02 pm | #

Grant in Houston

Yes, indeedy!

Actually, I'm looking forward eagerly to Sealed vs. Leaked -- sometime before Christmas.

Okay, it won't exactly be "Fitzmas" -- an event which, for some reason, I never fully believed would come to pass -- as they say in the bible and in fairy tales.

I've always felt that if ever there were a greased pig who could slither and slide his way out of a Fitzgerald indictment, it was that giant rotting-rancid slab of bacon, Karl Rove!

Still, if that which is "Sealed" should become that which is "Leaked" sometime down the road, the revelation will, at the very least, satisfy my mystery-lover's curiosity.

I just hope it's good! ;)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sarah B. | 06.18.06 - 11:20 pm | #

Who freaking cares about WAPO and NYTimes!

They are bush fascists regime tools, and I don't give them any credibility. They are grabbing at straws because they know the internet is going to save America from these nazi-type entities.

They can write whatever the heck they want, but they have ZERO credibility. NADA!

And they are jealous of the blogs. Big time.

Because the BLOGS have, are, and will continue to kill the MSM star.
;-/
FunMe | 06.18.06 - 11:22 pm | #

you guys rock. you should see what the people at Kos are doing to Pitt, Jason, Marc Ash, Larissa A., Truth Out, Rawstory, and anyone who has ever passed Jason in the street and said hello. i don't understand this:(
moody | 06.20.06 - 4:12 am | #