The Plame Investigation and Mr. Rove

There is no question in my mind that the Fitzgerald (the special prosecutor investigating the Valerie Plame uncovering) will definitely dredge up some dirt regarding the role that Karl Rove had in the outing of an undercover CIA agent. Just look at the change in White House Press briefings from 2003 to now.

From NBC News. Meet the Press

MR. RUSSERT: "That person will be taken care of." A week after that, Scott McClellan talked to the White House press corps and the American people. David Gregory of NBC News asked him the following question.

(Videotape, October 7, 2003):

MR. DAVID GREGORY: You have said that you personally went to Scooter Libby, Karl Rove and Elliott Abrams to ask them if they were the leakers. Is that what happened? Whey did you do that? And can you describe the conversations you had with them? What was the question you asked them?

MR. SCOTT McCLELLAN (White House Press Secretary): Yeah. They are good individuals. They are important members of our White House team, and that's why I spoke with them so that I could come back to you and say that they were not involved. I had no doubt with--of that in the beginning, but I like to check my information to make sure it's accurate before I report back to you, and that's exactly what I did.

Look at the responses to questions pertaining to the investigation now:

Q Scott, you know what, to make a general observation here, in a previous administration, if a press secretary had given the sort of answers you've just given in referring to the fact that everybody who works here enjoys the confidence of the President, Republicans would have hammered them as having a kind of legalistic and sleazy defense. I mean, the reality is that you're parsing words, and you've been doing it for a few days now. So does the President think Karl Rove did something wrong, or doesn't he?

MR. McCLELLAN: No, David, I'm not at all. I told you and the President told you earlier today that we don't want to prejudge the outcome of an ongoing investigation. And I think we've been round and round on this for two days now.


McClellan will not answer any questions pertaining to Karl Rove or even any generic questions about if the President's previous remark about "taking the appropriate action" (meaning removal from office) against any and all leakers will be implemented. Where did the previous statement of "they are not involved" go? Either Rove and co. lied to McClellan or McClellan lied to the press, and anyway the end result screams cover-up.

Rove will be implicated in the investigation as "the" or "one of" the source(s). He probably can beat the criminal charges, but the circumstantial evidence is overwhelming. Anyway the GOP tries to spin it, Rove was wrong and should be fired. Undercover CIA agents should not have their identities revealed for petty political gain.