The WaPo has a sympathetic look at the winsome and demure Ms. Plame that discusses the terrible toll the revelation of her CIA connection has taken, without ever mentioning once Richard Armitage.
Rick Ballard and associated vast right-wing conspirators at American Thinker have an excellent article up about the “show trial” of “Ambassador Munchausen’s” wife, with a much better list of questions than the ones we came up with here.
Wuzzadem is to transparent the incident Plame, I cogitate.
Another Danish scientist dismisses global warming as ‘myth’–no word of death threats yet. Melanie Phillips has related thoughts on ”post-Normal Science.” Vaclav Klaus weighs in: Environmentalism Religion, not Science.
As KSM makes clear, bin Laden and his acolytes declared “war” on the U.S. in his fatwa of 1998, a fact the U.S. only figured out on September 11. He professes to regret the death of women and children, but calls such indiscriminate killing “the language of any war” and justified by his religious motivation.
Kagan wonders if the WaPo has a backup strategy if The Surge works:
Four months later, the once insurmountable political opposition has been surmounted. The nonexistent troops are flowing into Iraq. And though it is still early and horrible acts of violence continue, there is substantial evidence that the new counterinsurgency strategy, backed by the infusion of new forces, is having a significant effect.
NYT on US Attorney firings, claims voter fraud fraud:
In partisan Republican circles, the pursuit of voter fraud is code for suppressing the votes of minorities and poor people. By resisting pressure to crack down on “fraud,†the fired United States attorneys actually appear to have been standing up for the integrity of the election system.
Yeah, it would be kind of like being concerned about the behavior of the Flying Imams to investigate allegations of voter fraud, because it’s not about that–it’s all about their hidden agenda to suppress other people’s rights. I’ve read a lot of stuff that’s pissed me off in the NYT, but this earns them a big Collins “fuck you.”
Rick Moran is less vulgar about it, but more effective. (h/t Dale)
Steve Shields provides me with links to Stefan Sharkansky writing on dismissed US Attorney McKay apparently overlooking some glaring irregularities here, here, here and here.
Girl finds missing dog’s head in box at house (missing modifies dog, in this case, though I know you’re going to argue the point)
KSM: I cut it off with my blessed right hand!
Speaking of Jack Bauer:
Bush ‘forced false confession’ from al-Qaida chief
From Dan Savage’s to-do list: Fuck Garrison Keillor
That Grauniad article is an eye opener, even if doesn’t offer anything exactly new.
I should send an application to the NYT. Think I’ve got a future in copy editing?
My favorite movie.
Can’t tell if Arthur Miller will be rolling in his grave as “Abigail” Plame talks of “familiar spirits” being sent to destroy her.
Rick Moran nails it in Rightwing Nuthouse
http://rightwingnuthouse.com/archives/2007/03/16/scandal-hysteria-grips-the-capitol/
Gonzales ought to go. This was a simple one. But the WH is to blame for not being more aggressive. (There’s a shock!)
“These public servants serve at the President’s pleasure. They weren’t giving him pleasure. They’re out. Yeah, he knew about it. Rove knew about it. We all knew about it. The US Attys were failing at prosecuting voter fraud and illegal immigrants, so we whacked them. End of story.”
Like these early a.m. posts – I don’t think I realized what a good job you were doing with these until Glenn went on his hiatus or whatever – but it’s not just a good filter, what you’re doing, but a smart exercise in dayparting as well –
I don’t think she’s winsome. I think she’s vapid.
To put you in a better mood, Dan, Ireland yesterday tied with Zimbabwe in the World Cup. Conscious that there may be a shortage of Zimbabweans for you to mock in Vermont, I have given the ones here a special going-over.
Thanks, happyfeet. I feel like I’m setting the table, since my computer’s in the shop right now, so I can only post from work.
You’d be surprised, maybe, furriskey, at the number of Somalis we’ve got in Vermont, and Chechens. But yes, Zimbabweans–is it that shameful to tie Ireland?
I’m sorry, but when I read comments about government employees “giving [the President] pleasure,” I get flashbacks to a previous president.
I think interns do it pro bono.
The WH and Justice Dept. have given numerous excuses
for firing the attorneys and they’ve both been caught lying by their own document dump. It’s obvious they were trying to politicze these offices. It’s also pretty obvious they saw doing that as an integral part of building Rove’s McKinleyesque Republican majority for the foreseeable future he was talking about after the 2004 elections.
US Attys were failing to prosecute voter fraud because they found nothing to prosecute. These are Republican lawyers appointed by the Republican president. He has the right to hire and fire them. He does not have the right to dictate they gin up partisan witchhunts or file desirable indictments or quash undesirable ones.
Did you read Patterico on the timeline?
Do you believe the Times when they say that voter fraud is Republicanese for voter suppression?
Would investigating that, or the practice of catch and release 13x for illegal aliens constitute an investigation as important as the Plame one?
and yet Fitzgerald remains.
Boob.
From the WaPo piece on Plame:
Waxman has now twice referred to Plame as “covert” in the first minute of the hearing. Libby will be surprised to know that old Henry is in his corner.
OK, now Valerie just said she was covert. And she says she was exposed by Adminitration officials, via the Novak article.
What the over/under on an Armitage mention? I’m thinking it’s got to be at least 10 minutes, because Valerie isn’t going to say it.
tw: perhaps95, maybe more.
She’s got balls the size of Texas.
Re: The Global Church of Warming: ‘Tis Vaclav Klaus, not Havel.
Sorry, Squid. I’ll fix it.
Ah, the old, ‘The documents meant what I say they meant because it dovetails with what I think they must mean given my opinion going in on how they must mean everything they say, and not what the documents actually say’ gambit.
Seeing as how they are political appointments rather than elected offices…
Immediately obvious to the most casual observer.
Which is the expected outcome when you don’t put enough into investigating same, which is what the ‘document dump’ mentioned above actually indicates. And which begs the question about illegal immigration…
Yes
Yes
No, he doesn’t. But then, there’s no indication that he did. It was Joe Wilson.
What do I gotta do to get Karl Rove to ruin my life?
Why is it not a travesty that one must show photo ID to buy Sudafed? Surely the old and “the poor” must suffer from nasal congestion at least as often as they vote?
Her career was ruined when it came out that she pushed that an unqualified person, her husband, make a trip to Africa to investigate a matter of the most vital interest to US security. The brouhaha that followed is irrelevent in assessing her professional judgement in sending her husband. Hard to see her career boomimg along after that.
Oh, and she was not fired from the CIA. Her decision on that.
Still, it’s always heartwarming to see Mom point out that missy’s Olympic hopes were squashed by that god damn coach.
She just testified that the disclosure did not preclude her further employment. Which is beside the fact that she was precluded from ever doing deep cover work by the suspicion that Aldrich Ames had given her up a decade ago.
Pesky facts.
What makes you think Joe Wilson was unqualified to check out the Niger story, JPT?
Seems to me like he had the perfect cover and connections to do the job.
What makes you think he did?
Ditto.
That’s categorical, but it certainly doesn’t fadge with other versions.
Joe Wilson was a former diplomat who served in Niger and is currently an international business consultant.
Doesn’t get much better than that.
Why is it not a travesty that one must show photo ID to buy Sudafed? Surely the old and “the poor†must suffer from nasal congestion at least as often as they vote?
Or, buy a beer. Or do any number of things. Cash a check; go to any poor part of town, and you will see a million of those check-cashing joints, I’m gonna assume they demand some sort of ID. Michigan offers “personal identification” cards for $10.
I’d be really interested to know how many people have absolutely NO FORM of ID.
What puzzles one, though, alphie, is that we have people on record as saying that Plame said that he also had tight connections with French operations in Niger, yet here she is categorically denying that she even suggested him going. So, y’know . . . what are the odds?
From American Thinker
Here’s the confused account from Wikipedia.
The major problem of nepotism is that it results in unqualified or lesser qualified people getting positions to which their own reputation and achievements would not have entitled them.
Irony meter, pegged.
American Thinker, the site run by the wife of Power Line’s Scott Johnson?
CPD (and documents) told the Congressional Committee that his wife “had offered up his name,” just as she had on a previous occasion in 1999. (see Page 4 of PDF)
nepotism, alphie, learn with me, ok?
nep·o·tism (nÄ•p’É™-tÄÂz’É™m)
n.
1) Favoritism shown or patronage granted to relatives, as in business.
2) Another word or concept that alphie doesn’t understand.
Course it does.
Any diplomat serving in Niger at the time would have been a better choice for Plame by your logic. Wouldn’t you agree?
Hmmm…well, alphie, nepotism is legal in some context, and illegal in others. I’ll leave the screwing-up of conclusions over to you.
I am kind of curious as to what alphie considers “cover”.
Or “perfect”, for that matter.
The then current ambassador to Niger did indeed do her own investigation and came to the same conclusion Wilson did, JPT.
Was Wilson’s trip to Niger some fantastic perk, Start?
Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking last on the United Nations Development Fund index of human development.
Hardly a golf junket to Scotland, was it?
When the other side considers the possibility that Joe Wilson is on a mission for the CIA, they all look at each other, laugh and say, “Yeah, right.”
What better cover could there be? Especially since all of the Three Stooges have long since passed away.
You mean when she was debriefed by CIA analysts they were left convinced that Iraq had indeed sought to buy yellowcake? Because that’s what happened with Wilson. He changed his story for public consumption as the 2004 election loomed.
He does…and when I read his opening paragraph..
…I couldn’t help but think of Atlas Shrugged. Scary times my friends. Scary times indeed.
Say, speaking of Danish scientists who say global warming is a myth…
If some imam were to pronounce that the whole global warming theory is a direct attack on the prophet Muhammed (PBUH), which might lead his followers to express their own views out on the streets, the Left would drop the issue in a second. That may not be a good idea, but it’s fun to contemplate.
okay, I’ve followed the link, and I’m not seeing where he mentions his wife. what gives? or is Scott Johnson married to Thomas Lifson?
Hardly a golf junket to Scotland, was it?
Who has claimed that Wilson’s trip was some sort of a junket?
Oh, right, no one.
You’ve hit the nail on the head, alphie, old boy. The tea I sipped at the hotel during my investigationn was execrable! It was positively a Bataan death march. And don’t get me started on the sheets’ thread count!
Mary Davenport is married to Thomas Lifson, not Scott Johnson. Reading is fundamental, idiot meter pegged.
Maggie,
Mary Davenport (my spouse)
Carin,
Charges of nepotism usually are made when someone benefits.
A trip to the world’s poorest country is hardly a benefit.
The part in question is where Johnson is quoting Thomas Lifson describing the blog, dipshit.
Oops,
My bad.
I was wrong about Mary Davenport.
See, it’s pretty easy to admit a mistake.
And how much cash has he parlayed that little escapade into?
tw: Do tell88
Tell it to your parents.
Carin,
Charges of nepotism usually are made when someone benefits.
A trip to the world’s poorest country is hardly a benefit.
It’s hardly a material benefit. Let me think … how could it have been a benefit? This is a toughie.
First, I do not think “qualifications” means what Alphie thinks it means.
Second, Plame continues to lie about who reocmmended Wilson for the job, when the 9-11 committee already determined it was Plame. So Plame is actively committing pejrury. Where’s Patrick !@#@ing Fitzgerald when you need him ?
Third, Wilson was a political hack, who was recommeded by his wife on the basis of his “contacts” in the area, which were apparently a decade old. When he completed his “mission”, he was debriefed by the CIA then completely changed his story (again, determined by comparing the 9-11 commision version of his debriefing with Wilson’s NYT op-ed.).
If you think Wilson was qualified to present unbiased information to the CIA and the administration, you have more than one screw loose.
I know, duh.
Just think of how much easier it’ll be after you get some practice!
Why not just admit you don’t like Plame and Wilson because they make the Bush administration look bad and leave it at that?
If you can read my mind THAT well, read…this.
But wait. That means you like Val. And in her opening statement she proudly points out that she was specially trained to go overseas and deceive people into stealing their secrets to gain an advantage in the War on Terror. She said she loves her country and she serves loyally.
If you like her, that means you condone all the tactics that the CIA uses and therefore you condone lying, torture, murder, kidnapping, torture, etc.
……..torturer.
I dunno. Some people go on “tourist trips” to Cambodia. Not that I am suggesting former Ambassador Wilson had any leanings of that sort.
It is at cricket, yes. Zimbabwe is supposed to be a Test nation, whereas Ireland is more of a “who’s brought the feckin’ bat” nation. It was a moment that will live in history. Even if half the Irishmen were Australians.
(Which seems fair enough, as about half of Australians were Irish.)
“The then current ambassador to Niger did indeed do her own investigation and came to the same conclusion Wilson did, JPT. “
Which conclusion? Wilson provided at least two. The one that he gave to the Senate intelligence Committee differed slightly from what he told the NYT. Please specify.
BWAH HA HA Haaaaa. I even gave him a hint. oh well.
Given that there was already an Ambassador in Niger, what was the purpose in sending an ex-Ambassador with no knowledge of nuclear materials to have a look at the place?
Why not just admit you hate Bush so much you’ll even pretend to support frauds like Joe & Val?
Victoria Toensing is making Bif Van Hollen and Caves Waxman look like a couple of high school debaters.
She did? Breaking news?
Don’t you think Wilson should have gotten out into the countryside?
Don’t you think that subsequent events have shown Plame and Wilson to be proven liars and argue from that position?
Did Saddam have a nuke program, JPT?
If he did, that’s news to everyone, including poor, sad George W.
Well, yes, he did. Why would you say he didn’t?
Well, no, it’s news to you maybe, but not to any other informed individual.
Ok, quit the scary crap. That “post-normal” link was almost mroe than I could take.
I will admit that I never learned the importance of the socialization of scientific facts in either chemistry, mathematics, or physics at a college level… I guess this is new bullshit?
Facts are nice, but how we feel makes a bigger difference in the science (I think is what he said), so we should ignore scientists if they disagree with us (as a whole) and simply presume they’re wrong regardless of any factual evidence.
“although science will gain some insights into the question if it recognises the socially contingent dimensions of a post-normal science.” … ow, what the hell was that?
“What matters about climate change is not whether we can predict the future with some desired level of certainty and accuracy; it is whether we have sufficient foresight, supported by wisdom, to allow our perspective about the future, and our responsibility for it, to be altered.”
Extra credit will be presented for finding some glimmer of meaning in the previous sentence. Using real words rather than making shit up is requried for this credit.
“All of us alive today have a stake in the future, and so we should all play a role in generating sufficient, inclusive and imposing knowledge about the future.”
… and all of us alive today have a stake in the future of Medicine… SO I expect EVERYONE to play a role in a heart surgery next week.
“Climate change is too important to be left to scientists – least of all the normal ones”
And Medicine is too important to leave to doctors. Let me do that brain surgery… how hard could it be? Years of study, balderdash, I’m sure I can manage… what does this thingy do?
Do people get paid for mangling the understanding of language, science, and logic?
Gekkobear–
Why, yes . . . they do.
Well, little “a” & markg8 do it here for free, though to be honest, logic rarely if ever applies to their comments. But they make up for the lack the loack of logic w/ tone, I mean tons of mangling.
American Thinker, the site run by the wife of Power Line’s Scott Johnson?
?? Thom Lifson the wife of Scott Johnson?
What have you been drinking?