LALARRY

I Know You Were Wondering..

Yes, Irving "Scooter" Libby is a MOT

from JTA:

Libby resigns over leak

Lewis Libby, a member of Temple Rodef Shalom in northern Virginia, resigned as Vice President Dick Cheney’s top adviser after he was indicted for perjury. Libby was charged with lying to a federal grand jury considering possible charges in the leaking of a CIA operative’s name two years ago. Libby resigned last Friday, as soon as the indictment was announced. The operative, Valerie Plame, is married to Joseph Wilson, a critic of the Bush administration’s decision to go to war in Iraq.

quote of the week

"we've been attacked by the intelligent educated segment of our culture"

Pastor from Dover PA scene of the intelligent design trial

from an article in the current issue of Esquire:

Greetings from Idiot America
CREATIONISM. INTELLIGENT DESIGN. FAITH-BASED THIS. TRUST-YOUR-GUT THAT. THERE'S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO ESPOUSE, PROFIT FROM, AND BELIEVE IN UTTER, UNADULTERATED CRAP. AND THE CRAP IS RISING SO HIGH, IT'S GETTING DANGEROUS

Best Comic Move on Friday TV

...watching Sean Hannity and ex Cheney aide Mary Matalan complain about an overzealous prosecutor, assigned to investigate a crime, who then after an expensive 2  yr investigation, brought forth no indictment on that crime, but dragged in the mud and embarrassed the family of someone who has spent his career serving the public for a "mere" charge of lying to a grand jury.

even oreilly had the decency to point out that it is almost exactly what happened to clinton

in case you forgot Starr's assignment was to investigate the Whitewater real estate deal

I guess Sean dozed off during this part of Mr. Fitzgerald's news conference:

QUESTION: Mr. Fitzgerald, the Republicans previewed some talking points in anticipation of your indictment and they said that if you didn't indict on the underlying crimes and you indicted on things exactly like you did indict -- false statements, perjury, obstruction -- these were, quote/unquote, "technicalities," and that it really was over reaching and excessive.

And since, when and if they make those claims, now that you have indicted, you won't respond, I want to give you an opportunity now to respond to that allegation which they may make. It seems like that's the road they're going down.

FITZGERALD: And I don't know who provided those talking points. I assume...

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

FITZGERALD: I'm not asking -- OK.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

FITZGERALD: I'll be blunt.

That talking point won't fly. If you're doing a national security investigation, if you're trying to find out who compromised the identity of a CIA officer and you go before a grand jury and if the charges are proven -- because remember there's a presumption of innocence -- but if it is proven that the chief of staff to the vice president went before a federal grand jury and lied under oath repeatedly and fabricated a story about how he learned this information, how he passed it on, and we prove obstruction of justice, perjury and false statements to the FBI, that is a very, very serious matter

Columnist Rober Scheer appearing on NPRs Left RIght and Center called attention to this provocative part of Fitzgerald's news conference

QUESTION: In the end, was it worth keeping Judy Miller in jail for 85 days in this case? And can you say how important her testimony was in producing this indictment?

FITZGERALD: Let me just say this: No one wanted to have a dispute with the New York Times or anyone else. We can't talk generally about witnesses. There's much said in the public record.

FITZGERALD: I would have wished nothing better that, when the subpoenas were issued in August 2004, witnesses testified then, and we would have been here in October 2004 instead of October 2005. No one would have went to jail.

in other words the top aide to the VP who also holds the position of senior adviser to the Prez (same rank as NSC head) would have been indicted for perjury a month before the 2004 election !!!!

thanks for nothing Judy Miller !!!

Cover for your source (Libby) who helped you sell the Iraq war until Fitzgerald calls you back in with documentation ( a visitors log to the VPs office) hat you were lying about your contacts with him. Facing the prospect of a long jail term, you "find" an additional notebook with notes about that meeting, check with Libby one more time that it's ok if you flip on him and save your butt. Then tell the prosecutor what you could have told him in August 2004. So much for journalistic principle.

A Little Late for This One Mr Prez

from the NYDN

...Presidential advisers and friends say Bush is a mass of contradictions: cheerful and serene, peevish and melancholy, occasionally lapsing into what he once derided as the "blame game." They describe him as beset but unbowed, convinced that history will vindicate the major decisions of his presidency even if they damage him and his party in the 2006 and 2008 elections.

At the same time, these sources say Bush, who has a long history of keeping staffers in their place, has lashed out at aides as his political woes have mounted.

"The President is just unhappy in general and casting blame all about," said one Bush insider. "Andy [Card, the chief of staff] gets his share. Karl gets his share. Even Cheney gets his share. And the press gets a big share."

The vice president remains Bush's most trusted political confidant. Even so, the Daily News has learned Bush has told associates Cheney was overly involved in intelligence issues in the runup to the Iraq war that have been seized on by Bush critics. (!!!!!)

Does that mean (ex top aide to Colin Powell) Wilkerson's characterization of a "cabal" of Cheney, Condi and Rummy that ignored the Defense, intelligence and State professional staff was correct ?

and/or

that ex NSC Chief Snowcroft is correct in his assessment of Dick in this week's New Yorker

“I consider Cheney a good friend—I’ve known him for thirty years. But Dick Cheney I don’t know anymore.” What does that say about Cheney’s role in the White House now?

Jewish Holiday Hiatus

returning soon (maybe even today). Please check in again soon.