WP: At Hearing, Plame Rebukes Bush Administration

[rodeodance]

At Hearing, Plame Rebukes Bush Administration
CIA Operative Says Her Cover Was 'Recklessly' Abused

By William Branigin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 16, 2007; 2:24 PM

Valerie Plame, the CIA officer whose leaked identity triggered a federal investigation that reached into the White House, today publicly refuted claims that she was not a covert employee and accused the White House and State Department of "carelessly and recklessly" destroying her cover for political purposes.

In sworn testimony before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Plame described publicly for the first time the circumstances that brought her to the attention of senior Bush administration officials and the effect that the leak of her CIA employment and identity had on her.


"I felt like I had been hit in the gut," Plame said of the moment she learned her name and agency affiliation had been published in a July 14, 2003, column by Robert D. Novak. The conservative columnist attributed the information to two senior administration officials, who were later identified in court as Richard L. Armitage, then the deputy secretary of state, and Karl Rove, a senior adviser to President Bush who currently serves as his deputy chief of staff.

"I could no longer perform the work for which I had been highly trained," the willowy blonde former CIA officer told the committee. "I could no longer travel overseas or do the work . . . which I loved. It was done."

.......
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/16/AR2007031600276.html

[Rhiannon12866]

1. K&R. Important story.

My only question is, if this was a man, would they have described him as a "willowy blonde?":-(

[beltanefauve]

2. ARRRRRGH!

"I could no longer perform the work for which I had been highly trained," the willowy blonde former CIA officer told the committee. C'mon, was this description REALLY necessary and in context to the story??? And is it so vital that we know Nancy Pelosi is "svelte" and wears Armani suits for that matter? Why must the MSN continue to objectify women like that??? :mad:

[kath]

5. I noticed that, too.

And it made me :puke: :puke:

[Canuckistanian]

7. You never hear "the overweight Karl Rove"

Or "the wraithlike Jean Schmidt".

[DebbieCDC]

11. Wraithlike Jean Schmidt?

More like RINGwraith-like (with apologies to JRR Tolkien)

[Canuckistanian]

13. They used her as the model

Like Marilyn Monroe was for Tinkerbell

[MurrayDelph]

15. That is a long-held myth

the actual model was a woman named Margaret Kerry

[Canuckistanian]

16. I know

But it suited my attempted comedic purposes.

[KansDem]

17. Or the "simianesque George W. Bush" (eom)

[Straight Shooter]

9. Trying to find an upside to the physical description ...

... perhaps more people will tune in and listen and they might learn something. For some strange reason, nothing gets America's attention like a blonde "in distress." (Although Ms. Plame is perfectly capable of handling any situation, as she has shown.)

This is the woman that the bush administration so callously put her actual life in danger, because Cheney had a snit-fit.

[ShortnFiery]

3. K & R

For an American Patriot! :patriot:

[maddezmom]

4. K&R

:kick:

[Barrett808]

6. k & r

[ShortnFiery]

8. I just played Part 1 of her Video Testimony on You-Tube

for my preteen daughter and said, "My dear, now that woman is an honest to goodness ROLE MODEL." :thumbsup: :applause:

[CrazyOrangeCat]

10. That's a great idea!

K&R

[ryanmuegge]

12. She can have a deskjob in my office anyday.

DAAAMNNN.

[UpInArms]

14. does anyone else see the hypocrisy in this?

The suggestion was that nepotism had been involved in the decision to send Wilson to Niger and that his fact-finding trip was a boondoggle that need not be taken seriously.

Liz Cheney/Dick Cheney

Janet Renquist/Justice Renquist

Scott McClellan/Mark McClellan

and so many more...