Where is H2O Man?

[maximovich]

What's your take on Fitz expanding the Plame case?

[yodermon]

1. I have not seen him all week.

And frankly I don't blame him, bcz this place is frantic. No one knows anything. Fitz holds the cards, and when he shows 'em, then I'll bet waterman will chime in with his sage insight at that point.

[Horse with no Name]

2. He's been in and out of threads

I saw him.:)

[Me.]

3. Sightings Are

always reassuring

[H2O Man]

4. It is a strange time.

A number of people are anxious, and there is absolutely no reason for any progressive democrat to be anxious or worried. Things are perfect. Things are going in exactly the direction they should be.

What Fitzgerald is doing, he is doing for a good reason. There is a lot going on beneath the surface right now. None of it is good for Cheney & Libby. None. And don't think Karl can squeeze out of a tight place without totally humiliating himself.

I might have more to say this evening. Certainly by tomorrow afternoon.

[maximovich]

5. Thank You H2O

I feel the shift. It looks as if the investigation is expanding. I look forward to reading your posts. Thank again!

- stepnw1f

[H2O Man]

9. You might find this interesting.

From Wilson's book, pages 443-4:

"According to my sources, between March 2003 and the appearance of my article in July, the workup on me that turned up the information on Valerie was shared with Karl Rove, who then circulated it in administration and neoconservative circles. That would explain the assertion later advanced by Clifford May, the neocon fellow traveler, who wrote that Valerie's employment was supposedly widely known. Oh, really? I am not reassured by his statement. Indeed, if what May wrote was accurate, it is a damning admission, because it could have been widely known only by virtue of leaks among his own crowd."

Now, Karl & friends have tried to strike a deal, in part saying what Karl did wasn't "that bad," because everyone already knew Valerie's status. The investigators are merely putting last minute pressure on. The truth is, her extended family, her social circle, her neighbors, and even her personal attorney did not know she was an employee of the CIA.

Fitzgerald did NOTHING publicly, until this past week. Then, he visits Rove's attorney -- and he knew the media was watching. Then the G-men interview Plame's neighbors. Pretty high profile. Would anyone really believe that the prosecutor and FBI hadn't thought to interview people before? I can assure you that Rove and his lawyer understand what is happening. All the aspens aren't rooted together.

[maximovich]

15. I Just Felt the Hair on the Back of My Neck Raise...

My, oh my... I sense root rot.

Thank you H2O.

- stepnw1f

[Nothing Without Hope]

17. Thank you, H2O Man. Your unique voice is missed by many when we don't

hear it for a while. I'm one of them.

Looking forward to heaing your takes on what unfolds. With all the frenzy, your calm insight is especially valued.

[coeur_de_lion]

23. Thanks H for the reassuring words.

I've been on pins & needles for 2 weeks now, checking the news, reading DU, too nervous to post much. I needed some reassurance that Fitzmas is coming.

I have to remember to keep my faith in fellow Irishmen, like you and Pat Fitzgerald.

Heavy sigh.

:crazy:

[H2O Man]

24. This should be

a good time for progressive democrats. The downside, of course, is there: we have invaded a country that posed no threat to us; we have had 2000+ soldiers killed and 17,000 wounded; we have killed and wounded untold numbers of innocent Iraqis; and the world "stands aghast," to quote Martin. It will take at least 20 years to repair the damage these jackasses have done to America's image alone.

But, on the bright side, the truth of what they have done is coming to light. The system of justice holds the potential of holding some of the most guilty among them accountable.

[coeur_de_lion]

30. it really blows my mind

that the general public hasn't caught on to what * and co. have done. If they are opening their eyes now great -- I just wish they had done so earlier. Thousands of lives would have been saved.

I am waiting and like everyone else I'm very impatient to see the grand jury outcome.

I was talking to a lady I know and she heard on the news that Valerie Plame was not covert when Novak exposed her. I tried to explain that there was no way a grand jury would have been impaneled and their term extended if Plame was not covert. There wouldn't have been a two year investigation if there wasn't a good reason for it. But no, she heard it on the news and it must be so. This is the kind of thing the repubs are putting out there to play down the significance of the crime.

Hurry up Fitzmas, hurry up Fitzmas, Fitzmas comes just once a year. Hurry up Fitzmas, hurry up Fitzmas, just can't wait until you're here!

When I was a kid that was one of my favorite Christmas carols. Seems so appropriate for today . . .

[H2O Man]

31. It takes time

to teach (or train) people to be that stupid. It takes more time to un-teach/train them to stop.

[Me.]

6. Would You Be So Kind

as to repeat your above statement, every day, at least once, until all this is over, and I don't mean tomorrow? Your certainty is very calming.

[Carni]

7. I hope you are right

Frankly I am getting nervous at this point.

I guess it's just the effects of a week of waiting and waiting and waiting...my nerves are shot.

[thinkingwoman]

12. I do think that the waiting

is miserable...but that is only because I am failing to adequately enjoy the show. I do completely agree with you that...

"Things are going in exactly the direction they should be."

Yep, everybody just needs to take a deep breath and smile.

OH, and pop more of this: :popcorn:

Tomorrow should be a good day.

[Garbo 2004]

16. Good grief, H20, were you with the Company or something? ;)

If the reports are correct, sounds like Fitz has Rove by the short and curlies. Although the Rover may not yet fully believe it's possible for him to be actually held criminally accountable for his standard mode of operation.

One would imagine in the larger view there are folks who really would prefer that these guys not fight any charges but take the penalties and go quietly. Trials could get messy. All of these folks are liabilities. Including Darth and the Dauphin.

[Uncle Roy]

19. Did you notice how quickly and quietly Larry Franklin pled guilty

in the AIPAC/Pentagon spy case a couple of weeks ago? Of course it was easy not to notice that event, because the media was real busy giving us 24/7 coverage of yet another bogus "terror alert", this time in the NYC transit system...

PS "Darth and the Dauphin"!! I like that! Sounds like a bad comedy act

[Garbo 2004]

26. Not so quickly though. Franklin was nabbed by FBI in 2003 if I recall

correctly. Cooperated for a time and then stopped cooperating. Wasn't charged until last Spring. He just recently pled guilty and reportedly is cooperating again.

This May 2005 NYT article has a bit from Wolfowitz repeating the theme of Libby's remarks to Miller in June 2003 and which, as H20 Man mentioned, will increasingly be promulgated by the talking heads:

"Associates of the influential circle at the Pentagon that had been headed by Mr. Wolfowitz attributed the scrutiny of Mr. Franklin to the continuing struggle inside the administration over intelligence. They said they had been unfairly attacked by critics at the country's intelligence agencies with whom they had clashed since before the war in Iraq.

They have said other efforts to embarrass them include one last year when American officials said Ahmed Chalabi, the leader of the Iraqi National Congress and a longtime ally of Pentagon conservatives, told Iranian intelligence officials that the United States had broken its communications codes. A federal investigation into who might have provided the information to Mr. Chalabi remained unresolved."
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/05/politics/05spy.html?ex=1130558400&en=e971e66ff0726dd3&ei=5070&pagewanted=2&ei=5094&en=b1c70af43428da45&hp&ex=1115265600&adxnnl=1&partner=homepage&adxnnlx=1130461495-A/vDsBKx7FcJ9jrrrvqRIg

But yeah, this case hasn't gotten much media attention. Not surprising though. It isn't sexy, for one. And involves some third rails the corporate media and their minders really don't want to get into.

[H2O Man]

27. The media tries

to convince the public that the neocon spy/AIPAC conspiracy is too complicated for the average American to understand. Nothing could be further from the truth. The fear is that the public will understand it far too well.

[0007]

32. Tis extremely complicated and I'm not sure that two years was

enough time to find the whole truth. The simple charges may be exposed today, but the rest will come later.

[H2O Man]

33. Good start! n/t

[H2O Man]

21. The republican machine

has begun to describe what is going on in the Plame scandal a war between the Agency and Cheney. You will hear more of this in the days and weeks to come. (Watch Fox News this weekend, and the shrill quivering voices will use just that phrase: "the CIA against the Vice President.")

There may be more truth to that statement than they know. Fox, that is.

[Garbo 2004]

22. Oh shit yeah. Something I learned at my momma's knee, "never cross the

CIA."

Not that I would ever have any plans or opportunity to do so, but she read alot about some interesting stuff and thought that was generally sound advice. Especially for politicians at an executive level.

[hootinholler]

28. Who's in the photo? n/t

[H2O Man]

29. Chief Louis Farmer

Onondaga Nation, Eel Clan.

[Uncle Roy]

8. His work is done...

He put a lot of energy into keeping this thing alive and together and in the public eye. He was successful in that, (with lots of help from lots of good people here), but now the thing has a life of its own, and he has stepped more into the background.

He once described himself as "just some old guy sitting on a park bench", and I suspect that's where he is now, with a little smile on his face, tossing the occasional crumb to the pigeons and watching the big noisy parade go by.

[Uncle Roy]

10. And I see that in the time it took for me to

start my post, answer the phone and yack for a while, and finish my post, he's got up off his bench and tossed a few more crumbs!

From one old codger to another: Greetings! And thanks....

Roy

[H2O Man]

11. I think we might see

a few crumbs get tossed around 1 tomorrow!

[Dunedain]

13. Is that a picture of Ronny VanZant?

[Uncle Roy]

14. May lots of cookies crumble!!! (nfm)

.

[Nothing Without Hope]

18. H2O Man, please put a link here when you do post your next round of

commentary. I don't want to overlook it in the frenzy of posts at DU.

[Sydnie]

20. Yes, Please do H20 Man

I don't want to miss it either.

[Me.]

25. Here You Go

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5194925