Reply #31: ***2:07

[ralps]

It's 2:07.

Walton flips the switch on the wayback machine, and we're once again reliving Scooter Libby's grand jury testimony in March 2004. The questioning is about July 12, 2003, when Libby is hanging out with VP Dick Cheney in Virginia, then flying back to Washington, DC…


Fitz: And there was an outstanding request from Matt Cooper of Time magazine.

Libby: Yes, most of these calls go to Cathie Martin. But the Cooper inquiry was one she wanted to discuss.

Fitz: When you discussed this with Martin, were you in a part of Air Force Two apart from the VP?

Libby: Yes.

Fitz: And at some point you went to talk with the VP?

Libby: Yes.

Fitz: Was Martin with you?

Libby: I'm not sure. I might have been alone.

F: What did you talk to VP about?

L: Larger issue of how to draw attention to Tenet statement. Decided he wanted me to make a statement on the record, which he felt would get more attention.

snip

F: When did you make the calls?

L: Wanted a land line, so went to lounge at Andrews Air Force Base. Tried to call Cooper, Evan Thomas of Newsweek, Glenn Kessler of WaPo and tried to call Judith Miller later. Think I might have tried to call her then, everyone at once. Couldn't get hold of Kessler and Thomas right away.

F: Tell me about Cooper conversation.

L: I hadn't spoken to him before — some preliminaries, then went through talking points.

F: Tell me about discussing Wilson's wife.

L: After I finished talking points, Cooper continued to ask questions — if Wilson is wrong, why is he saying what he is? C

F: What was Cooper's response?

L: I don't recall.

F: And you attributed your knowledge about Wilson's wife to reporters?

L: Yes. (goes into already-published excerpt from indictment about "I don't know if he has a wife," etc. I'm not retyping this.)

F: Any other reporters you talked to?

L: I talked to three other reporters that day. I talked to Judith Miller, and I know I talked to her about Wilson's wife.

F: Tell me about that conversation.

L: (walks through Tenet statement again) I don't know exactly how it came up, but I told her I didn't know if it was true, but reporters are telling us (etc., etc.) I also talked to Evan Thomas.

snip