Superiors OK'd leak. Indictment states that Bush was Libby's superior

[ProSense]

The media keeps pushing Cheney, but he worked for both Bush and Cheney.

Libby: Leaks were OK'd
'Superiors' gave him green light

By Richard B. Schmitt
Los Angeles Times

WASHINGTON - Former vice presidential aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby has told a federal grand jury that his "superiors" authorized him to leak highly sensitive intelligence to journalists, including a New York Times reporter he allegedly tipped off to the name of an undercover CIA operative.

The revelation is contained in a Jan. 23 letter from special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald to lawyers for Libby, who was indicted last year in connection with the leak of the operative's name. In the letter, Fitzgerald recounts testimony in which the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney admitted circulating portions of the National Intelligence Estimate to reporters in June and July 2003.

"It is our understanding that Mr. Libby testified that he was authorized to disclose information about the NIE to the press by his superiors," Fitzgerald wrote.

The letter did not identify those superiors, although Cheney was Libby's direct boss at the time. The National Journal reported on its Web site Thursday that Cheney had authorized the disclosures.


http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060210/NEWS01/602100350/1010/RSS01

Snip...

a. Beginning on or about January 20, 2001, and continuing through the date of

this indictment, defendant I. LEWIS LIBBY, also known as "SCOOTER LIBBY," was employed as Assistant to the President of the United States, Chief of Staff to the Vice President of the United States, and Assistant to the Vice President for National Security Affairs. In the course of his work, LIBBY had frequent access to classified information and frequently spoke with officials of the U.S. intelligence community, as well as other government officials, regarding sensitive national security matters.


http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/iln/osc/documents/libby_indictment_28102005.pdf

[MADem]

1. I love the way the media IGNORES that dual chain nowadays

...but when Scootie was ridin' high, it was a badge of honor that he had those dual titles. Everyone liked to tout him as the WH Powerhouse...

Now, it looks like the "exit strategy" on this whole mess is to delay, obfuscate, stall, hector, confuse, and throw up roadblocks, but if the shit hits the fan, CHENEY takes the fall.

I do not think it is an accident that he just "happened" to buy a damn mansion in ST MICHAELS, MD, and Lynne ran about like mad in POTTERY BARN doing a speed-decorating of the joint. That's their bolt-hole, should the shit hit the fan.

Cheney takes the hit, the Monkey SWIFTLY pardons him. They test the wind, and see if he can remain viable as VP. If they think they can weather it, they will--if not, off he goes to the eastern shore, and a figurehead (Condi?) gets slotted in.

Even if he leaves, he stays on--as a "consultant" of sorts, or as a back room dealer...kinda like Brownie was, for a while.

[glitch]

2. I think you are correct, that is what they will try. But will Condi be

accepted? She's in it up to her eyeballs.

[MADem]

3. If Dickie takes the full hit, the GOP congress will have their pound of

flesh, and will be unmotivated to continue to dig.

Condi may be TOLD to take it, or get blamed herself--ya don't refuse the Prezeldunce (or Pretzel-Duce), after all. They may be hoping that she'll be a compliant little puppet, and they probably think they can score with women and Americans of African ancestry with the pick. Stupid fools!

Of course, once she gets a taste, she may agree (or be forced to agree) to run for the top slot in 08--it makes it easier to game the vote count in African American districts--and cheating around the margins is their specialty. And when they do the after-action assessment, well, screw those polls that said no black voters voted for her, I mean HEY, she's black and of course "they" all stick together (do I NEED to put one of those SARCASM thingys here????).

They gotta sew this up before the next Congress is seated, though--because, Diebold or not, they could have a challenge to keep their thieves in their seats. The disgust is thigh high, and getting deeper....

[Warpy]

4. I don't think Contradicta will be slotted in

I think he'll be under intense party pressure to get one of their more viable candidates for 2008 into that slot in the hope that history doesn't repeat itself and the stink is so bad that the heir apparent gets defeated in the next election.

Stupid, of course, would prefer his office wife or his kid brother.

But you're right, the next time Cheney goes to the hospital, he's going to think about spending more time with his family. He'll get a swift pardon due to his declining health, pure compassion you understand.

[MADem]

7. The problem there is one of STINK, frankly

I can't help but note how often Laura touts Condi for the job--she ain't doing that on her own.

If they slot their new, GOP bright light (be it Jeb, George "Dunce" Allen, or any of the other bozos currently touted) into the VP slot, and the STINK (which, when it gets strong, is more appropriately pronounced STANK) just keeps on growing, the candidate, no matter how viable at the outset of his VP term, will be "Jerry Ford-ed"...remember how Jerry got high marks for being a clean member of Congress, good values, nice (though tippling), honest, open wife, regular kids??? Breath of fresh air??? New start? What was NOT to love???

He couldn't beat the Peanut Farmer from GA, that everyone made fun of--why? Aside from the malaise, the cancer on the Presidency business, and of course, the rampant inflation (WHIP INFLATION NOW!!! WIN!!! Yeah, riiiiiiight!!!!), he had THE STANK on him--and he just couldn't shake it.

Never underestimate THE STANK...it is an "unknowable" that even Rummy can't define! Pundits miss it, reporters don't mention it, and no one figures it into the equation...but when people vote, they smell that stank, if it's there for the smellin'....and they run the other way, even while holding their noses!!!

[Auntie Bush]

9. He'll just go to his undisclosed location (aka cowards hiddie hole)

and continue pulling bush's strings from there. No problem!

Lynn better get used to living alone and apply for a cheap "Easy Pass" for visitations for the state prison. That is IF he doesn't pull the battery out of his chest and go down in glory before the Feds/sharks get him.

[gratuitous]

5. Hey! Why are you connecting dots?

Don't you know that's the sole province of the Bush administration? They decide what dots are, how they're connected, and the picture it presents! If you're connecting dots, don't you know that you're encouraging the terrorists, hurting national security, and making the baby Jesus cry?

[Auntie Bush]

6. He said, "superiorS"! So that means BOTH Cheney AND bush*

are BOTH in DEEP SH*T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You know, the sticky type. Yuck!

[FrenchieCat]

8. I can only pray about it at this point.....

Somehow, thus far, those Bush folks have a way of getting out of everything. It really is amazing and depressing to see.

So now, I'm on my knees!

[LiberalAndProud]

10. Bush/Cheney -

Their fates are rather intertwined, aren't they?

[blm]

11. And Bush's resume was as a POLITICAL STRATEGIST (dirty tricks operative)

for over 30 years.

That's something the media REFUSES TO DISCUSS, even though the greater part of Bush's GOP resume proves he ran with Atwater and Rove since the 70s.

[Wilms]

12. K&R n/t

[ProSense]

13. Why

are all the reports mentioning just Cheney when the letter states unidentified superiors? We know Libby has two: Bush and Cheney.

[opihimoimoi]

14. I was a Nixon DownFall Junkie....sho noff...took a year but the strings

unraveled and Dickie had to banish himself to California...and the World was a better Place....

I can only dream of the day BushCo and his Pub friends are taken to the courts too.