Normally, I agree with Joe Conason on many issues, but today I think he is shifting the blame to the wrong group concerning the leadk of Valerie Plame’s status as a CIA operative.
Now that we know the CIA has asked the Justice Department to investigate the "outing" of Valerie Plame — aka Mrs. Wilson — as an agency operative, this scandal has broken onto the front pages. Sooner or later, John Ashcroft may be forced to appoint a special counsel, as both Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and John Kerry, D-Mass., have demanded. (One reason to name a special counsel, or independent counsel, is that a key suspect named Karl Rove used to work as a political consultant for Ashcroft — and played a part in his appointment as attorney general.)
While the president’s press secretary insists that Rove was not involved in this outrage, I can’t help wondering how reporters, editors and bureau chiefs in the capital justify their silence. Tim Russert of NBC and Robin Sproul of ABC both said they wouldn’t discuss any matter involving sources. That’s an ironclad rule of journalism, up to a point. But what should a journalist do when a source commits a serious crime in his or her presence? What if that crime not only threatens to jeopardize human lives, but also harms U.S. national security in the most profound way?
The real question is why isn’t the President at a podium pounding on a lectern calling for someone’s head?
I question Novak’s judgement, but his sources are his sources.
This is a despicable act by a despicable person. We don’t know who did it yet, but when it comes out, and it will, one can only hope the President accepts some responsibility for this. If the person acted without his knowledge, and I’m guessing the leakers did, he damn well better have a major mea culpa. If the leaker acted with the President’s knowledge—well, let’s hope that something that ugly didn’t happen.
For continuing excellent coverage on the issue see,
Calpundit
Dan Drezner
Mark Kleinman
and of course, Josh Marshall