OUT OF MANY, ONE

Friday, October 28th, 2005

"If anyone in this administration was involved in it, they would no longer be in this administration."--Scott McClellan, September 29, 2003 (VIDEO)

Scooter Libby, Dick Cheney's left arm, has been indicted on five counts and has resigned. If you believe Dick Cheney (and why wouldn't you?), Scooter is a patriot who has served America "with great distinction."

Patrick Fitzgerald, the special counsel investigating the CIA leak, says Libby lied repeatedly. The GOP, the White House and your Conservative Brother-in-law will all tell you that Libby's indictments are mere technicalities -- this excuse has no wings.

The President's apologists will also claim that even if the White House provided Valerie Plame's name to reporters, they may have done so without knowing her covert status. This talking point is almost believable because it presupposes a shocking level of incompetence in the White House. They would have had to discuss a CIA officer's identity with reporters without first checking the covert status of that officer.

(The right wing talking heads are also fond of saying that Ms. Plame's identity was not a secret but this, too, is whishful thinking: her employment was classified.)

The idea that the White House acts without forethought or malice works well alongside the forged Niger documents Bush used to invade Iraq. Pushed into a corner, Republicans would rather you believe that the administration's actions are merely incompetent and not criminal, as though an incompetent presidency is nothing to worry about.

While Scooter is, so far, the only person indicted, others are implicated and many are involved. Repeated lies are the hallmark of the Bush White House. Two years ago Scott McClellan uttered what may be the Bush administration's next big lie. He said:

"If anyone in this administration was involved in [the leak], they would no longer be in this administration."

Will George W. Bush turn McClellan into a liar? Or will those involved be fired?
Dick Cheney is involved. According to the indictments, he told Libby that Plame worked for the spy wing of CIA:

On or about June 12, 2003, LIBBY was advised by the Vice President of the United States that Wilson's wife worked at the Central Intelligence Agency in the Counterproliferation Division.

LIBBY understood that the Vice President had learned this information from the CIA.

"Official A" is involved. According to the indictments, an unidentified official told Libby that Robert Novak was writing a story about Wilson's wife:

"On or about July 10 or July 11, 2003, LIBBY spoke to a senior official in the White House (“Official A”) who advised LIBBY of a conversation Official A had earlier that week with columnist Robert Novak in which Wilson’s wife was discussed as a CIA employee involved in Wilson’s trip. LIBBY was advised by Official A that Novak would be writing a story about Wilson’s wife."

Novak's story, of course, blew Plame's cover. So who is "Official A" and when will he "no longer be in this administration"? Fitzgerald won't provide the name, and the White House doesn't want to fire anyone, but it has been previously disclosed that Karl Rove spoke with Novak on July 8, 2003 regarding Plame's identity.

Cheney's new chief of staff (Scooter's replacement) also seems to be involved in the leak. Will he be fired?

An unnamed Under Secretary of State is involved in the leak. Who could that be and, if they're still in the administration, when will this person be fired?

Having endured a targeted attack on his family, former Ambassador Joseph Wilson is not celebrating the Libby indictments:

"Today is a sad day for America. When an indictment is delivered at the front door of the White House, the Office of the President is defiled. No citizen can take pleasure from that."

George W. Bush vowed to restore honor and dignity to the White House. He said Americans were tired of the scandals. If you believe the truth, his administration has lied and lied viciously and repeatedly. If you believe the lies, his administration is simply incompetent and should not be held accountable for its mistakes or to its promises.

Today's indictment of "Scooter" Libby is just the tip of the iceberg. The White House is taking on water and George W. Bush is arranging the deck chairs.

As it says on the Presidential seal, "E Pluribus Unum": Out of many, one.
I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby is one. There are many more.

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