Republicans differ on Bush response to CIA leak inquiry

RAW STORY

Republicans made fresh comments on the CIA leak scandal on Sunday morning talk shows, offering conflicting opinions on whether Bush should clean house, RAW STORY can reveal.

Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE), seen by many as a 2008 presidential contender, said Bush should make changes in wake of the indictment of a top Cheney aide. Hagel has been critical of how the Bush Administration has handled Iraq, making comparisons to Vietnam.

When asked how Bush should deal with the CIA leak case on ABC's "This Week," Hagel said, "If I was the president, I think I'd want to enlarge and widen that group, and start making some serious review and inventory of what has happened in the last five years that's gotten him into so much trouble."

"I think he gets it back by governing, putting a focus on competent, honest government," he added. "Open it up; don't stonewall."

Newt Gingrich, who has made a bi-partisan push with Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) on medical records and national security issues, told "This Week" that Republicans may be in "big trouble."

"I've been trying to tell everybody I can find on Capitol Hill and in the White House, if they don't have substantial change by the State of the Union, and if they don't convince the country that they've gotten the message, I think they're in big trouble," Gingrich said.

Sen. John McCain, meanwhile, who has faced off with the White House over treatment of detainees, offered an olive branch on Karl Rove.

Asked if Rove should lose his top secret security clearance, McCain told Fox News Sunday: "I don't think so. I don't know if that's a reason to do so."

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