| THE
BLUE RED
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The Mountain Press
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Fire Karl Rove
By: JIM ANDERSON August, 2005 Why was Joe Wilson attacked in “double-super secret” by Karl Rove? Because Wilson dared to tell the truth. In January 2003, President Bush told Americans: “The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa.” But Joe Wilson (sent to Africa's Niger by the CIA) knew better. Four months into war, on July 6, 2003, Wilson wrote in the New York Times that intelligence had been “twisted” to justify an invasion of Iraq. Team Bush quickly counter-attacked. Karl Rove crept into dark shadows of hush-hush secrecy to smear Wilson. Rove called Wilson's wife “fair game,” too. Karl Rove likes to play dirty. On July 7, aboard Air Force One, a State Department memo was passed around about Joe Wilson, naming his wife as CIA officer Valerie Plame. On July 8, Rove told Robert Novak that Wilson's wife was a CIA agent. On July 11, Rove told Matt Cooper. On July 14, nine days after Wilson's article, Novak broke the story: “Valerie Plame is an Agency operative on weapons of mass destruction. Two senior administration officials told me Wilson's wife suggested sending him to Niger.” Rove has admitted, yes, he did confirm a CIA agent's identity to two reporters. That, alone, is a Federal crime. Karl Rove should be fired. But Republicans can't help spinning: “See, Rove said 'Wilson's wife'--not her name. Rove blew her cover, but she wasn't really covert. Rove is a hero because Joe Wilson can't be trusted.” The President's special rule for Karl Rove is “Don't Ask; Don't Tell.” Either Bush won't ask because he fears the truth--or he already knows and wants it kept untold. Bush says he must “wait for all the facts.” Too bad he didn't wait for all the facts before he invaded Iraq. -Jim Anderson is president of the Sevier County Democratic Club (www.sevierdemocrats.com). ©The Mountain Press 2005 | Rove's Actions Were Unprofessional and Nothing More By: JOE BAKER August, 2005 Praise him as the genius or condemn him as a criminal. With all the talk about Karl Rove lately, it is hard to know what to believe. Regardless of which way the scale tips, Mr. Rove has been the subject of a heated political debate recently. On Aug. 29, 2003, retired Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV alleged that Rove leaked the identity of Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame, as a CIA operative. Plame's identification came in an article by syndicated columnist Robert Novak, in which he attributed his knowledge to an unnamed and confidential Bush administration official. Amid concerns about potentially criminal violations of national security, the Department of Justice appointed a special prosecutor to investigate. Tensions continued to rise during grand jury testimony as journalists refused to offer up the identity of confidential sources. In climactic fashion, Rove stepped in to free one of the reporters from any commitment to keep the identity of his source a secret. In fact, Rove had signed a waiver months before permitting reporters to testify about their conversation with him. With Rove unequivocally identified as the leak what happens next? Wilson took shots at the administration and the administration took shots back; it's part of the political culture. Leveraging simple statements into mountain moving allegations is a staple of political strategy. Democrats seem hungry to burn Rove at the stake, but what has he really done? His greatest crime is being credited for electing President Bush and thereby derailing the efforts of Democrats to control our government. The bottom line is illegality: If he committed a crime then he should be fired. Rove's transparency regarding his role in the leak seems to cast doubt about any illegality. At most his actions are professional misconduct, but Karl Rove has been an active (and arguably integral) member of the Republican party for nearly three decades. Put simply, Mr. Rove's job is safe. -Joe Baker is a Sevierville attorney and active in the Republican Party. ©The Mountain Press 2005 |