FRIDAY'S LETTERS: If Not Rove, Then Who?

By: Greg Mitchell Letters, we get letters, we gets lots and lot of letters. The problem is, the "letters" section at this Web site is pretty much buried up there in the site index (this will probably come as a surprise to most of you reading this).

When we launch our new blog in September, publishing a lot of feedback will no longer be any problem. Until then, or until we are able to set up a more prominent letters feature right here on the home page, we will carry a daily entry in this spot, called, variously, "MONDAY's LETTERS," "TUESDAY's LETTERS" and so.

We will add letters as they come in, at the top, so check back every few hours, if you wish, for the latest update. Or, blog-like, you can respond to a letter you find here. Here's a start for Friday, most recent first, with many more to come.

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Now that it is clear that (1) Valerie Plame was in the country for nine years before the Novak article (covert agent must have been out of the country within five years of the disclosure according to the relevant law); (2) friends and neighbors of Plame and Wilson knew she worked for the CIA; (3) Cooper knew that he initiated the call to Rove and that Rove did not actively seek to disclose the information; and (4) the demonstrated lack of veracity of Joseph Wilson (see Senate investigation report), will Margaret Carlson, MSNBC talking heads and Senators Reid, Kennedy, Levin etc., apologize to the Mr. Rove and the President in a manner as public and frequent as they have in calling for firing or punishment for Mr. Rove?

I doubt it. There is an old lawyer joke that goes: "How do you tell if a lawyer is lying?" Answer: "His lips are moving." It would seem that this joke is more relevant and more descriptive of today's media, including Editor and Publisher, the three network evening news talking heads as well as CNN and MSNBC hosts.

Roger Wills
Sharpsburg, Kentucky

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A question: If Rove said to Novak that he also had heard that Wilson's wife was a CIA operative, isn't that rather stupid of him to confirm a leak Novak obtained elsewhere?

Also, it's been reported that Judith Miller may herself be the original leaker. But how would Miller know if she didn't get the information from a classified source?

Just a couple of questions from a confused citizen.

George Harris
Kansas City, MO

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Regarding special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's decision to compel journalists Judith Miller and Matthew Cooper to reveal their confidential sources or face jail time:

The International Federation of Journalists has called Time magazine's turning over of Cooper's emails and notes a "profound betrayal of principle." That is an understatement.

This is a crucial case for all journalists because it could mark the end of the use of anonymous sources if journalists are forced to reveal their identities. Every journalist has used such sources during their careers and these sources have been vital in obtaining critical information the public needs to know. If reporters have their information and their sources revealed by the court system or have their information turned over by their editors, how long will it be before these important sources begin closing up and talking to no one? After all, they are taking a risk talking to the press. They need the protection journalists have been able to offer in the past.

[Source confidentiality] is a sacred trust between informant and journalist and should not be destroyed or compromised. This is an issue all reporters need to speak out on and demand a nation-wide Shield Law.

President Bush has been quoted as saying journalists' rights to protect their sources is a "difficult tightrope." It is a tightrope for the sources as well. It is a dangerous issue that may turn out to be a can of worms for all journalists in every media as well as for the freedom of the press and the First Amendment.

Jan Kessler
Onaga, Ks, 66521

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Again, thanks for your courage on Iraq war issues. I am still waiting to read more about the traitors (neocons) who put up an ignorant president and weak congress to send our guys to do the dirty work for the likes of Feith, Perle, Netanyahu, et al.

RT Carpenter
Florida

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What a moving piece on Knight Ridder about their slain reporter in Baghdad, Yasser. The story is now indelibly etched in my brain. I will not be able to see or read features on Iraq without thinking of the great legacy he lived, and left for those behind. What honor he brought to the field of journalism.

Sincerely,

Terry Payne
Hot Springs, Arkansas

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A source who has been officially briefed is leaking information to the NYT? If he or she has been officially briefed, isn't he or she supposed to be officially mum? This is getting really ridiculous. We're playing telephone now. And should Fitzgerald now go after these 2 new reporters at the NYT to find out who did the official briefing when the official position is not to discuss it?

This White House is a circus of clowns.

All paid for by U.S. taxpayers.

Bevin Gilmore

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This is where the story gets interesting. This is part of the coverup. Stay tuned!

Sharon Andrews
Pembroke Pines, Florida

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I?ve heard several times on cable news that Karl Rove may not be at fault because he didn?t knowingly reveal Valerie Plame?s name or only referred to her as Ambassador Wilson?s wife. Someone did "out" Valerie Plame because she was officially only known as Valerie Wilson. I think it?s fairly obvious to many that Rove is the culprit here and the President needs to fulfill his promise to fire the person or persons behind this breach of our national security. But can we really be surprised when Rove isn?t indicted?

So if not Rove then who? Robert Novak is the one who named her but isn?t the one going to jail. Matt Cooper was pressured to testify to the grand jury and then it was revealed that Rove was his source. Judith Miller is in jail for not talking yet she didn?t writing anything about this story except she did write stories that supported the Bush administrations false assertions that led up to the war in Iraq. Rove says that he?ll talk about all of this in good time, after the dust settles. He obviously made a deal here.

The fact is that a covert CIA operative that was working on WMD issues overseas was outed which is interesting since the first of many reasons for going to war was that Iraq had a WMD program which turned out to be false. Remember? We still haven?t heard about any WMD discoveries, have we? It seems to me that her outing was a blatant misuse of power and it won?t be the last time unless the practice of outing undercover agents and, collaterally, all that worked with her is shut down and all those involved are held accountable. Her team could have been the ones to stop WMD from getting in to our country but we can forget that now that she and all of her team have to close shop for good. If Bush had any credibility he would have gotten to the bottom of this national security issue before two years had passed and fired those responsible. But then again, has this administration ever been held accountable for anything?

Scott Babcock
Clarendon Hills, IL