HBO’s Bill Maher may have hit a new low on Friday’s installment of “Real Time.” During this episode, which was really just one long Bush bash, the host actually suggested that President Bush and Vice President Cheney are traitors.
As Maher used a lot of vulgarity in his final “New Rule” segment entitled “Treasonable Doubt,” I will post the details after the break for those who are uncomfortable with profanity addressed specifically at the most powerful man in the world.
However, I must caution the reader ahead of time to move forward at your own risk. This was Maher at his most hateful self, and his vitriol was turned all the way up to eleven for those who understand the Spinal Tap reference (video available here):
New Rule – Traitors don’t get to question my patriotism. What could be less patriotic than constantly screwing things up for America? You know, it’s literally hard to keep up with the sheer volume of scandals in the Bush administration. Which is why I like to download the latest scandals right onto my IPod. That way, I can catch up on this week’s giant f**k up on my drive into work.
In fact, Bush has so many scandals he could open a chain of “Bush Scandal and F**k Up” theme restaurants. Hmmm, should I get the Harriet Miers Meatloaf, or the Katrina Crabcakes?
How wonderful. Alas, Maher was just getting warmed up:
You know, not to generalize, but the 29 percent of people who still support President Bush are the ones who love to pronounce themselves more patriotic than the rest of us. But just saying you're patriotic is like saying you have a big c**k. If you have to say it, chances are it’s not true. And indeed, the Party that flatters itself that they protect America better is the Party that has exhausted the military, left the ports wide open, and purposely outed a CIA agent, Valerie Plame. That’s not treason anymore, outing a spy? Did I mention it was one of our spies?
From there, Maher went on a defense of Plame, and a castigation of the Administration, that completely ignored the fact that after a 22-month investigation, Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald wasn’t able to prove that Plame had been outed, and charged nobody for doing so. This rant also conveniently ignored facts about Plame’s husband which seriously question his veracity about what he found in Niger:
And how despicable that Bush’s lackeys attempted to diminish this crime by belittling her service like she was just some chick who hung around the CIA. An intern really. Groupie if you want to be mean about it. No. Big lie. Valerie Plame was the CIA’s operational officer in charge of counter-proliferation. Which means she tracked loose nukes. So, when Bush said, as he once did, that his absolute, number one priority was preventing terrorists from getting loose nukes, okay, that’s what she worked on. That’s what she devoted her life to. Staying undercover for 20 years. Maintaining two identities every God-damned day. This is extraordinary service to your country. Valerie Plame was the kind of real life secret agent George Bush dreams of being when he’s not too busy pretending to be a cowboy or a fighter pilot.
CIA agents are troops. This was a military assassination of one of our own done through the press, ordered by Karl Rove. He said of Valerie Plame, quote, “She’s fair game,” and then Cheney shot her.
George Bush likes to claim that he doesn’t question his critics’ patriotism, just their judgment. Well, let me be the first of your critics, Mr. President, to question your judgment and your patriotism. Because let’s not forget why they did it to her. Because Valerie Plame was married to this guy Joe Wilson who the Bush people hated because he busted them on one of their bulls**t reasons for invading Iraq. He was sent to the African country of Niger to see if Niger was selling nuclear fuel to Iraq. They weren’t. It was bulls**t. And he said so. In fact, his report was called, “Niger, Please.”
Valerie Plame’s husband told the truth about their lies, so they were willing to jeopardize an entire network of spies to ruin her life. Wow. Even the mob doesn’t go after your family.
Isn’t it wonderful how self-righteous media types like Maher can make any claim they want regardless of facts and with total impunity?
Regardless, Maher concluded his screed with a campaign slogan for Hillary Clinton that is sure to give most Americans familiar with the misdeeds of she and her husband quite a chuckle:
Mark Twain said, “Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.” And I say Valerie Plame is a patriot because she spent her life serving her country. Scooter Libby is not because he spent his life serving Dick Cheney. Valerie Plame kept her secrets. The Bush administration leaked like the plumbing at Walter Reed.
In the year 2008, I really think that Hillary Clinton should run for president on a platform of restoring honor and integrity to the Oval Office.
Yes, Bill. The Oval Office was filled with honor and integrity when Bill and Hillary occupied it.
What follows is a full transcript of this segment.
BILL MAHER, HOST OF HBO’S “REAL TIME”: New Rule – Traitors don’t get to question my patriotism. What could be less patriotic than constantly screwing things up for America? You know, it’s literally hard to keep up with the sheer volume of scandals in the Bush administration. Which is why I like to download the latest scandals right onto my IPod. That way, I can catch up on this week’s giant f**k up on my drive into work.
In fact, Bush has so many scandals he could open a chain of “Bush Scandal and F**k Up” theme restaurants. Hmmm, should I get the Harriet Miers Meatloaf, or the Katrina Crabcakes?
You know, not to generalize, but the 29 percent of people who still support President Bush are the ones who love to pronounce themselves more patriotic than the rest of us. But just saying you're patriotic is like saying you have a big c**k. If you have to say it, chances are it’s not true. And indeed, the Party that flatters itself that they protect America better is the Party that has exhausted the military, left the ports wide open, and purposely outed a CIA agent, Valerie Plame. That’s not treason anymore, outing a spy? Did I mention it was one of our spies?
And how despicable that Bush’s lackeys attempted to diminish this crime by belittling her service like she was just some chick who hung around the CIA. An intern really. Groupie if you want to be mean about it. No. Big lie. Valerie Plame was the CIA’s operational officer in charge of counter-proliferation. Which means she tracked loose nukes. So, when Bush said, as he once did, that his absolute, number one priority was preventing terrorists from getting loose nukes, okay, that’s what she worked on. That’s what she devoted her life to. Staying undercover for 20 years. Maintaining two identities every God-damned day. This is extraordinary service to your country. Valerie Plame was the kind of real life secret agent George Bush dreams of being when he’s not too busy pretending to be a cowboy or a fighter pilot.
CIA agents are troops. This was a military assassination of one of our own done through the press, ordered by Karl Rove. He said of Valerie Plame, quote, “She’s fair game,” and then Cheney shot her.
George Bush likes to claim that he doesn’t question his critics’ patriotism, just their judgment. Well, let me be the first of your critics, Mr. President, to question your judgment and your patriotism. Because let’s not forget why they did it to her. Because Valerie Plame was married to this guy Joe Wilson who the Bush people hated because he busted them on one of their bulls**t reasons for invading Iraq. He was sent to the African country of Niger to see if Niger was selling nuclear fuel to Iraq. They weren’t. It was bulls**t. And he said so. In fact, his report was called, “Niger, Please.”
Valerie Plame’s husband told the truth about their lies, so they were willing to jeopardize an entire network of spies to ruin her life. Wow. Even the mob doesn’t go after your family.
Mark Twain said, “Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.” And I say Valerie Plame is a patriot because she spent her life serving her country. Scooter Libby is not because he spent his life serving Dick Cheney. Valerie Plame kept her secrets. The Bush administration leaked like the plumbing at Walter Reed.
In the year 2008, I really think that Hillary Clinton should run for president on a platform of restoring honor and integrity to the Oval Office.
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters.
Comments Policy
Maher is the lowest scumbag with a microphone today
March 25, 2007 - 12:57 ET by RJBill Maher is a slimy, misbegotten piece of self-aggrandizing garbage....pretty stupid, too. So his new definition of Patriotism is to not screw up? Deliberate acts for personal gain that harm America, as practiced by many in our media (are you reading this, Bill?) or as practiced by many in our Congress (are you reading this, Democrats?) or as practiced by Bill Clinton when he sold our military secrets to China, are no longer the criteria for treason? I don't think so.
Hey, Bill Maher....I know patriots and you're no patriot. (h/t Ronald Reagan)
. . . and Hillary adding
March 25, 2007 - 13:03 ET by Gat New York. . . and Hillary adding integrity to the Oval Office? He got the right person!
Noel, you should do what I do and drop your HBO subscription and stop paying Maher's salary.
Gat
March 25, 2007 - 13:08 ET by Noel SheppardGat,
Well, let's not forget the best dramatic series ever on television, "The Sopranos."
Now, you could make the argument that once the final episode airs, HBO becomes vestigial. However, as one of the few cable "movie" stations currently being presented in HD, and, as a movie lover, HBO still has value to me despite this abomination.
Furthermore, there are times when this show is even funny and stimulating. Sadly, Friday was not one of them. ns
RJ you should appear on Maher
March 25, 2007 - 13:07 ET by OttoRJ you should appear on Maher's show. Folks like you, Coulter, Limbaugh etc. are a gift to the Democrats. Seen the latest huge poll by Pew on the collapse in Republican allegiance over the past five years. Basically the country is coming to the conclusion that the GOP has lost it's mind. Maher's shtick is just part of the process. Unless Republicans put some serious distance between them and Bush/Cheney there is going to be a massacre in 08.
You don't know what you are t
March 25, 2007 - 13:18 ET by ThisnThatYou don't know what you are talking about. The Republicans actually stand a real good chance of sweeping the 2008 elections. The narrow victory by the Dims in 2006 was not a surprise -- they only won by the slimmist of margins. Instead of trying to point fingers at Bush, you should be very worried about all the screw-ups the Dims are performing/have performed in their very short tenure since January. When you have the Washington Post starting to point at the Dims, you know they are in serious trouble. So keep yakking it up -- meanwhile, you're being outflanked.
Posts like yours, Otto, are always difficult to answer
March 25, 2007 - 13:24 ET by RJAfter reading posts like yours, Otto, I always have difficulty in formulating a response, because I feel like I'm trying to communicate with a monkey...specifically a howler monkey (they yell unintelligible sounds and throw things).
I see taunts, I see a dislike of some people (I DON'T see any reasons why), I see a defense of Maher's crudities (not approached by any of the people you mention) as just a "shtick".. but what I don't see is a substantive argument of any sort.
Do you agree with Maher's definition of "patriot", Otto? Do you disagree with mine? Are you a fan of his crude "shtick?" Are you capable of formulating a non-howler response?
Otto! Heel! Now go get in y
March 25, 2007 - 13:45 ET by John in CAOtto! Heel! Now go get in your crate and don't come out 'til I tell you to. And stop pooping in the middle of the floor!
Give a Democrat Party free America a chance!
Wrong, Otto. If the Republ
March 25, 2007 - 15:18 ET by motherbeltWrong, Otto. If the Republicans are losing support, it's because they have not done a good enough job of standing up to crap like this from entertainer/comedian/political pundits like Maher. Why anyone would think Maher knows what he's talking about just because he has his own show is beyond me. It's the "TV culture": just because someone is famous, some people believe he/she is smarter than anyone else. Maybe they should look at Anna Nicole Smith.
Otto, the Erudite European, p
March 25, 2007 - 15:54 ET by kathleenirishOtto, the Erudite European, pontificates to the unwashed, cro-magnon-browed Americans. What a laugh. As others here have pointed out, you have no clue what you are talking about. It's so transparent, it's almost too easy to blow you out of the water. Elitist fool.
"He who has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare, and he who has one enemy will meet him everywhere" -Ali ibn-Abi-Talib, 4th Islamic Caliph
LOL! "Pew Poll", he says!
March 25, 2007 - 17:07 ET by Del DolemonteLOL! "Pew Poll", he says!
How about you read the ot
March 25, 2007 - 23:40 ET by Lord ElicaniHow about you read the other part of that poll? Conservative in general are not decreasing, just those that support the GOP. And many of them still believe that the GOP, however whacked, is infinitely better than the socialist and self-destructive policies that the Democrats stand for.
" Though the people support the government, the government should not support the people"
- Grover Cleveland
RJ -- sure, that's what the
March 25, 2007 - 13:39 ET by Jack BauerRJ -- sure, that's what the world has been waiting for -- Bill Maher's definition of patriotism.
We can rest easy now.
You know, some might think that the hysterical way lib***ls are always trying to redefine patriotism down, that they are (subconsciously?) the ones questioning their own patriotism.
They really do live in permanent and amusing denial over this subject.
Like the secret alcoholic who resents and kicks up a huge angry fuss over even the merest hint that they are, in fact, the alcoholic they so hysterically claim not to be.
And of course, Benedict Arnold thought he was a patriot too.
Exactly, Jack
March 25, 2007 - 16:03 ET by RJExacly, Jack. "Methinks thou doest protest too much" fits the behavior of the leftists to a T. They talk about it more than Republicans, and it obviously weighs heavily on their minds.
Bill Maher:The Queen of the Bath Houses
March 25, 2007 - 13:02 ET by Guy Arthur ThomasI see Bill Maher, The Queen of the Bath Houses is upping the ante in extremist talk because the ratings for his HBO show stink. I think his mommy and daddy should have paid more attention to Gill Maher...her Bill Maher...this is a cry for attention.
Shut up and blog! If you claim to be a conservative, please don't disgrace yourself and conservatism by thinking and arguing like a liberal. Go Rudy!
Bah. Maher just wants to b
March 25, 2007 - 13:03 ET by dervishBah. Maher just wants to be sure to win O'Reilly's "furthest left wacko" award. Imagine the indignity of being in a contest against Rosie O, and losing...
dervish -- actually the two
March 25, 2007 - 13:58 ET by Jack Bauerdervish -- actually the two Bills seem to be good pals.
When you can't rely upon fact
March 25, 2007 - 13:11 ET by ThisnThatWhen you can't rely upon facts and logic, you resort to hyperbole and swearing to get attention. Really too bad HBO supports this. But I guess that's HBO's current set of standards -- to air this and call it entertainment. It attracts little boys, and adults that don't know how to grow up, I guess.
Maher-- an intellectual heavyweight. I wonder if Florida U. would want to grant him an honorary degree, given that they opened a spot by rejecting Jeb Bush's nomination?
Bill Mahar remains a vulgar little man.
March 25, 2007 - 13:54 ET by CTBill Mahar remains a vulgar little man and those that promote his screed are no better. No quarter should be granted any that defend this excrement. I long ago abandoned HBO due to its lack of value not its current apparent politics, but a price should be paid for promoting this crap!
I wish Newsbusters would quit
March 25, 2007 - 13:56 ET by BlazerI wish Newsbusters would quit giving creedence to gutterslime like Bill Maher, and Rosie O'Donkey, they are irrelevant. They are both crappy actors, and washed up comediannes, who have found a niche cooking up their daily, and weekly vitriolic, and conspiratorial fixes for the appeasment of the fiending, and withdrawing kookfringe. If they were any lefter, than they are now, they would be out of the room.
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
Blazer
March 25, 2007 - 14:17 ET by Noel SheppardB,
I understand your disgust. However, these two have too many viewers to be ignored. As we know that an increasing number of Americans are actually getting their "news" from such programs, we would be doing a tremendous disservice to our readers if we stopped covering and exposing their antics.
Trust me, it is very difficult to write about either of them. In fact, the reason I waited until Sunday was due to my amazing disgust Friday evening. In reality, I didn't watch the whole program on Friday. Instead, I turned it off.
However, on Saturday, I was able to watch pieces of it between basketball games to come to recognize just how vile this stuff was, and how important to expose it. ns
all proper conservatives shou
March 25, 2007 - 14:00 ET by sajc05all proper conservatives should see bush as a traitor...traitor to the conservative cause...when the mexican gov't has more say in washington than the people of the united states, then yes, he is a traitor..
"traitor to the conservative cause?"
March 25, 2007 - 14:13 ET by RJProper conservatives should see President Bush as traitor to the conservative cause?
When I see statements like that, I become suspicious of the author's intent...especially when it is directed at President Bush and ignores the many others in our government and media who deserve to wear the label of "traitor to our country."
Besides, George Bush is not a conservative.
Now, if you want to discuss his wrong, wrong, wrong, and misguided behavior regarding Mexico, I'm on your side.
more Bill Maher, less Bush
March 25, 2007 - 14:57 ET by citizen xRJ
when one grows testicles and becomes able to use the google, or one of the internets, one might find complete and total incompetence, inaccountability and lying in this white house. and yes, if you out a spy in time of war, you are a traitor. it is treason. even worse if you do it just to get back at someone, politically, to spite our AMERICAN intelligence abilities. this is so heavy no wonder it's going right over your head. If Billy Maher was stating lies, please correct him. Don't blame the medium, platform or HBO. It beats the living out of Tony Snowjob. Oh...Maher had repubs on that show, too.
George sure was a conservative when you voting for him, eh?
Citizen X
March 25, 2007 - 15:04 ET by Noel SheppardCX,
Simple question for you warranting a simple answer:
I am breathless with antici..........pation. ns
simple answers for simple minds
March 25, 2007 - 15:36 ET by citizen xNoel,
Early on there was only evidence of obstruction of justice. So that's where he headed the investigation. Successfully. Maybe it's not done yet.
Are you saying that Plame's bosses at the CIA are lying about her covert status? Let's bring those lyers to justice! Remember GW saying he'd fire anyone that leaked names... ? Just more republican lies.
Within a year you'll see Cheney being the first VP settling out of court for 40 million.
I'm no howler monkey.. it's called a moonbat. Moonbat majority. Those howlers have nice vocals, though.
No? You sure act like one.
March 25, 2007 - 15:43 ET by RJ"I'm no howler monkey." No? You sure act like one on this site:
"The smallish Howler Monkey is equipped with a unique throat apparatus that enables it to make a loud roar like the larger gorilla. If you venture into an area containing howlers up in the trees be advised that the monkeys will harass you by throwing anything they can get their hands on. It's very amusing."
CX
March 25, 2007 - 15:44 ET by Noel SheppardCX,
I'm not calling anybody a liar. Instead, as no one was charged with outing Plame, I wonder how anyone in our nation could claim that she was outed. You do believe in the premise of our system of jurisprudence wherein a person is innocent until proven guilty? In this instance, not only hasn't anyone been proven guilty of outing Plame, no one was even charged -- after a 22-month investigation.
As such, the burden isn't on myself or anybody else to prove she wasn't covert since Fitzgerald himself couldn't prove anyone outed her. Instead, what amazes folks like me is how you people on the left continue to avert that she was, and that crimes were committed against her even though nobody ended up being charged for such. ns
Beating the dead horse.....again
March 25, 2007 - 15:45 ET by Sua Sponte 75The CIA desk jockey was asked to testify to Congress about a four year old story in which the Special Prosecutor found no crime, other then perjury unrelated to the crime he was investigating. What should this tell us about the new leadership in Congress?
Former CIA officer Valerie Plame Wilson told a congressional committee Friday that she believes she was outed in 2003 for "purely political reasons."
Plame, whose outing triggered a federal investigation, said she always knew her identity could be discovered by foreign governments but said she was surprised to be identified by her own government.
"My name and identity were carelessly and recklessly abused by senior official in White House and State Department," Plame testified before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. "I could no longer perform the work for which I had been highly trained."
So her husband outed her for political reasons? Richard Armitage outed her for political reasons? Is this what she is saying? Because we all know who did the outing, and I would have to agree, it was most definitely for political reasons.
It was done to bring down the Bush administration in 2004. They crossed their fingers and threw everything they had at Bush in the hopes that Kerry would be the next President. Thankfully the American people saw through their obvious ploys.
Oh, and take a look at this article by Walter Pincus at the WaPo. Check out how he begins the thing:
She has been silent nearly four years.
Oh really? So all the press releases, the book, the book signings, magazine interviews, etc...is staying silent?
As I have been known to say.....
No media bias here.
And take a look at these jaw droppers from The Corner:
Henry Waxman, who is chairing the hearing into the revelation of Valerie Plame Wilson's name, just quietly slipped in that "the President" was among the people who leaked her name.
Plame included that line in her testimony a few minutes ago. A former CIA officer emails me:
The covert status of CIA officers should not be known AT ALL to non-cleared persons or to ANY ONE on the "Georgetown cocktail circuit."
Will someone on the panel think to ask her to name those few on the Georgetown cocktail circuit who were aware of her covert status? And to ask how they became aware of that? From hints that she and Wilson provided, perhaps?
Valerie Plame Wilson has been testifying for an hour, and while it appears on a chart, the name of Richard Armitage — the actual person who actually leaked her identity to Robert Novak (and, a month earlier, to Bob Woodward) — has yet to be spoken. Scooter Libby's name? Ten times.
Valerie Plame Wilson complained that Dick Cheney — the elected vice president of the United States — made an "unprecedented number of visits" to the CIA in the run-up to the Iraq war. She's right. It's shocking. Evidently, Cheney actually listened to the CIA.
And this has to be the most hilarious words uttered by Plame in quite some time:
This is what Valerie Plame Wilson just said about her husband's trip: "I did not recommend him, I did not suggest him, I did not have the authority." An officer serving under her was upset to have received an inquiry from the vice president's office about yellowcake from Niger and evidently, while she was comforting that junior officer, some guy walked by her office and suggested her husband should go to Niger to check it out.
She said she was ambivalent about the idea because she didn't want to have to put her 2 year-old twins to bed by herself at night. Still, she and the guy who had just happened to walk by then went to her supervisor.
Supervisor: Well, when you go home this evening, would you ask your husband to come in.
Then her supervisor asked her to write an e-mail about the idea. She did so. That e-mail, she said, was the basis for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence claim that she had been responsible for sending her husband to Niger for the CIA.
In other words, she didn't recommend him or suggest him. Rather, it was a guy who walked by.
Ok, now I have to say it. I have interviewed many criminal suspects after committing a crime and this defense is a common one. "it wasn't me you see....it was the other guy and I just happened to be standing at the cash register as he took the money out, you see?"
Oh, I'm not saying she is a criminal...I would never say that.
A CIA desk jockey actively working with a core group of intelligence agents to bring down the Presidents campaign for a second term isn't a crime......is it?
In other news, secret decoder rings were used at this hearing:
Valerie Plame, whose CIA career ended when columnist Robert Novak blew her cover in July 2003, today testifies before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee whose members will receive a special secret decoder ring so they can understand her without revealing sensitive intel in a public forum.
Ms. Plame (aka Valerie Wilson) lived such a secret life that when she and her husband, former ambassador Joe Wilson, appeared in a photo spread in Vanity Fair magazine, she was compelled by CIA covert spy protocol to wear dark sunglasses.
The former agent will speak in a top-secret cipher language. Committee members will break the encryption as she speaks using the secret decoder device.
At least the WaPo had a few unbiased nuggets in their otherwise horrible reporting:
"I did not recommend him. I did not suggest him. There was no nepotism involved. I did not have the authority," she said.
That conflicts with senior officials at the CIA and State Department, who testified during Libby's trial that Plame recommended Wilson for the trip.
She has really screwed herself over on this one.
Question. Was she sworn in today?
Oh, by the way, here is a blast from the past in the form of the Senate's Prewar Intelligence Report:
Some CPD officials could not recall how the office decided to contact the former ambassador, however, interviews and documents provided to the Committee indicate that his wife, a CPD employee, suggested his name for the trip. The CPD reports officer told Committee staff that the former ambassador's wife "offered up his name" and a memorandum to the Deputy Chief of the CPD on February 12, 2002, from the former ambassador's wife says, "my husband has good relations with both the PM [prime minister] and the former Minister of Mines (not to mention lots of French contacts), both of whom could possibly shed light on this sort of activity." This was just one day before CPD sent a cable REDACTED requesting concurrence with CPD's idea to send the former ambassador to Niger and requesting any additional information from the foreign government service on their uranium reports. The former ambassador's wife told Committee staff that when CPD decided it would like to send the former ambassador to Niger, she approached her husband on behalf of the CIA and told him "there's this crazy report" on a purported deal for Niger to sell uranium to Iraq.
The former ambassador had traveled previously to Niger on the CIA's behalf REDACTED. The former ambassador was selected for the 1999 trip after his wife mentioned to her supervisors that her husband was planning a business trip to Niger in the near future and might be willing to use his contacts in the region REDACTED. Because the former ambassador did not uncover any information about REDACTED during this visit to Niger, CPD did not distribute an intelligence report on the visit.
Woopsie...
And this testimony from Robert Grenier, a 27 year employee of the CIA, as reported by Outside The Beltway:
He called “Kevin” at the counter-proliferation division (the #2 guy) and neither he nor the chief were available. He talked to someone else and left a message for Kevin. He got a response “probably within a couple of hours.” It was from someone he did not know but was “fully knowledgeable about what had happened.” He got confirmation that CIA had sent Wilson to investigate Niger uranium and went into some detail about the mission. Conveyed that State, Office of VP, and Defense had all “expressed interest” in the issue.
That person “mentioned” that Wilson’s wife worked in the division and was the impetus behind the trip. “I am certain the individual did not tell me the name, only that it was Amb Wilson’s wife.”
Additionally we get this idiotic response from the desk jockey: (via Just One Minute)
Plame said she wasn't a lawyer and didn't know what her legal status was but said it shouldn't have mattered to the officials who learned her identity.
"They all knew that I worked with the CIA," Plame said. "They might not have known what my status was but that alone - the fact that I worked for the CIA - should have put up a red flag."
Which Tom Maguire takes apart:
She didn't know her legal status? She's so covert that not even she knows if she is covert! Oh, my - well, I don't know her status either. Maybe they call her the wind. (But they call the wind Maria...)
On Wednesday, Wayne Simmons, a 27-year veteran at the CIA, told Fox News Radio: 'As most people now know, (Plame) was traipsed all over Washington many years ago by Joe Wilson and introduced at embassies and other parties as 'my CIA wife.' Last week, Maj. Gen. Paul Vallely told WABC Radio's John Batchelor that during a 2002 conversation with Wilson while the two waited to appear on a TV show, Wilson casually mentioned that his wife worked at 'the Agency.' In Oct. 2003, NBC's diplomatic correspondent, Andrea Mitchell, told CNBC that Plame's occupation 'was widely known among those of us who cover the intelligence community and who were actively engaged in trying to track down who among the foreign service community was the envoy to Niger.' Mitchell added: 'So a number of us began to pick up on that.' And in Sept. 2003, NationalReviewOnline's Cliff May wrote that when Plame's CIA connection was mentioned in Novak's column - 'That wasn't news to me.'
"'I had been told that (Plame was CIA) - but not by anyone working in the White House. Rather, I learned it from someone who formerly worked in the government and he mentioned it in an offhand manner, leading me to infer it was something that insiders were well aware of.' The day his report appeared, May told the Fox News Channel's John Gibson: 'I knew this, and a lot of other people knew it.' In fact, rumors now swirl around Washington that Plame used to take her friends to lunch at the CIA's cafeteria. So what has Mr.Fitzgerald - who was hailed as a 'prosecutor's prosecutor' only weeks ago - done with the avalanche of testimony that contradicts his stated claim that Plame's job 'was not widely known'? Apparently nothing. In the six days since he's gone public, Gen. Vallely says prosecutors have yet to contact him." He was on Hannity & Colmes last night, and Colmes said to him, "Did Ambassador Joe Wilson expose his wife himself? That's exactly what our next guest says. Joining us now in an exclusive interview that you're not going to see anyplace else, Fox News military analyst and retired Major General Paul Vallely, who says that Wilson told him that Valerie Plame was a CIA agent in 2002. General, where did this happen?" VALLELY: Joe Wilson and I met in Washington in the greenroom of the bureau there for Fox. Met several times in 2002, and as we talked about our families, he did not say that she was an agent, only that she was employed by the agency, and as we since learned, she is in fact and has been an analyst in Washington for a number of years. So that basically is how we met and how we discussed that.
"You're either part of the solution or part of the problem"
state your point
March 25, 2007 - 20:09 ET by citizen xout of all of that ......what? it's not more imformation, it's just more BS. Ok who should the white house out next in the CIA ? tell us who's fare game, and how it helps the intellegence community by outing our spies. -cuz you're an american, right? patriotic ?
"Ok who should the white
March 25, 2007 - 21:18 ET by botg"Ok who should the white house out next"
Is joe wilson president or did i miss something?
out next
March 25, 2007 - 23:29 ET by citizen xBotg,
This is the most moronic post I've seen...and thank you. You appear to be falling in line with the premise that the president is king, and king changes all rules. If the president want's to out you, you're outed. But then let's lie about it. Cuz you're a fraud. Or confused. Either way, incompetent. How about lying about the alleged incompetency ? Or lying about whether you ever lied about lying about lies?
just give me more kibbles and bits and I'll say anything you want, GW.
Hello Dolly!
March 25, 2007 - 23:33 ET by Free StinkerHello Dolly!
Is citx really Molly Bloom?
March 25, 2007 - 23:41 ET by RJCitx, is your real name Molly Bloom? 'Cause, girl, your overwrought stream of consciousness ramblings when you post is strongly reminiscent of her soliloquy. "yes I said yes I will yes yes"
will it get you to wake up, pumpkin?
March 26, 2007 - 00:14 ET by citizen xwill it get you to wake up, pumpkin?
No, DUmmy, it's just the opposite
March 26, 2007 - 00:23 ET by RJNo, Molly, it's just the opposite. Your boring stream-of-consciousness liberal babble puts intelligent people to sleep. Of course, coming from the DUmmie type sites you no doubt frequent, you wouldn't have any experience with that problem....
Come on ...Watch the language
March 26, 2007 - 01:22 ET by bigtimerCome on ...Watch the language X...you know the rules here.
Go to where it is allowed...nobody stopping you..or that would want to either.
citX
March 25, 2007 - 23:54 ET by misterbillJust passing through and quckly saw that you are a hater.
"How about lying about the alleged incompetency ? Or lying about whether you ever lied about lying about lies?" Huh?
My suggestion to you re: lying-- go lie on the RR tracks. Ciao!
An ugly American is one who does not support his country.
Sigh.......................If
March 25, 2007 - 23:20 ET by Scout FinchSigh.......................If Valerie Plame were--by the legal definition--covert, Scooter Libby would have been charged and likely convicted of 'outing' a covert agent. Since Fitz didn't charge Scooter with that crime, one can assume Fitz knows that she was not covert. Period. Get over it!
let's assume
March 26, 2007 - 02:01 ET by citizen xlet's assume she was what she.... and her bosses..... and the US gov claim. That she was covert. let's assume reality for a moment. you want the president messing with our agents? Cuz they don't promote his political thing of the day? What would you do if we outed our own spy...working on nuke proliferation?
You might be dumb asses if you think they'd protect you or your loved ones. They would fry you. If you came back all shot up, ....it's Walter Reed. But that's not a totally bad place..so...
Then make you sign your own insurance release form when you have half your brain blown away, and you sign away your medical rights. that's really funny, eh, RJ ? Support our troops.
Why argue with success, RJ ?
citizen ?
March 26, 2007 - 04:35 ET by acumenJustifiably so, it would seem RJ has become bored with you, so allow me:
"let's assume....."
Why assume anything? The 9/11 Commision told us Joe Wilson's a liar. Valerie stands by her man. You should have enough experience sipping trendy coctails (or mint tea) pool-side with like-minded wanna-be's to figure out what that makes her.
But by all means let's defend these proven liars. After all, their fellow "patriots", the Demediacrats have instructed these misfits that standing by your lying husband is the fashionable thing to do in Dem circles, so we can't blame them. Why, the Vanity Fair stars were just following your former CIC's example in the wildly effective finger wagging in America's face (or is that willie-wagging?) approach to fighting terrorism. Can't wait for that scene in their upcoming lucrative movie deal.
"What would you do if we outed our own spy...working on nuke proliferation?"
What would we do "if" you outed your own spy? You did. Which was almost worth it with your amusing; 'what self-respecting foreign operative would read Who's Who' defense. The real question is how much longer will it take Val to get a clue. However, to answer your question, we would do the reasonable thing and divorce his lying ass.
One would think a CIA "covert" agent would be able to figure that one out. But not your gal Val. With that lack of analytical skills, it's little wonder Iran and N Korea's "nuke proliferation" increased on Val's watch. The First Amendment Award from the Society of Professional Journalists is not hardly enough to reward Joe for saving America from his inept wife, Joe should have been given the medal of freedom for his decisive role in cutting his wife's career short. I guess taking down Libby along with his wife kind of killed that deal though.
'If you came back all shot up, ....it's Walter Reed. But that's not a totally bad place...and you sign away your medical rights."
On to your Walter Reed rant - I spent the first eighteen years of my life being treated at military hospitals but to be fair, I never was afflicted with the extremely rare half-brain-shot-out syndrome. But even with the advantage of still having a full brain to work with, I just can't seem to remember being asked to sign away my "medical rights". But once again, in all fairness, I don't have your amazing divining skills at assuming.
"You might be dumb asses if you think they'd protect you or your loved ones."
Is that another botched joke by an American "patriot"?
Look, we didn't come to your site asking you to assume anything. We didn't come to your site dissing you, your loved ones, their personal medical treatment or your memories of them by suggesting you "might be a dumb ass". Nor did we come to your site espousing a bunch of assumtions to back up hollow arguments. Why can't you show the same respect in our house? But then that would interfere with your "patriotic" left's policy of personal destruction, wouldn't it?
"idiot liberals" - congressman obey(me)
Figured as much
March 26, 2007 - 02:13 ET by Sua Sponte 75Out of all that, well, your inability to dispute the facts and read.
"You're either part of the solution or part of the problem"
Valerie Plame was outed long
March 26, 2007 - 22:54 ET by NL207Valerie Plame was outed long before anything to do with Robert Novak or Richard Armitage. Her identity was disclosed to the Russians, read that KGB, by the spy, Aldrich Ames, in the early 90's. Proof: The CIA withdrew her from the field, citing security concerns, soon after Ames was caught and interrogated. Her identity was also inadvertently disclosed by the CIA itself to the Cuban Intelligence service back in the 90's.
And I find it amusing that the left still goes about muttering Rove... Cheney ... plot to take revenge on Joe Wilson, etc, etc. when Richard Armitage has openly admitted it was he who sourced the leaks to both Novak and Woodward. Moreover the leak to Woodward occurred only 2 days after records say Libby learned of Plame's employment. You lefty clowns still gnaw the ends of your old plots. As a group, you are only one step removed from the tinfoil hats of the 9-11 truth movement.
Now, I'd be a whole lot more impressed with you dauntless defenders of idiocy if at least ONE of you noticed that there was a certain amount of conflict of interest and improper influence associated with Wilson's employemnt on this Niger trip. Don't you think it just a little nepotistic that Plame advocated her husband to the CIA for this mission? Usually you libs are the first to howl about insider deals. You bitch incessantly about no-bid contracts and Halliburton. How is this any different? [hint: dollar amount doesn't count]
uhm...fact check.
March 28, 2007 - 22:35 ET by citizen xyou must be a sean hannity listener or sound bite gulper. Plame didn't recommend her husby to the africa fact finding trip. A co-worker brought the fact that her husband was the most qualified of anyone around. So much for nepotism. And the CIA thought Joe Wilson would be the best one to go...him being a long time ambassador and expert in africa. No...they didn't want a Michael Brown crony...they wanted an expert. The guy hired and fully supported by by BUSH SENIOR. GW's daddy. And kept on board for a long time. So you think Plame got commission $$ for her hubby going overseas to check out yellowcake? Yes...she made tons of dollars and then outed herself and kids. I don't get your thinking...if any thinking is involved in your thought process.
So Plame got money and is on scale with Halliburton no-bid stuff? Anyone kinda ..not...getting this argument? Not surprised if no answer.
- Citizen X
ps - hey do you like no-bid contracts, NL207? Stalin wants to know.
Yea, Wilson was such an exper
May 23, 2007 - 16:11 ET by NL207Yea, Wilson was such an expert that the CIA and eventually the Congress simply discarded his report.
Stupid question on your part,
March 26, 2007 - 22:30 ET by BillAdkinsStupid question on your part, Noel -- how about you tell us why they took Capone down for taxes if he was a organized crime figure guilty of murder,bootlegging, etc. And go ahead, use Wiki.
I am breathless with antici............pation.
I used to think Jimmy Carter was the worst president in history - then along came George W. Bush.
Bill,Pathetic retort on your
March 26, 2007 - 22:35 ET by BlondeBill,
Pathetic retort on your part.
Couldn't come up with anything more original than a rehash of Noel's Frank'n'Furter reference?
Pathetic.
Totally.
Pathetic.
You're your usual incoherent
March 26, 2007 - 22:38 ET by BillAdkinsYou're your usual incoherent blonde self, Blonde. For instance, what is Noel's 'Frank n' Further' reference and is that why you sound so garbled?
I used to think Jimmy Carter was the worst president in history - then along came George W. Bush.
Stupid comparison on your part, Billy
March 26, 2007 - 22:49 ET by RJReally stupid comparison on your part, Billy....even for you. Fitzgerald had access to a hell of a lot more legal power for his investigation than the legal system of the time did for Capone.
I used to think we had reached the bottom of the barrel for stupid liberal posters until Bill Adkins came along.
Well Bill,I see you are tossi
March 26, 2007 - 22:56 ET by BlondeWell Bill,
I see you are tossing the usual aspersions around in your usual willy-nilly fashion.
I'm incoherent?
Hardly.
Too bad you are so completely and utterly unoriginal.....and foolish.
I am breathless with antici............pation. BTW, in case you forgot, silly troll, you just copied that from Noel's post. Then leveled a charge of incoherence at me. Fool!
Now you are the pathetic incompetent who didn't recognize the "Frank'N'Furter" reference, aren't you? You, who quoted it right back at Noel.
Rocky Horror Picture Show.
We had a rather pleasant conversation about that a few weeks back.
Too bad. So sad. You lose.
Who is incoherent here?
Pathetic little talking point troll.
You're still incoherent, Blon
March 26, 2007 - 23:05 ET by BillAdkinsYou're still incoherent, Blonde, and a long way over the line to stupid, too. The 'antici....pation' line was intentional sarcasm as copied from Noel's post- I'm not surprised it went over your head. As to the Rocky Horror reference, I found that pretty boring back in the '70s. Were you one of those people who attended the movie in drag?
I used to think Jimmy Carter was the worst president in history - then along came George W. Bush.
Too bad, Bill.You're still st
March 26, 2007 - 23:09 ET by BlondeToo bad, Bill.
You're still stupid.
And not in the least entertaining.
I'm sure you did find it boring.
Prigs like you always do.
Stupid analogy on your part.
March 26, 2007 - 23:19 ET by NL207Stupid analogy on your part.
Never once did Capone confess anything to prosecutors. Something about Omerta, I think.
Richard Armitage, who actually divulged Plame's employement to Robert Novak, whose op-ed piece is what sparked the controversy, publicly admitted he did this. Moreover, Patrick Fitzgerald knew exactly who had done this 6 weeks into his investigation because Armitage went to him and admitted the whole thing.
Please show me where Al Capone went to the Feds or any other law enforcement agency and confessed to anything while it was still in the investigative state. Then I will accept your analogy is valid.
That's your idea of "heavy thinking", citx? hahaha
March 25, 2007 - 15:17 ET by RJThat's your idea of "heavy thinking" citx? hahaha. Geez, are you living in the same tree as Otto, that other howler monkey on this thread? Maybe youse guys is family members? You certainly share the same family traits of making unintellibible noises and throwing things. You're very amusing.
No, George Bush has never been a "conservative". The main reason I voted for him is that he wasn't the insane snake oil salesman, Al Gore, or the flip-flopping Frenchman, John Kerry.
Speaking of voting for traitors, I actually voted for Bill Clinton the first time. Then he went and sold our military secrets to China for a boatload of cash. Now, THAT'S an example of treason!
RJ... I'm shocked! Shocked
March 25, 2007 - 15:27 ET by bigtimerRJ...
I'm shocked! Shocked I tell ya...
You voted for Clinton?!
I voted for Perot...which is just as bad!
LOL!
BT
March 25, 2007 - 15:35 ET by RJThe first time...then I came to my senses. It's the fault of the Republicans for not giving me a reasonable choice....probably the same reason you voted for Perot. Of course, who could know that Clinton would sell our secrets to China?
Of course, who could know tha
March 25, 2007 - 15:46 ET by bigtimerOf course, who could know that Clinton would sell our secrets to China?
Exactly RJ ...amoung the many other things his administration and his/her minions did to this country.
Including putting many many illegal aliens on the voting record..through Hillary's friend Miser or something like that...I know I should look it up, but am in between things at the moment..but Hillary put her in as the head of Immigration dept....I can't even think of the proper dept. right at the moment! (She was an old college classmate off Shrillay's if memory serves me correctly...which it may not be at the moment!)
Then you had the Indian votes (money and promises given to the Indians and swapped for money to the Dem's political party for casino's ect) that Gore, Hillary and Babbit all got away with in the Dept. of Interior...it was endless.
Is the circus in town?
March 25, 2007 - 15:34 ET by Sua Sponte 75I thought the Clown College class of 07 didn't graduate until June. Yea, Plame was a super secret cream of the crop spy who wasn't an operator, hadn't been out of the country in years, sat behind a desk in HQ, wrote checks from her Brewster and Jennings checkbook to the (D) party, had her name appear in the "Who's Who" listing and who had been outed by Ames years ago. Glad she was riding a desk instead of being in the field getting someone killed. Too bad you weren't able to pull that info up, you must have been using the "other" google or internets. He's spouting the same tripe you are even when shown the proof. Perhaps if you remove your asshat the information will better be able to penetrate.
"You're either part of the solution or part of the problem"
sua simpleton
March 26, 2007 - 01:22 ET by citizen xjust because she wasn't in iran, zip code wize, do you think she might have constant links to overseas networks, agencies and data?. hey you're the pro tell us. Americans never needed that intelligence, anyway. we are better off without intelligence. - hence your response.
You that clueless?
March 26, 2007 - 02:23 ET by Sua Sponte 75LMAO, so she had links to overseas, what difference does it make if she's a sloppy field agent? If this is the premier FO then we might be better off not getting collection from her. As far as her "links", once she was rolled up in the Ames affair, that sorta goes out the window doesn't it? Were you also complaining when our collection efforts were hamstrung in the mid and late 90's? Hence my response? It's obvious you haven't the slightest clue on collection and what's been going on in the intel community over the past thirty years.
"You're either part of the solution or part of the problem"
uhm..how do you know?
March 28, 2007 - 22:57 ET by citizen xso you know the extent of her networks? her apparently competent bosses kept her covert. what great experience do you bring to the table ?
past 30 years? I know I talked to Olly North maybe 17 years ago ( on radio ) and that was only on his Iran stuff ..Iran is nothing to worry about now ( ?? ). He said covert operations overseas are a necessary evil....wanna hear the clip ? Of course you don't. Here it is anyway...and yes outing our own spies is unpatriotic. Just say something sane, please.
www.gicleephoto.net/...
Who outed a spy? I hear tell
March 26, 2007 - 19:31 ET by TheDeuceWho outed a spy? I hear tell there was an investigation and everything and no one was brought up on that charge.
Please, do tell...who outed a US spy?
rj, "we the poeple" died a lo
March 25, 2007 - 15:24 ET by sajc05rj, "we the poeple" died a long time ago. now its we the corporation, . our entire gov't has sold out to the highest bidder. the conservative movement should be about throwing out hacks like bush and putting in true americans...maybe newt.
bottom line bush is an aweful president and an embarrasment to conservaitves...i'll give him credit only on his supreme court picks.
President Gore
March 25, 2007 - 15:31 ET by RJThere's no doubt that our choices haven't been very good lately...but every time I complain about President Bush, I say to myself, "President Gore" or "President Kerry" and I feel a little better.
TWB ( thinking while Bushwhacked )
March 25, 2007 - 17:07 ET by citizen xSometimes you have to speak up, RJ. Don't tell me it's pudding if my dog won't even eat it.
I
voted for Bush Senior and was shocked when Clinton got in. Then I saw
8 years of republican attacks, Newt testifying that tobacco had no
health implications, trying to shut down PBS cuz they are so scientific
and not jesustific, and culminating with the Lewinski mess. Thank God
Trent Lott and Clinton actually sat down, compromised, and got stuff
done admidst the smears.
Be honest now, RJ....wouldn't you rather have a president lying
about sex in the oval office than the unreal gems we have going on
now? Just the first 10 gems, for time sake. There is nothing close in
American history to what has happened these last 6 years, and there is
no reason to defend those actions or lack thereof. - this is Maher's
point.
This is why Bill Maher is just a mirror of what the entire
country is thinking. It's even republicans that are protesting so who
are you trying to defend ? They've had enough, and you should too, if
you're not TWB.
Who is out of line? An administration that pulls
this continual crap... or someone standing up and getting pissed off
about it on a TV show? In 5 years it will take a lot more courage to
stand up and say you voted for GW ...then admitting you voted for Perot
or Clinton.
The republicans that stand up, shake off the lock
step, and denounce the crap going on -are the future of the party.
America isn't as dumb as some want them to be. The internets and the
google give Americans access to many ideas, even yours, RJ.
-moonbat majority
p.s. JR - if you think a president Kerry or Gore would have been this dismal....you gotta share some of those denial pills. Statistically it's impossible for a dead possum on a highway to stink as much as the current regime. take a whiff. and if they went after Joe Wilson's wife ( she was on our side ) cuz he diss'd / corrected the president's evidence of WMD's ...imagine what they'd do to your wife? You back these hyennas? They'd run over you for $1.