Posted a comment out on the Jonathon Larsen's blog.  http://shows.airamericaradio.com/ms/node/749

This one may slip under the radar too. According to Fahrenheit 9/11, this is Bandar Bush. So close to the family and the White House that he is considered part of the family. Don't feel bad though, he'll probably go on to be an overpaid consultant.

Saudi Ambassador to U.S. Steps Down After 22 Years

(WaPo) Saudi ambassador Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the dean of Washington's diplomatic corps and confidant of presidents both Republican and Democratic over the past 22 years, has resigned and will be replaced by the former head of Saudi Arabia's intelligence service.

According to Fahrenheit 9/11, this is Bandar Bush. So close to the family and the White House that he is considered part of the family. Don't feel bad though, he'll probably go on to be an overpaid consultant.

Couple of things here for a rare late night post.

I have watched/listened to Joe Wilson be interviewed or otherwise be in front of the public. Talk about a cool cat, totally mellow and taking it all in stride, at least that's how it appears. That would be the guy I would want to have a beer with. Here is the White House trying to dismantle his family and he is cracking jokes with Al Franken, holding press conferences with Chuck Schumer and testifiying for John Conyers (you probably think I forgot about the Downing Street Memo [DSM]). All the time very candid, and very on target. Able to recall everything he's ever said. More than I can say for myself.

On to the next:

"(S)" Is For Secret: Memo Identifying Plame Clearly Marked...

A classified State Department memorandum central to a federal leak investigation contained information about CIA officer Valerie Plame in a paragraph marked "(S)" for secret, a clear indication that any Bush administration official who read it should have been aware the information was classified, according to current and former government officials.

Plame -- who is referred to by her married name, Valerie Wilson, in the memo -- is mentioned in the second paragraph of the three-page document, which was written on June 10, 2003, by an analyst in the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR), according to a source who described the memo to The Washington Post.

[via Huffington Post Raw Feed]

I just subjected myself to The Situation with Tucker Carlson and it is ahh ... not good. I won't say it was bad but I didn't gain any new information on any "situation" and simply got annoyed with Tuck, his haircut, and his bowtie. The only saving grace was Rachel Maddow, who I have not had the pleasure of listening to yet. I will be podcasting her tomorrow though.

If you are interested, Scarbourgh's lead story was Natalee in Aruba. If you are reading and Natalee fascinates you or pisses you off let me know. May be Congress will rush back and sign all law that says cute-ish, single, white women are not allowed to go missing. I'm all for it if they are talking about my girlfriend or anybody I know but I wouldn't want my business on cable news for two months. I may even set up a poll on the future web site: http://www.revivethedemocrats.org

Found a cool little site that let's you play budget analyst.

Budget Simulator

Also, Karl wears it proudly.

Don't forget Iraq now ...

Don't forget Iraq now...

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L19558630.htm

This seems to be what everyone has been forgetting.

A Copy of my letter to the Editor of the Dakota Voice:

TO: Bob Ellis, Editor, The Dakota Voice
CC: The Ed Shultz Show, The Stephanie Miller Show
RE: http://www.dakotavoice.com/200507/Opinion/Editorial/20050715_Editorial.asp

The next time that you write an Op/Ed, and profess that you know all the facts, you ought to know all the facts.  About the only thing that you got correct was when you copied the sections of US Code.  The rest of it appears to be pure Republican talking points put out by Mehlman and the RNC.

You have obviously missed the point of the whole "non-story" as you call it.  The problem isn't that Rove broke a law or not but has yet again acted unethically.  And if you had seen interviews with Wilson you would know that he contributed to both presidential campaigns in 2000 and actually voted for Bush.

As far as why Schumer took up Wilson's torch yesterday, Schumer initially urged the Justice department to investigate this leak. 

Also, the District of Columbia does not have senators as it is not a state.  But you didn't check on that either.

I won't argue about your opinion as everyone is entitled to their own.  However, you should not misrepresent the facts by distorting the truth and taking events out of context.

And now from the peanut gallery, someone to repeat the talking points.  The Dakota Voice.  This is why middle America is the way it is.  I am going to write a letter to this guy.

Have you seen this?  Joe Wilson's Top Ten Worst Inaccuracies And Misstatements  These aren't the actual talking points, but it is some of the most inaccurate statements yet.

And more lies from Fox News.

Rove Reportedly Held Phone Talk on C.I.A. Officer Karl Rove spoke with the columnist Robert D. Novak as he was preparing an article that identified an undercover C.I.A. officer. 

This from the New York Times.  Here's the other thing, I think that I heard or read that Rove and the Wilsons went to the same church.  Don't quote me on this, I am not sure and I can't source it to anyone.

I think I will take a moment to speculate as to where this is going.  Karl Rove is gone.  Fitzgerald only has to prove the Rove violated the Espionage act.  See this argument at Bad Attitudes. 

Then two things could happen:  1) Rove goes to Prison.  2) Rove stays where he is.

My hope would be that he goes down for this and takes a few others in the White House with him.  My concern would be that he still runs the show from prison.  With any luck he is convicted by a jury of his peers and he gets a creative judge.  This judge would not necessarily sentence Rove to prison time but to forbid him from participating in the political process ever again. 

Judging by the way that Bush has stood by his man for all these other wackos, I don't think Rove will leave unless the legal system forces him. This also assuming that he doesn't get pardoned by his boss. 

Far-fetched you say?  This is Bush's last term and it is a solid three years to the election.  Any republican can say "I didn't have anything to do with that." 

So my strategy going forward is to drag this out for as long as possible and let every last republican weigh in and smear themselves.  Kay Bailey Hutchison and Kit Bond obviously don't mind taking one for the team.  And all these people too. 

Also, if he stays we can still press Scott McClellan in every press conference.  The press will also have the lattitude to start asking some of the other pressing questions while Karl is fighting his turmoil.  Like fixed pre-war intelligence and the Downing Street Minutes.

 

The Reid ammendment will deny security clearances to federal employees who reveal the identity of an undercover agent.  Just wanted to clarify.

And it has not passed. 44-53

I am watching C-SPAN 2 and the Frist Amendment vote is occuring.  This is the amendment that will revoke a Senator's right to look at classified FBI reports or refer to an FBI agent's comments if the Senator refers to either of them on the Senate floor. 

Notice that it does not talk about covert agents in general, or to other government officials than senators.  Say for instance, Deputy Chiefs of Staff. 

So this vote is not to be confused with the Reid ammendment which revokes security clearances of federal employees who reveal the identity of covert agents.  Rove is classified as a Federal employee, and has revealed a covert agent.

And it has not passed 33-64.

More to come on the Reid ammendment.

The democrats appear to be getting some traction.  I just finished watching the Schumer press conference with Joe Wilson.  He has some good things to say.  I am hoping that some of the sound bites end up on some of the mainstream media.

Also, I am watching the action on the Senate floor.  Specifically, the Reid amendment which denies security clearances to persons who reveal the identities of covert agents.  Couple of things here:

• Republicans are saying that it is poorly constructed and poorly presented.


• Democrats are basically saying why wouldn't you vote for this bill?  It is protecting Americans who put there life on the line.

I wish that they would bring up Schaivo, if the Republicans want to call this partisan politics.

I didn't get a chance to go to the MoveOn protest today at the White House.  I know that it is important, but just couldn't get it done.  Had to work, you know how that is.

So now is the Democrats feable attempt at finding out the truth. The Republicans will block it and then what.

http://www.house.gov/tierney/press/rove07132005.shtml

I think that people are getting a little hasty here. I will admit that I am excited that the mastermind is going to go down.

But the other part is that the other side is gearing up.

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_69430.asp

O'Reilly weighed in with usual fashion http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,162381,00.html saying something to the effect of this will all go away next week. But with Bush's poll ratings dropping and people loving a scandal, this won't go away.

Anyway, this is what the democrats have been waiting for and we shouldn't squander it. Especially since the press corps has apparently decided to show up this week and make Scott sweat a little.

I don't know why Scott (Puffy McMoonface - Chummy McSharkbait) McClellan bothers to have press conferences. First we had a press that only threw softballs and now he won't talk about Karl Rove in any context.

You can see the whole thing by going to C-SPAN.

And of all places, Fox News has an article up that says the Matt Cooper had a press conference where he basically confirmed that Karl was his source. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,162406,00.html

Lastly, it appears as though we are going to start asking for his resignation. My personal belief is that it is too early yet but some feel that they need to strike now. John Kerry is one of them.

I am going to try and make to the Anti-Rove protest with MoveOn tomorrow at the White House. I will see you there and report for those who can't make it. I may even attempt to do some onsight audio so that you can experience it first hand.