The Associated Press has just posted
an interesting article about the NIE leak, written by Jennifer Loven. If I am reading it correctly, it appears that President Bush is attempting to put some breathing room between himself and the Vice President.
I am sure all by now are familiar with the explosive news found in Patrick Fitgerald's most recent filing, first reported by the NY Sun. The Sun reported that Libby's Grand Jury Testimony included the fact that Libby was authorized by Bush, through Cheney, to leak portions of the National Intelligence Estimate to Judy Miller of the New York Times.
The White House's first move, following this disclosure, was Scott McClellan's typical and pathetic standard answer....
we are not going to comment on an ongoing investigation
.....repeated ad nauseum.
In failing to deny the NIE leak was authorized by Bush, along with caveats about "public interest", most sane individuals can be fairly certain that Scooter, in this specific testimony, was not lying.
More after the flip.
It now appears that a second stategic move has occurred-
As per the Associated Press, Bush is now distancing himself from Cheney-
President Bush declassified sensitive intelligence in 2003 and authorized its public disclosure to rebut
Iraq war critics, but he did not specifically direct that Vice President
Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, be the one to disseminate the information, an attorney knowledgeable about the case said Saturday.
Bush merely instructed Cheney to "get it out" and left the details to him, said the lawyer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case for the White House. The vice president chose Libby and communicated the president's wishes to his then-top aide, the lawyer said.
I think it's safe to say that the "Attorney knowledgable about the case" is one of Bush's attorneys.....and I would not be shocked to learn that Team Bush was developing a defense that paints Cheney as a loose cannon who exceeded his boundaries. Or, better yet, the leak was just a tragic example of a breakdown in communication.[/snark]
Any thoughts on what move #3 will be????