Now that the first indictment is out and we have an official description of how the leak happened, it is time to hold the President to his word.
Now that the first indictment is out and we have an official description of how the leak happened, it is time to hold the President to his word. As Phil Singer remided us today:
Asked in June 2004 if he'd stand by his pledge to fire anyone found to have leaked, Bush replied "yes." [Bush Press Conference: Savannah, GA, 6/10/04]
When the White House was asked specifically whether Karl Rove, Elliot Abrams or Lewis Libby told any reporter that Valerie Plame worked for the CIA, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said: "Those individuals -- I talked -- I spoke with those individuals, as I pointed out, and those individuals assured me they were not involved in this. And that's where it stands." [White House Briefing, 10/10/03]
"I don't know of anybody in my administration who leaked classified information. If somebody did leak classified information, I'd like to know it, and we'll take the appropriate action." [Bush Remarks: Chicago, Illinois, 9/30/03]
"The President has set high standards, the highest of standards for people in his administration. He's made it very clear to people in his administration that he expects them to adhere to the highest standards of conduct. If anyone in this administration was involved in it, they would no longer be in this administration." [White House Briefing, 9/29/03]
Well he has already failed in that and not by some accident or technicality but with full knowledge and consent. I am talking about allowing Libby to resign rather than being fired. Libby may not have been charged for it, but it was clear that he was guilty of passing classified information about a covert CIA agent to a reporter with the full knowledge that that information would harm the nation. When someone makes a regrettable but honest mistake, we let them resign. When someone botches a job completely but not criminally, we let them resign. When they knowingly break the law, place lives and national security at risk and then lie under oath about it, we fire them. That's what the President promised to do and he broke that promise. This is not a time for the Democratic leadership to sit back and gloat. It is time to pile on. It is time to kick them when they are down. If they think for a minute Republicans wouldn't, you haven't been paying attention. Max Cleland gave his country 2 legs and an arm in Vietnam but was branded a supporter of terrorism for political gain. John Kerry was ridiculed for not getting hurt ENOUGH to earn one of his Purple Hearts by people who never served or made sure the only jeopardy they were in was falling off a bar stool.
Libby broke the law in lying to the grand jury. Libby was at the center of a knowing effort to have the name of a covert agent publicized for political gain. The President and the Vice President have said that they knew of no one in their administration who participated in this and I am willing to take them at their word that they did not know so by extension, Libby lied to both the President and the Vice President unless you believe they never asked "The" question. By letting him resign rather than being fired, the President and the Vice President send the message that they condone these illegal, unethical and immoral acts. For that they should be called to the carpet for by the leadership of the Democratic Party and the American People.
This is not an academic question for me. I have "fired" people who worked for me in the military because they did far less than Mr. Libby. Some were people I considered friends. Our friendship did not change the fact that if I tolerated their bad acts, I would lose the moral authority necessary to command. Were I to do nothing or quietly allow them to move to some new duty I would be finished as a leader. We all make mistakes. Sometimes those mistakes are our own acts. Sometimes those mistakes are in who we associate with. Judgment for those mistakes is often best saved for how we react and respond to those mistakes. Had the President or the Vice President been the first to come forward and say "Someone who worked for me did something bad and I have fired them for it" I would have been swift and vocal in support of the act (firing) and the person with the moral fiber to admit a mistake in judgment. The President and the Vice President have taken a pass on doing the right and moral thing in this case not once but twice. Once in not firing Mr. Libby as soon as they knew he was guilty of passing the information and a second time when they allowed him to resign instead of being fired.