Unapologetic Rove Returns To Today, Defends Bush Admin Controversies
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After yesterday’s intimate pre-recorded interview with Matt Lauer on Today, Karl Rove stopped by the studio to talk to the host live about three of the most controversial issues of the Bush administration: the invasion of Iraq, the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, and the Valerie Plame CIA leak scandal. Unlike yesterday, this Rove showed no signs of remorse or vulnerability, and stuck to his points against an increasingly combative Lauer.
Pressed by Lauer to acknowledge that the Bush administration misled the country in announcing that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, Rove roped in every other major political figure at the time that supported the decision, noting,”if President Bush lied, then President Clinton lied, Senator Clinton lied, Senator Kerry lied, Senator Edwards lied.” When questioned about the real-time information journalists were broadcasting during Hurricane Katrina that Lauer suggested did not reach the White House, Rove answered that much of it was inaccurate and used as an example the reports that snipers were firing at incoming help, which led to many rescuers refusing to enter some of the affected areas.
Lauer was on the offensive most, however, over the leak of CIA agent Valerie Plame’s name to journalist Bob Novak, to whom Rove was considered a second source in confirming her identity. Lauer suggested it was impossible, based on the timing of the leak, for Rove not to know he was a source, and vicariously demanded an apology for White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan, who caused a stir when he released a book denouncing the Bush administration in 2008. Rove, who has responded previously to McClellan’s grievances, refused to apologize, and insisted, “I didn’t know her name,” thus making it impossible for him to be a second source.
Watch Lauer’s tense interview with Rove below:
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12 comments
Now that the Obama administration is sufficiently cowed into not investigating anything done by the Bushies, they can all come out of the woodwork and spin incessantly.
This is only the beginning. What we won’t hear about is the White House Iraq Group, specifically set up to stove-pipe intelligence that served neo-con needs for war, or we won’t hear about Doug Feith’s Defense Department intelligence outfit that was by design a means around those pesky CIA agents that refused to cave to Cheney’s pressure on his unprecedented twelve visits to Langley, or the “18 words” the CIA kept taking out of Bush speeches and Rove kept putting back in – I’ve got a few more but no time right now.
The problem with this canard that Bush was manipulating the intelligence to justify the war is that all those who professed to being lied to had access to the exact same information. Like when Bob Graham forwarded the “Lie” theory — he was on the Senate inelligence committee, so he had the exact same intelligence, which also came from numerous international intelligence agencies. The UN also acknowledged Hussein had WMDs, hence all the sanctions levelled against him for years. And then there is that bothersome detail of Clinton and Gore also determining that Iraq had WMDs before Bush took office.
You are correct Martini, but the libs won’t ever admit it. Rove was on Rush’s show today and talked in detail about the plame case. It was very interesting. But of course, the libs have their template on that one also and won’t budge. It was funny how Rove was being absolutely villified, but when it came out that he wasn’t the leaker, Chris Matthews and the other pathetic libs who tormented Rove for months, barely gave it a mention.
Unapologetic Rove Returns To Today
No need to read further on this one.
MartiniShark says March 9th 2010 at 3:34 pm
The problem with this canard that Bush was manipulating….
But I was always told by those on the far left that Bush was the dumbest President ever. And he played all these guys? What’s that say about them?
Well this interview seems to fit that template. Rove had something like 3 or 4 visits to the Grand Jury where he was questioned on the Plame case and was completely exonerated — but Matt Lauer just KNOWS he is guilty and should apologize! Now! To Matt Lauer! Funny how few people remember Richard Armitage, Matt, you know, the guy who was found to be the one who leaked her name.
Jim: There is a very big part of me that would like to see nothing more than W, the Big Dick, Connie and Donnie being convicted as the war criminals they are. I had second thoughts. I once thought vigorous investigations would tear the nation apart, but that fear is long gone. The nation is being effectively torn apart by the likes of Armey, Bachmann, Beck, Bolton, Cheney, Inc., Coulter, Delay, DeMented, Gingrich, Limbaugh, Malkin, Morris, Palin, Rove, each and every Tea Partier and all their rightist fellow travelers like INB, Jeff, Limbaugh, Martini, Michelle, Oma, Writer, all for the sake of regaining the political power they misused, abused and squandered during their long Reign of Terror, but bleat, moan and whine about how unfair it is they and their ideas were so soundly rejected on a glorious November evening. Nothing is going to stop their nefarious undermining of our Republic, save and except ceding to their demands, unconditionally. I don’t think most of us have the inclination to give into them. We love America too much. However, I do think that it is important that we not be tethered to their ugly past so that we may be free to do the great work with which we are charged. In the end, a very great American, a Republican, Gerald Ford, understood the wisdom of letting Nixon bury Nixon. I think another very great America, a Democrat, Barack Obama understands the wisdom of letting the Bushies bury the Bushies. That’s the kind of bi-partisanship we need. In the end, we are far greater than they, far wiser, far more loving of our democracy, our Republic and our noble and binding principles to let the riffraff distract us.
Rove had something like 3 or 4 visits to the Grand Jury where he was questioned on the Plame case and was completely exonerated ….
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Grand jurors lack the power, right or authority to exonerate. The can only no bill. For what it’s worth, I think the Grand Jury reached the correct decision. Turd Blossom may be a wholly vile and loathsome person, but I don’t think he was that involved in Plame. Plame as Cheney written all over it, and Rove and Cheney were not intimates.
Unfortunately King we do not have a homogenized mindset in this country and people do think for themselves, otherwise though you might have your Utopia. I’m confused how all of us are tearing the country apart however when we are not in control of anything. You have two chambers and the WH – what are “we”doing to stop you?
I know that it has been a dream of the leftists to bring GW up on war charges, the problem is in order to do such you would have to follow the chain of information chronologically on the WMD “misinformation”, and that would entail the first people to tie Hussein and those weapons together – Clinton/Gore. And when it comes to distractions it would be hard to find worse than individuals who knew emperically of the military intelligence, i.e. saw it for themselves, and then turned around and politicised the war with claims of being misled by the Bush administration. Or by the United Nations, for that matter. The last round of weapons inspectors that went into Iraq were not charged with finding WMD, they were to catalogue the weapons Hussein was ordered to turn over to them.
Mediaite: Try to be Objective! Why do you say “Unapologetic Rove?”
What is he supposed to apologize for?
I think Matt Lauder who has NEVER had an original thought, should apologize to Rove for being a dick! He never treats Democrats like that. Why not?
MichelleF says:
March 9, 2010 at 4:00 pm
It’s even worse than you say.
Right after Armitage’s role as THE GREAT LEAKER became known Chrissy was at an MSNBC big celebration event, or maybe book signing party, and when asked about that he said that the story had gotten so complicated there wasn’t enough time to cover it and besides its all over now anyway.
Now I’m paraphrasing from memory but that generally expresses his attitude once no GWB allies were in the cross hairs.
I had admired Gen Powell from the early Reagan days. He lost both my admiration and respect when I found out he knew within a day that it was Armitage (Fitzgerald too via Powell within three days of his installation) yet never once even hinted to the WH the truth of the matter. He in the President’s cabinet and knew the activity and turmoil caused by the investigation and the media and he never once did the honorable thing and let his President know.
The Real Royal King says:
March 9, 2010 at 4:22 pm
SUMMARY: If you disagree with me, you’re tearing the country apart.
Wow… could you get any more un-American? Your disrespect and distain for any and everyone who disagrees with you is truly the sign that you are a sad and hopeless individual. Get a grip.
And do they mention that bush admin didn’t investigate katrina terror allegations on purpose? Katrina Kaif is one hot bitch. Was she involved in Katrina? Just check out the book Katrina Nights. Or go to http://hurricanekatrinakaif.com
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