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Flashback: How Scooter Libby Tried to Script Scott McClellan's Lies
Watching the growing uproar over Scott McClellan's revelation that Bush, Cheney, Rove, and Libby had sent him out on a mission to deceive the American people, I am reminded of one of my favorite tidbits to come out of Plamegate: the bizarre note Scooter had sent Scottie, suggesting language the press secretary should use in further pressing the falsehood that Libby had not leaked Valerie Plame's identity.
Here is what I wrote about the note back in April 2006, before Libby's conviction, before Bush's commutation, before McClellan -- "bitter and hurt" (and looking to sell some books) -- decided to finally come clean:
Scooter Libby, Ink-Stained Wretch
We know all about Scooter Libby's gifts as an X-rated novelist ("He asked if they should fuck the deer") and the writer of poetic letters ("Come back to work -- and life"), but it seems that the literary jack-of-all-trades also briefly tried his hand as speechwriter for White House press secretary Scottie McClellan.
Reading the tea leaves in Pat Fitzgerald's new court filing, it seems that Libby felt that, compared to Karl Rove, he was getting the short end of the public-exoneration stick.
At a September 29, 2003 press briefing, McClellan had strongly defended Rove, calling suggestions that Bush's Brain was a Plamegate leaker "ridiculous." "There is simply no truth to that suggestion," he said.
Libby felt he deserved the same kind of ringing -- and utterly bogus -- endorsement (Picture a White House Tommy Smothers: "POTUS always liked you best!"). So he picked up a pen and crafted a handwritten draft of what he wanted Scottie to say about him. As the New York Sun points out, Libby's note, as presented by Fitzgerald, "reads like a stanza of verse":
"People have made too much of the difference in
How I described Karl and Libby
I've talked to Libby.
I said it was ridiculous about Karl
And it is ridiculous about Libby.
Libby was not the source of the Novak story.
And he did not leak classified information."
Okay, let's put aside for a second the utter shamelessness of the lies ("he did not leak classified information"???), and just concentrate on the quality of the writing. It's not even bottom-shelf Dr. Seuss ("Karl and Libby did not leak. They did not leak on a plane. They did not leak on a train. They did not leak on the Hill. At the St. Regis they did not let it spill. No, no, no -- they are not Novak's Senior Administration Official Thing One and Senior Administration Official Thing Two.").
And what psychological significance are we to attach to the author repeatedly referring to himself by using his last name while using the more familiar first name of his fellow leaker Rove? "Rove and Libby" makes sense. "Karl and Scooter" does too. But "Karl and Libby"? Why?
In any case, Libby's suggested statement clearly lacks the special flavor of his other work. It's missing "The aspens will already be turning." It's missing "You went to jail in the summer. It is fall now."
No wonder Scottie rejected Libby's pallid prose, instead going with a more conversational falsehood, telling reporters that he had spoken to Libby, Rove (uh, Karl), and Elliot Abrams and "those individuals assured me they were not involved in this."
Note to Scooter: stick to the deer-fucking.
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Arianna,I'm new to this blog site and not sure where to post comments on a current day subject.I heard yesterday that Bonehead Bill O said that Scott McKellen should apologise to Rove and Dipstick Dub,for telling lies about them in his book.I think someone(you or Keith) should mention that this is as bad as the Saudi's beating and other extreme punishments used on women who are victims of rape.Punish the wounded and not the perpetrators.I would also lke to hear more about the Hunt Oil corp,and its ties to the bush whitehouse and the deals it has made with the kurdish factions in Iraq, thanks so much for your hardhitting posts and dialog on Kieths show. Ricky
The entire incident makes me want to puke. All who were to blame belong behind bars. This wasn't a misdemenor, it was a federal, act of treason. Men in other countries get hung for this, they get tried, jailed, punished, no pardons. Let's call this what it was, it was more of the same cheney, rove, bush tactics, crimminal acts of collusion. They are using Scott as thier scape goat, like they used our military, others instead of taking the blame. That is what I call cowardice. Lame, totally, not the acts of a president. The idea it was the press agents' fault, BS, it was all of thiers. Its time the onion is peeled and the truth comes out about this administration, all of it. The public won't be so fast to praise them or thier deeds, rather, they will demand public trials, impeachment and federal jail time for all. You can only silence people so long, its those whom they can't see, don't know, who have info on them, that will come back to bite them. Paybacks are a bitch.
Thanks scotty, but how about releasing this info a long while ago, in the name of "Concerned, Informed Citizen?” How long ago did mcclelland leave the administration? Did he just wake up from a very long nap and remember what happened during his tenure? Why wasn't this info out there in enough time to do something about it - well BEFORE the upcoming vote? A little sooner, who knows, maybe somebody (i.e., cheney) running this god-forsaken war could have been impeached or at least halted from doing more damage whaile awaiting investigation! Maybe a few of our troops could have come home alive as a result. Maybe some of our much needed-at-home funds could have been protected from being squandered. As it is, with his and his publisher’s tease, scotty is positioned to have huge book sales. It’s not fun promotional info, boys. This information belonged to this country when it happened. Not down the road after enduring a few editorial reviews. This was not courage on mcclelland’s part - this was about $$$$$.
Miss A , you sound PO" ed.
This Administration the R’s (and I don’t mean Republicans) are trying to destroy our (human) way of life
I seem to be living in a nation that simply does not know what freedom is.
John Whiteside Parsons
MWiz truthseekerforum.com
There is a wise saying by a great Sage from ancient India to a king who came to him for advice that if you do not want corruption in your subjects then the King himself must be free from coruption.
So if the Leader of a country lies to his people then what do you expect from his subjects.
It is past time to oust the GOP criminals from power.
It's also past time to see through the Republicans' SMOKE & MIRRORS that they use chronically to fool the public into supporting them and their slimey ideas.
Enough already.
do you think anyone anywhere will contribute a single dime to W's library?
I think he'll have to spend his own money to have one.
Who in their right mind would get their name on a brick or a piece of concrete that would honor or perpetuate this mess?
Either Scott McClellan is a cynical-greedy fake, putting a hoax up front to get free promotion for his up-coming book, or he, himself is a co-conspirator in the lies and cover-up.
If McClellan indeed has facts or evidence of a cover-up within the administration, why did he not present his evidence during the on-going investigation, and/or during Libby's trial? Even if McClellan was not under subpoena or called as a witness, when an individual has exculpatory evidence in a criminal proceeding or investigation, withholding such constitutes an obstruction of a criminal investigation, an obstruction of justice, possibly, even purjury.
McClellan is just trying to promote his book, and cover up his own complicity in this act of TREASON. He's no different than the rest, who commit crimes while profiting in the course of doing so.
Please don't try to snow me. I watched Scott every morning give his breifs and Q&A to the press. He knew what was going on. When he was lying he would flop-sweat (and it wasn' from the kleig lights) and fidget. Watch the tapes. It's body language 101.
Amusing. Nicely done.
I do not recall if Fitzgerald's 'Special Prosecutor' commission was ever formally stopped. Perhaps, when he issued his 'final report'. Although he stated in that report that he could not complete the investigation because he could not get around ongoing obstruction of justice road blocks.
Only Bush had the power to prevent Fitzgerald from obtaining information needed to thump those who were obstructing justice; but Fitzgerald did not recommend action against Bush - to my knowledge.
If McClellan has more shoes to drop, he should do it before the end of the Christmas recess to permit Congress to consider action other than playing hard to get with the budget.
Deer fucking, rat fucking, or cluster fucking...it's worthwhile to consider who the fuckee in each case...it's the American people. Perhaps its time we returned the favor.
Ms. Huffington:
The "growing uproar" reminds me of Patrick Fitzgerald's statement following the conclusion of Libby's trial (perhaps it also followed the pardon): that his investigation was closed--and he made this caveat very clear--unless new evidence were to come to light. Does McClellan have material evidence against Rove, Libby, Bush, Cheney, and/or others? If so does his failure to step forward and talk to Fitz constitute an act of accomplice in the coverup of Valerie Plame's outing?
If McClellan had already spoken to Fitzgerald and yet was not made a material witness in Libby's trial what does that say about the value of McClellan's testimony? How come nobody seems to be asking with whom McClellan has spoken (before selling his story to his publisher, that is) and when?
McClellan's statement needs some pretty heavy vetting before defenders of the Constitution hold out much hope of this being the smoking gun that to finally bring down the war criminals Bush and Cheney.
the beginnings of fascism.
how could it happen in america?
easy unchecked capitalism leads to fascism.
if you dont believe we are a dumbed down society spend some time talking to the folks on the street or in the markets.
churchhill stated that 5 minutes talking to the average voter on the street gave him concern for the future of the democracy in england.
The day after the book leak, McClellan said that he didn't think Bush actually lied about his ignorance of the Plame outing. First of all, W never has to lie about being ignorant. That is self evident. I know the moral difference between lying and being ignorant, but from a political leadership standpoint which is worse: for the President of the United States: knowing the truth and lying about it or being dupped by Cheney into giving false information? I think both are impeachable offenses. Too bad the country doesn't have the time to do that. They have created such a mess that all attention needs to be spent on fixing things. There just isn't enough to give them their due. It will remain to the hisory books to pronounce Bush and Cheney the worst national leadership in the history of the Republic. Unfortunately, Alfred E Newman and Darth Vader don't care about that.
I'm so pissed off and I'm not even American.
How is it that a Canuck can feel this bad. It's crazy to see how corrupt your system is. Whats more crazy is to see how people just go their little ole lives as everything is peachy.
Damn, you folk need a third party because the Dems are useless.
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