CIA Censors My Book: Personal Payback or Protecting National Security?
What a whirlwind! After a short and fitful night's sleep, I started the book tour with the Today show, quickly followed by radio interviews for NPR's Fresh Air and All Things Considered, and then The Times of London for openers. I really enjoyed the longer format allowed by the radio interviews rather than trying to cram everything I want and need to say into a 10 second sound bite for TV. My story is, in some ways, a complicated one with many different aspects and seems to lend itself best to longer, thoughtful answers. I have just finished blogging on FireDogLake, the web site that covered the Libby trial live. I learn something every day from the vast blogging community which has followed this case so closely. And I have to say, after the onslaught of attacks over the last 4 years, being among friends in the blogosphere feels good. It was pretty lonely out there sometimes. This evening, I'll be on Larry King Live, along with Joe (via a feed from Santa Fe. Hey, someone has to stay home and watch the kids). I enjoy doing events with my husband which thus far have been only private fundraisers because we have lived through the same story but have very different perspectives and reactions to all that has happened.
Most of the questions have been as I expected: Why did I join the CIA? What did it feel like when I saw my name in Novak's column the first time? Didn't I expect some terrible consequence to befall me when Joe published his 1,500 word op ed piece in The New York Times? What about the charges of nepotism that have been alleged against me? All of these I have tried to answer as fully and honestly as I could, keeping in mind, of course, my legal constraints. What hasn't been discussed in any depth yet is the full story of how the CIA fought to censor large portions of my book by maintaining that I can not acknowledge my Agency affiliation prior to January 2002, although so much about my career is already in the public domain. I believe that this decision by the Agency has nothing to do with protecting national security, and everything to do with further punitive action against me and a way to demean or diminish me and my responsibilities at the CIA. For those who wish to know more about the ongoing court battle with CIA over this issue of how long I may say I served my country and accompanying censorship issues, please visit a website set up by my lawyers for that purpose: www.fairgameplame.com. It is a very user-friendly site with all the information necessary to have a better understanding of the First Amendment fight behind this book. I'll hope you'll take the time to look at the site because this legal battle helps to illuminate a larger pattern of extra-Constitutional behavior by this administration.
I just learned the other day that my scheduled Tuesday appearance on the Charlie Rose show has been canceled. The show's producer said it was because Charlie Rose wanted to prepare for an appearance next week by CIA Director General Michael Hayden. How ironic is that? I could have told Mr. Rose a few things about General Hayden, but I'm sure he'll do a fine job with his interview questions without me.
Loading comments…
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
Keep speaking the truth, something that is in ultra short supply of these days. This country is at a tremendous crossroads in terms of it's viability as a democratic nation and I'm not too sure we're going to be able to save it.
Let Huffington Post know not to wait until 8:30pm to update when you're going to be on that night. I'm not a Larry King fan, but I would have interrupted the Star Trek Enterprise marathon to catch you and your husband.
Valerie,
I hope you do an interview with Bill Moyers. He will be respectful and thorough in getting the truth out. I'm really disappointed in Charlie Rose, especially after the Prince/Blackwater interview, and now this. I didn't realize that the corporations pulled his strings so successfully.
Good luck. Just remember: History has already judged George Bush. In roughly 15 months, he will be an ex-despot, despised and ridiculed everywhere he goes, much like O.J. Simpson.
You, on the other hand, will have your family, your husband, and your integrity. Thanks for your service to this country.
Why are we letting this dictator keep up his destruction of our citizens and our country. We now know that congress is not going to do a d... thing, if anything they will give him more then what he ask for.
If bush and cheney's hands are not ties within the next month or so, we are going to have world war III and a permanant dictatorship in this country.
Bush has put the rest of the world on notice, he has no problem invading a country if he wishes. Russia & China is looking very closely and prefaring for Bush by increasing the military and cold war practives, and you can blame them.
The world has seen that Bush & Cheney will talk their BS and Propaganda to get a country to disarm and them attack them.
What a beautiful and classy Lady you are!
Thank you so much for the service you and your family have given our country.
It is my hope that you come to visit New York City on your book tour. I will be there to support you.
Please keep speaking out.
Thanks again.
Robert
National security? These people couldn't care less about national security! EVERYTHING they've done has compromised our national security! When do the treason charges kick in?
Signing statements, national security, executive privilege...all bu$hCo butt-covering. CIA's now an arm of bu$hCo.
You're out in the cold, Val. They always trash the good ones like you. They can't handle the truth; it doesn't agree with them.
Did you discuss your husband's op-ed with him before he submitted it?
Were you concerned that an op-ed regarding a CIA mission sanctioned by your department, might lead to leaks of classified information?
Exactly what I was thinking. I always try to blame the victim; it only seems fair.
I watched Seanittty and Combs last night on Faux Noise and it is infuriating to watch Faux throw up all those lies that have been disproven time and time again. They are still trying to say that she was not NOC when all the top CIA officials admit she was. I wanted to reach into my televison and strangle that pompous blohard Novak. I had the honor, and I told them so that it was an honor, of meeting Mr. and Mrs. Wilson here in northern NM. I have not heard of anyone here who is not proud that they have decided to call northern New Mexico their home.
Why do you waste your time watching Fox, other then football I have no reason to watch them.
Kind of a "study the enemy" kind of thing.
I live in Santa Fe and wish they would have picked some other liberal haven. It's too looney here already. So now you have heard of one who isn't proud that they are here. And there are many, many more. You just don't hear from us because we have jobs.
So ambassadors cited for bravery by President Bush 41 for standing up against Saddam and protecting 200 aAmericans in Baghdad nad a CIA employee/spy for 15 years isa looney liberal?
Lets compare your history of service to your country... I though not.
Regards
Valerie and Joe - can you please share the courage you both have with the Democrats in Congress? They need help - massive amounts of it - to stop lying down and letting Bush walk all over them.
You have loads of support out here Valerie.
The essence of the CIA argument for censoring much of your book is national security, with the implication that your work was a matter of national security.
The essence of the Bush/Cheney argument defending their treasonous acts was that your work was not really that important, certainly not a matter of national security.
The hypocrisy is Orwellian, as is the acceptance of it by mass media and many Americans.
As for Charlie Rose, what a coward!
Watching the Eric Prince tour of lies and spin last week at various Ministry of Truth branch offices was painful and disgusting.
60 Minutes Lara Logan is a vile little traitor.
Now seeing Valerie dealing with our Ministry of Truth is equally painful. Larry King has a way of getting bored and distracted when he has a serious guest on his show....Valerie got this treatment, but that's OK cause everyone was watching Monday night Football.
The obvious attempts to downplay the relevance of Plamegate by our mass media is only the latest example of how fascism is here in our nation, alive and well.
Thank you Valerie for fighting the good fight, you are inspiring many here not to give up.
Here's how you get around the 'censored' parts
I remember this from Mad Magazine parody of Mission Impossible (google it folks for particulars-I'm sure you can find it somehow)
"Hello girls, what a NU CLEAR day, nice for going FISSION at the pier."
Charlie Rose rolled over like a dog for Hayden. Bow wow PBS.
your were a spy for an imperialist country and a sociopath pres and warmongering vp and you thought you would be treated fairly?
think again.
the cia has been fucking this country over for 50 yrs. george sr...head of the cia. you must feel betrayed that they threw you under the bus. welcome to our world.
Again, a very simplistic understanding of Plame and the CIA.
Plame was recruited to CIA 20 years before Monkey Boy was selected president.
And before Joe and Val, it would have been unthinkable that an admin would treat on of our spies this way.
Two CIA operatives were outed by the Dems about 20 years ago ... all they got was an "ooops"!
Ms. Plame, what Cheney and his rogues perpetrated against you and your family is outrageous. I was tremendously disappointed when your civil suit against Armitage and the rest was dismissed. Stay strong and remember how much support is behind you. Even my southern, hard-core Republican family is incensed over the issue and increasingly tired of Cheney, his monkey-boy Bush and their henchmen.
Rock on. We'll stay tuned.
Thank you Valerie, and your husband also. The trashing of people has been a pattern of behavior exhibited by this administration. You are only one of the victims, an important one surely!
This manipulative administration is directing a play with actors chosen and previously chosen (but not by them). In your case, the cues were not properly picked up, resulting in some static in the false intelligence batch of conjecture and rumor they were baking up regarding "yellow cake" "aluminum rods" and miscellaneous confections being prepared. This was rather inconvenient and had the potential to derail the plans they were cooking up. So, in the trash you went! Let's be malicious and destroy the credibility of so and so...
Cheney and Scooter know all good intelligence emanates from the top-down, just like dripping icing on the cake!
Mrs. Wilson,
Many here have alluded to Charlie Rose being a talented interviewer, and a few have been willing to admit that he has become a shill for the status quo and the power elites. From my view, it would be a step in the wrong direction for you, or your husband, to consider his program a proper venue to espouse your cause. There are plenty of uncompromised journalists who have chosen to join the search for unvarnished truth and justice, whom you both would be better advised to consider as a credible conduit to the American public; Bill Moyers and Seymour Hersh come to mind.
I firmly believe that you and your husband are in a position to do even more for our country than you already have thus far, however, we must all keep our collective eyes on the proverbial ball, if we are to succeed in getting our beloved America back from those who pursue private advantage at the expense of the public good.
There is much to do for us to recover the good name of our republic, and we need ya'll to remain smart and strong, and choose your associates carefully. Mr. Rose must be considered part of the problem we face in the "main stream media"; by his own choice he has become but a tool of "information management".
Please post the information about the dates, times, and locations of your book 'tour'. For my part, I could easily organize a private signing event for at least two or three hundred people, who would love to hear you both speak.
You must be logged in to comment. Log in or connect with
