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PUT THE BLAME ON PLAME
The technique is old as the hills. When the opposition is honing in on your lies and foul play, accuse them of lying and foul play and to a much greater extent. Already the big Poo Bahs of the GOP are claiming that the attacks on Rove were instigated by the "Move On" wing of the Democratic Party. Some are calling it Plamegate but it really deserves the name Rovegate. It's finally gotten the media attention it deserves and the White House rats are scurrying to avoid answering questions. Aside from the initial shock at a media that has been butt-kissing Bush for years now suddenly acting like journalists, most political observers are eagerly anticipating the vision of Karl Rove being frog marched out of the WH. They may have to wait a long time to see that. If history is any guide, Bush will just ignore the whole incident, fire a minor scapegoat or start another war. Whatever happens, Rove will just get a metal of commendation for something or other. It is a common belief that Karl Rove owns Washington and all others just live there. Still, it is of interest to see the by-play along with the ebb and flow of the story itself. At first, we understood that VP Cheney or someone in his office sent Ambassador Wilson off to Africa about two years ago to verify Saddam's deal for yellow cake. Instead, Wilson returned to report that there was no such deal. This did not support the Bush Administration's lie that Saddam was becoming a nuclear threat. Ambassador Wilson's report was ignored by Bush so he went to the media. Rumor had it that there was fearsome anger in the WH manifested by its castigation of Wilson and not so subtle questions regarding his veracity. Then a far right reporter, Bob Novak filed a story naming Joe Wilson's wife as a CIA operative. Exposing an undercover CIA person is a felony but nothing seemed to happen to Bob Novak, long a Rove confidant. That all happened over two years ago and was mostly forgotten as the investigation into the source of the leak was not publicized. That is, not until recently when we learned that two reporters were facing jail because they would not reveal who leaked. At this point, one of them is in jail for standing firm on principle and the other gave information to the Grand Jury exposing Karl Rove as the leaker. Now the circus begins anew as silence from the WH is about all that is heard, except for the gnashing of teeth by Bush supporters such as FOX NEWS. It reports that Plame outed herself; or rather Joe Wilson did on his Web site where he named her as his wife. Strangely enough, neighbors of Plame never knew she was a covert CIA agent but they did know she was Joe's wife. Miraculously, now the media is going after this story and of interest is an e-mail where Rove blames Plame for sending Wilson to Niger in the first place. Oh hum, not the same thing as we heard two years ago, is it? But wait there's more. FOX NEWS also blames Plame for masterminding the whole caper. It reports that this CIA agent sent her Liberal husband Joe to Niger to hurt Bush. He was to make the finding that Saddam did not get yellow cake and that would make Bush out to be lying. Now isn't that a kick in the head? Bush a liar? My , my! Could it be that he was just claiming Saddam had nuclear capabilities just to scare us into war? FDR calmed a nation when he said, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself." But the Bush and Blair slogan is, "We have nothing to sell but fear itself. http://www.gregpalast.com/. 2005-029 Copyright 2005 Renee T. Louise and Ruth M. Sprague, Ph.D. These articles may be republished for noncommercial use only, provided that they are copied intact, and that this copyright notice is attached. Address all queries to: gapperserve@peoplepc.com. G e n d e r G a p p e r s T M |