As you know, Lawrence O’Donnell has indicated that Rove was the source for the Plame ‘outing.’ His claim from the the McLaughlin Group that he knew it for months, but did not say anything about it at the time.
The facts on which this allegation appear to be based? here.
Rove’s lawyer, Robert Luskin, confirmed that Rove had been interviewed by Cooper for the article. It is unclear, however, what passed between Cooper and Rove.
Unclear what happened and a flat denial from Scott McLellan? Good enough evidence for me.
Somehow, I have to suspect that Cooper interviewed more than one person for that article. I am glad that O’Donnell didn’t float this speculation a few months back. Now that the actual notes have been handed over, we can hope that we’ll get a name — and a prosecution — with something substantive to back it up.
Edited to add: Just saw a comment by Mark in Mexico.
He quotes the O’Donnell appearance on Hardball in his debate with John O’Neill (Swiftboat Vets):
Keep lying, it’s all you do!
You lie about documents endlessly!
You’re just lying about it!
It’s a pack of lies!
You are unfit to publish!
He just lied to you!
He spews out this filth!
Point to his name on the report, you liar!
Point to his name, you liar!
You just spew lies!
I hate lies.
It’s not an argument; they’re proven lies.
They lied!
They’re lying somewhere!
Lies! Just tell me the initials, you liar!
Creepy liar!
You are a liar who makes things up!
You want the lies!
That’s how you make your living, on lies!
After noting the balanced, unbiased credentials of journalist O’Donnell, Mark finishes with “Pardon me if I take this one with just a teeny grain of salt.”
That may call for a “Heh. Indeed.”
That incident and Mr. O’Donnell’s several other meltdowns during the presidential campaign convinced me that he was mentally unbalanced. That, however, doesn’t mean that he’s not right.
Comment by Dave Schuler — Sunday, July 3, 2024 @ 1:57 pm
Agreed; it just doesn’t give me great confidence in him. If Cooper or the documents point to Rove, then I hope he’s tossed out for a start and prosecuted if a case can be made.
But I’ll need more than O’Donnell’s unsupported say-so before I get too worked up.
Comment by Steven L. — Sunday, July 3, 2024 @ 2:08 pm
The libaloons are going, well, libaloon over this. Like O’Donnell, they think there is proof in that article.
My money is on Joe Wilson. I bet he said Valerie’s name by accident.
Comment by William Teach — Sunday, July 3, 2024 @ 5:25 pm
It is highly unlikely that anyone will ever be prosecuted for “outing” Valerie Plame, because it is highly unlikely that she fits the definition of undercover agent in the law. That is why the press contempt proceedings are wrong. The prosecutor has never shown that a crime was committed. If no crime was committed, there is no justifiable legal reason to determine who “leaked” the name of someone who was well known in Washington as a CIA employee.
Comment by Cameron King — Monday, July 4, 2024 @ 11:57 am