We know now that Karl Rove told reporters the secret identity of a CIA agent in an attempt to discredit Ambassador Joe Wilson’s claim that the Bush Administration deliberately misused intelligence to bolster their case for war in Iraq. Wilson was proven correct in his assertions - the White House did lie about the reasons for going to war in Iraq - and The Washington Post published a story today confirming that administration representatives knew Valerie Plame’s identity was a state secret. Outing Plame put her life in danger and jeopardized national security. It may have also been a crime. That hasn’t stopped leaders of the religious right from defending their patron saint in the White House.
Tony Perkins of the conservative Family Research Council sent out an e-mail to supporters this week urging support for Rove:
Retired Ambassador Joseph Wilson IV has accused Rove of leaking the name of his wife, a CIA employee, to the media in an attempt to counter Wilson's public denunciations of President Bush's decision to go to war In Iraq. I won't repeat the details of this convoluted story, but it has all the hallmarks of a partisan witch-hunt, complete with New York Senator Chuck Schumer getting into the act last week…..
….Karl Rove can take some small comfort in the fact that the politics of personal destruction invariably aims at effective people. The attack he's facing now is just another phase in the liberals' failed war against the war on terrorism. They blame America first, and Rove makes a good second.
Perkins, a former Republican candidate for office with ties to David Duke and other white supremacists, has become one of the most prominent leaders of the religious right. Few figures are more partisan than Perkins and honesty does not seem to be one of his virtues.
Liberals have a war against the war on terrorism? Is he saying that liberals are in favor of terrorism? Of course he is.
This has been the party line of the Republicans since 9/11: criticize the administration on any issue and you are on the side of the terrorists. Karl Rove came up with the strategy.
Rove has proven that he’ll do anything or saying anything – even put the life of covert agents in jeopardy – for partisan gain. Were his actions illegal? The special prosecutor investigating will tell us that. But it was immoral. Perkins is no better. Together they make a great team.
The only honorable action for the president to take in this matter is to keep his promise and fire anyone who leaked the name of this CIA agent. Karl Rove must go.
