The Political Chase

The Woodward Matter

I don’t think the Bob Woodward revelation is as clear cut as Woodward says it is. Also, I am not convinced it is the “Woodward scheming with the White House, Judy Miller clone and Dick Cheney is the source” mess that many allege. It could be, but that seems too simple.

First, why would Woodward potentially put himself in harms way for Cheney, Libby, or Bush? I know the first reaction to that question is why would/did Libby put himself in harms way. I don’t have a clue about Libby, other than knowingly expose himself to certain crimes, in order to deflect greater crimes. Woodward may have had close connections with the White House, but if he is going to maintain celebrity reporter status, that is his job. And, it is very clear sucking up to the administration is the only way to accomplish that. I think there is a cornucopia of evidence floating around that substantiates what the administration will do if they view someone negatively.

I don’t buy “I was protecting my sources” either.

We can speculate until our generation is long since gone, and like every other scandal or assassination, we will never know the entire story. If Woodward does have some level of improper entanglement, he’s just too slick to allow others to fully open his kimono. Judy Miller had a substantial history to accompany her demise at The New York Times; Woodward does not.

As screwball as my first thoughts may be, here they are. Small stuff first.

Woodward may not be alone

I believe Woodward held this information for reasons other than source protection. Pure assertion on my part; nothing to back that up with. The real question is why, but that’s too far out.

Was Woodward’s secret truly a secret for two years? On or about June 23, 2003, shortly after at least one of Woodward’s meetings, he allegedly told Walter Pincus, “I understood Wilson’s wife worked at the CIA as a WMD analyst.” If that’s true, he let the cat out of the bag that day. Assume Woodward’s right. If Pincus was given that information, he did not just nod his head and say, “Okay, thanks.” Pincus would have gone into action with possible escalation. Pincus isn’t a subject of interest at this point. He can say yes or no about anything; Woodward previously denied any knowledge on the issue, what’s to stop Pincus from doing that now?

So, Executive Editor Leonard Downie, admonishes Woodward publicly, the public’s interest is served and Woodward (maybe others) carries on with whatever motivates him/them. If there is any truth surrounding what Woodward told Pincus, the Woodward revelation is considerably deeper than currently presented.

The source

Everybody says Cheney. It’s logical and does he ever have the profile to match it. This could be Libby’s legal team in concert with Cheney taking advantage of Woodward. The source has allowed everyone on the inner legal circle know who he/she is, but nobody in America does. Woodward is released for testimony, but not released from revealing the source to the public. Now, who doesn’t know who the source is? All of America. At minimum, Libby’s lawyers are getting the trial by media they say they don’t want. They certainly had a hard time not making any public statements today didn’t they? But, I’m not sold on that theory yet. Woodward being told about Valerie Wilson has absolutely nothing to do with Libby’s intentional and numerous falsehoods. He still gets to do the jail house rock.

I just finished writing a rather long justification for Colin Powell as the source and then I read this.

A senior administration official said that neither President Bush himself, nor his chief of staff, Andrew H. Card Jr., nor his counselor, Dan Bartlett, was Mr. Woodward’s source. So did spokesmen for former Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, former C.I.A. Director George J. Tenet and his deputy John E. McLaughlin.

A lawyer for Karl Rove, the deputy White House chief of staff who has acknowledged conversations with reporters about the case and remains under investigation, said Mr. Rove was not Mr. Woodward’s source.

Vice President Cheney did not join the parade of denials. A spokeswoman said he would have no comment on an ongoing investigation. Several other officials could not be reached for comment.

Delete key…

I think that eliminates Secretary Powell. I should add that my theory on Colin Powell was based on good intentions by Powell and Woodward - not based on shenanigans that may be the rule for others in the Bush administration.

The announcements above are a bit telling. The President does not speak for his entire administration. Everybody is doing their own thing - moving far away from Cheney.