Tawdry Talk

A leak, then a cascade - washingtonpost.com Highlights - MSNBC.com

“Scooter” Libby knew what he was doing was wrong:

On July 8, Libby met Miller, the reporter, for breakfast at the St. Regis Hotel. Asking that she attribute the information to a “former Hill staffer” — he had once been legal adviser to a House select committee — Libby criticized CIA reporting of Wilson’s trip and “advised reporter Judith Miller of his belief that Wilson’s wife worked at the CIA,” the indictment states.

He asked for his attribution to be of someone who no longer worked on Capitol Hill. Well, he was a bit prescient on that, eh? But why would someone who was hiding his tracks, who was normally known, in his Nom Anonyme, as a “Senior White House Staffer”, go to the silly trouble to change that if he wasn’t trying to hide his wrong-doing? Seems like he had a guilty conscience, even as he was doing wrong.

And poor Scott McClellan.

Three days later, White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters he had talked to three officials — Libby, Rove and Elliot Abrams — and “those individuals assured me they were not involved in this.”

I’m surprised ol’ Scotty-dog hasn’t swallowed his tongue with the barely supressed shame and apoplexy that crosses his face every time one of the White House Press Corps asks him why we should trust him to be telling us the truth. It must really suck to be him right about now.

The following Tuesday, Oct. 14, Libby reached a decision point. The FBI asked whether he had disclosed Plame’s job or identity to any reporter, and he said he had not learned of them until July 10 or 11. His source, he asserted, was NBC’s Tim Russert. According to the indictment, he said he passed Russert’s information as gossip to Cooper of Time. He told the FBI that he did not discuss Plame with Miller at all when they met on July 8.

Here’s the kicker. He knew he had done wrong, then tried to cover it up by claiming that he was just passing along idle gossip. Remember also at this time that the spin machine was, and still is, claiming that Plame’s identity among the DC cogniscenti was a well-known secret. So well known, in fact, that not even her neighbors knew.

According to the indictment, Libby and “Official A,” who we all know is “Turd Blossom” Rove, at least unofficially, disclosed the identity of a covert CIA operative to the press, endangered her, any of her contacts and associates, and the security of the United States as a result. Then, they lied about it to investigators and to the grand jury under oath.

They disclosed her identity to discredit her husband, and also to threaten others who might think of challenging them. That’s the behavior of thugs and bullies, and it’s ignoble and arrogant and reckless. They disclosed the information because they are blinded by their lust for power to the values that had made this country such an amazing, even if flawed, beacon.

Fitzgerald, in his humble yet straightforward way, has done so much to restore my trust in the government already. He is a shining example of what a public servant should be.

Thanks to everyone who participated on this round of Exquisite Corpse: poohbearjim, kspsibear, rootbeer1, dhpbear, fargonrob, anziulewicz, kitchenbeard, sfgarry, albadger, chuckstermn, bonkishnurtaz, sonoranbear, dhpbear (again), and double_ohsteven.

Guitar strings and fried eggs
Make a messy combination
But quite a celebration

A mandolin, or mandoline?

Plumpylumps, Plumpy, Plumpylumps
was the sound he heard repeated
With frets and bacon reheated.

BUT! OH! The bacon grease!
Floating on the drip-can of his soul.

Music and aromas wake me.
Percolation and vibration.
Bearded chefs turn me on quickly.

Curls of steam and tobacco smoke.
Pelting us with rocks and garbage
A Spanish omelete, anyone?

Aide to Cheney Is Indicted on 5 Counts in C.I.A. Leak Case - New York Times

With I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby indicted on charges of obstruction of justice, making a false statement, and perjury, the BushCo house of cards is tumbling down. Is Karl “Turd Blossom” Rove is next?

Read the Indictment, courtesy of The Smoking Gun.

Current Mood:  cheerful

Cheney Aide Appears Likely to Be Indicted; Rove Under Scrutiny - New York Times

Mr. Fitzgerald has been very thorough in his investigation. Let’s hope that he’s as honorable as he seems, and either brings charges or not, but is up-front about whatever he does.

Current Mood:  annoyed

Federal grand jury indicts GOP contributor - Crime & Punishment - MSNBC.com

As if we needed any more examples of the shameless greed and corruption of BushCo and his supporters.

Current Mood:  annoyed

Instead of going to my Square Dance class Tuesday night, I boarded the Capitol Corridor to Sacramento to attend the Trash Film Orgy’s Halloween Show Rehearsal. I’m the lighting director for the show, and this year’s live show promises to be one of the most complex and amazing shows yet. In addition to screening Carrie on Sunday, and Prom Night on Monday nights, we are staging a live musical version of The Scottish Play!

After the rehearsal, Amy and I went to go do some guerrila marketing by passing out flyers to the crowd exiting some punk rock show. The crowd was decidedly small, though, and the management of the club was harrassing us, so we took off and got some Del Taco, then headed to her house, where I crashed out, at first on her couch, but that was too small, so I ended up sleeping on the floor instead. That was pretty good, really.

Current Mood:  calm

covered in pig’s blood
her scarlet dirty pillows
jut from silky gown

Here we are all the way up to EC number 10. This is a fun little diversion from the workaday world. Of course, without all of you, gentle readers, this game would never have gotten off the ground. Let’s get to it.

How do you play, you ask? Well, I’m going to start with the first line of a poem. What you do is leave a comment to add a line to the poem. You can also go in and read the current replies, and reply to one of them to put your line in after the line you replied to.

Today’s variation: you can only have 8 syllables or less in your line! Ready? here we go…

Guitar strings and fried eggs

Happy Birthday, sfopanda!!