Tonight on Countdown, John Dean told Keith Olbermann that if President Bush did indeed “authorize” Scooter Libby to release classified information to the press, the act may or may not be legal. According to Dean, although Presidents do have the authority to release classified information, there are procedures they are (by law) supposed to follow to do so. Also, it is questionable whether the information Scooter leaked to the press was officially declassified, since it appears no one in the CIA or other intelligence agencies knew about it.
I’m sure there will be more details tomorrow.
Something is either classified or it is not.Obviously, the president can declassify but not selectively where the agency that is in authority over this person’s identity is not even informed in order to prevent the CIA from requesting the DOJ investigate. This is more circular reasoning from the rationalization club of GOP nonsense. “It’s not a crime to leak something, the pres decided to declassify but the pres couldn’t admit that he did it because national security was involved” or whatever drivel reason they will pound us with if they deign to address their obvious lie.
I so glad someone got to state the truth to Bush today. Maybe some brave soul can now say to him why did you pretend to care about the leaker when he was yourself declassifying something? The presidential order for Cheney to do whatever Bush does is another piece of work in this. The clause that says Cheney is Bush whenever bush feels like it( every Tuesday between 1 and 6 I guess- makes it seem like presidential power is just a designated hitter spot).
Anyway I getting tired of watching the US government flail around like the body of a headless chicken with an army of rationalizers trying to explain away every last twitch as meaningful action.
Russ Feingold is starting to look real good!