Prosecutor, defense duel in opening of Libby trial WASHINGTON (AP) — Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald described for jurors Tuesday a Bush administration effort to beat back early criticism of the Iraq war and accused former White House aide "Scooter" Libby of lying to investigators probing the leak of a CIA operative's identity. I. Lewis Libby's attorney countered by painting a different White House plot, alleging that administration officials sought to blame Libby for the leak to protect Bush political adviser Karl Rove's own disclosures. "They're trying to set me up. They want me to be the sacrificial lamb," attorney Theodore Wells said, recalling a conversation between Libby and his boss, Vice President Dick Cheney, as the leak investigation heated up in 2003. "I will not be sacrificed so Karl Rove can be protected." As the trial opened with a preview of each side's position, it was clear that the jury will be tasked with sorting through conflicting statements in a high-profile case that has opened a very public window on the behind-the-scenes Washington practice of leaking sensitive information to the news media. The investigation began after syndicated columnist Robert Novak revealed that a chief Bush administration critic, Joseph Wilson, was married to CIA operative Valerie Plame. Rove was one of two sources for Novak's story. Read the rest of ther story. . .
Why waste money with this trial. Even if Libby is convicted he will be pardoned before Bush leaves the White House.
This shows how screwed up the country is. Priorities? We have news media and others that leak and print sensitive materials to the world and no investigations. The Liberals and Democrats don't see the same world some of us do. A world where terrorists are attacking countries all over the world. Iran and Syria supported Hezbollah, Hamas and Al Quada. The Liberals and the media are at war with Bush and the Republicans. Of course Bush hasn't helped his cause any and I'm really disgusted at the way he has ran the war and acted the last few years. He lost me long ago but I won't sell out my country to see him defeated like the Democrats will. They are hell bent on defeating Bush any way they can since they feel like they got cheated at the ballot box. The Democrat Senate in Colorado have passed a popular vote bill here. If the state votes different than the country, that will be overturned and go along with the popular vote of the country. What horrible law this is, politicians won't have any reason to come to Colorado, all they have to do is win the vote in heavy populated areas in other states.
Libby broke the law, but because he's one of the president's men, you think he should go unpunished? How dishonest of you. Talk about double standards! Whoa! Reporters went to jail on this case already, are you ignorant or did you just "forget"? Explain to me how Democrats feel any differently than you do. Give me an example. Read the papers, the republicans are jumping ship in big numbers. This failed president is the lamest duck in American history. You admit he is awful and regret voting for him but you object if the rest of the country feels the same way? Geez! This is the way a democracy works.
Your assuming here? No where did I say Libby shouldn't be punished if guilty? I quit taking up for Bush long ago, maybe you should re-read some of my posts? Priorities? Where did I say anything about this case? I was talking about leaking sensitive materals such as the NY Times and our strategy on fighting terror that was leaked, money transfers, etc. Had nothing to do with Libby from what I remember. Another example, Abu-Ghrab. They don't want to win in Iraq. There are terrorists there now and they want to pull out. I heard it from politicians myself. They don't seem to understand what will happen if we leave like the Soviets did in Afghanistan. Thats for starters. EDIT: Please re-read my post above on this one, terrorists attacking all over the world and yet Democrats are down playing the real threat out there. Disagree, Can't re-write history. Jimmy Carter and LBF still the worst presidents in history. No way this compares to those administrations especially the Vietnam war. Give me a break, we aren't even close to that one! How many people died a day there? How do we know how the rest of the country feels? I disagree, take myself for instance. I am still for the war but I disapprove of the way it has been handled. You are against the war from the start and the way it was handled. Polling places have a way of asking questions that doesn't represent what people actually believe. The Second term I wouldn't vote for him so I probably wouldn't vote because I wouldn't vote for Kerry. Party trumps person anyway, you vote for a moderate and they will vote with their party more times than not. You could come up with a handful of names that might not but it is only a handful out of how many people? Its one agenda versus the other.
They don't want to ride the hellbound train! This "new" strategy is not new and is going to fail, Sourdough. Everyone can see it. After it does, if you still support this discredited foreign policy, then there is no hope at all for you. That is exactly what will happen if we continue on this same failed course, can't you see that! This is a guerrilla war and there is not going to be a clear victory. Only the foolish could imagine one at this point. Give me a real example of this. I'm hearing exactly the opposite. Opponents of this war are loudly pointing out that the Iraqi debacle is a distraction from the hunt for al Qaida.
Then explain to me why Democrats and Liberals were for this and now against it? Including yourself! You can't tell me that Iraq isn't safer than when we first arrived. You guys voted for it and are now against it including more troops, thats all we heard for years! Disagree, we've fought in guerrilla wars before and won. Certain powers that be didn't want us to win in Vietnam however. Some of the same powers are doing this today taking their last stand before they die. The Vietnam generation that was against that war then are at work now. http://www.thoughtcrimes.org/s9/index.php?/archives/1641-Bush-to-play-the-terror-card-again.html Its right here at a Liberal web site, Bush to play terror card again! Quote: What does this have to do with our story? Well, it is a way to add credence to the fear factor, while omitting the fact that not only were the students caught, they were never any risk to the country. http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=2813235&page=1 I found this story: The plan also came only months after Ayman al-Zawahiri, al Qaeda's No. 2, had requested that Zarqawi attempt an attack inside the United States. "This appears to be the first hard evidence al Qaeda in Iraq was trying to attack us here at home," said ABC News consultant Richard Clarke, former chief counterterrorism adviser on the U.S. National Security Council. Once we cut and run we will be attacked here at home.
Based on information that has come out, it is highly dubious that Rove, and perhaps not even Libby, leaked anything. For one thing, Ms. Plaume's identity as employee of the CIA was one of the worst kept secrets in Washington.
You haven't really been following the trial, have you? Testimony has just started and it is already obvious that Cheney orchestrated the leaks and Libby was set up to be the fall guy very early. Libby is toast about lying to the prosecutor with about twelve defence witnesses prepared to dispute his story. Libby's defense is that he did not rememebr when he heard about Plame. The trial is making it obvious that he had about 14 conversations over three months, yet he claims not to remember. Sure, bud, have you thought much about prison. The revelations about the leaks coming from the Vice presidents office will just get worse as more people are called to testify, including Rove and Cheney. Bush promised that the leaker would be found and punished. Well Fitzgerald failed to do that in the one-sided grand jury indictment, but the evidence being presented in the trail is going to spark a congressional inquiry. At the Libby Trial, Hints of Intrigue and Betrayal Ex-Officials Testify They Informed Libby of the Identity of a C.I.A. Operative Ex-Cheney Aide Contradicts Libby Time Comes to a Standstill in a Courtroom Journey
