Frog-Walker's Special
It sounds like something out of a John Le Carre novel -- agents exposed, lives in danger, national security compromised, and all because some suit wants to score a political payback. Ugh. While I don't support Bush, there are surely well-meaning people who do, and if I were one of them I'd be shocked and puzzled.
Puzzled, among other things, by the administration's tone-deafness, its uncanny ability to get even basic, nuts-and-bolts stuff wrong. For example, breezily dismissing any Al Qaeda-Iraq connection
-- the connection this president repeatedly made -- amid deepening controversy about the war. Or denying statements that are clearly audible on videotape. Or planning to woo voters with a hokey "join the team! think positive!" Pollyannaism which smacks both of Dilbert-world and Soviet propaganda. What the hell's going on here?
Considering the gravity of the allegations, you'd expect a forthright, decisive response from the White House, placing moral distance between itself and whoever leaked the info. Perhaps something stern and stirring, e.g.--
I have nothing but contempt and anger for those who betray the trust by exposing the names of our sources. They are, in my view, the most insidious of traitors.
Instead, the best the Bush team can come up with is:
I'm not going to go into this, Tony, because the problem here is this has been referred to the Justice Department. I think that's the appropriate place...
The latest here and here.
10:12:12 AM 
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