Okay, why did Novak write the Wilson article?

Sounds like revenge? But, for what? Any thoughts here, bec obviously he must have known this would totally screw the WH.

As an aside, it should be noted that it was Cheney's office that sent Wilson to Africa. Remember? Then when Cheney was asked about it....he lied of course and said he never even saw Wilson's report.

This is going to get VERY messy!

edit: usual stuff

eom

from poppy Bush's campaign for leaking to Novak.

eom

for Novakula.

He was very anti-war and does not at all seem enamored with the Neocons. So, what, exactly WAS his motive? Just blind stupid vanity, given his direct access to Rove et al? Or was he hoping that this would blow some WH activity wide open?

I don't know, but I think we best consider the ramifications of petitioning for Novak to lose his job as some have suggested....

eom

I think these guys are just far too short-sighted to have thought it out very far.

Novak was interested only in discrediting Wilson and thought that would be the end of the story. Perhaps they even counted on the Repub audience being the original fans of Short Attention Span Theatre thereby trashing Wilson and moving on to the next story.

One thing for sure, they never, never expected Wilson to fight back.
They thought he would put his tail between his legs and crawl off to the corner to lick his wounds.

So, go figure.

Although Novak is a diehard Repuke operative, he has been very unhappy with *'s neocon connections and activities, especially the Iraq war. I heard him saying over and over before the war that it was a mistake. He's also mentioned repeatedly that he definitely thinks Bu*h can be beaten (even when *'s numbers were high). Recently I listened to him literally rant about the neocons in *'s cabinet. He's also hinted at unhappiness with the Patriot Act. Add to this that he was the only one, of the several reporters given the agent's name to publish it, and things get curiouser and curiouser.

I know this sounds far fetched, but...what if Novak is conspiring to take down the House of *, once and for all, and put in a real conservative, not a neocon? There are a lot of high profile individuals who could foot the bill. If so, he (or, perhaps, they) has(have) got to take down His Lowness soon, for him/her to be viable for the 2004 race.

He LOVES playing the washington GOP insider. His columns are the 'dirt behind the scenes' whispers in washington. That is what he does and where he gets is ego fed.

IMO, whoever leaked tried to go the journalist route first (WP, NYT) - to try to get it in a legitmate story - worked into the coverage of the Wilson letter to the Times. Idea is to discredit within the articles being written about what he, himself (Wilson), wrote.

But they didn't bite.

So - plan b (or probably plan f) - go to Novak - who loves to print the 'whispers' stuff. Whose ego as the ultimate insider would make it irresistable to him. He would run it.

In short - Novak plays DC/GOP Rona Barrett.

Someone in the admin - uses his ego in that role to get him to print the story that no real journalist would touch.

selected one would land face down in a pile of shit.

<Novak doesn't particularly like the Bush administration, and that's an understatement. It doesn't surprise me one bit that he would do this, knowing it would cause trouble.> from freeperville

Novak.

We could be witnessing a truly Shakespearian tragicomedy. (At least I'll be laughing!) :D

usually doesn't care much about repercussions. He got fired from the McLaughlin Group for constantly fighting on the air with McLaughlin (a fellow Republican). He's always sparring with the host of Capital Gang.

it's as good a theory as any

that's why

that sent Wilson to Africa. Cheney wanted the information from the CIA, and the CIA sent Wilson.

Just to keep stuff straight.

on edit - my usual typos

But, Cheney was questioned about the report.

According to The New York Times of May 6, 2003, "more than a year ago the vice president's office asked for an investigation of the uranium deal, so a former U.S. Ambassador to Africa was dispatched to Niger."

The ambassador "reported to the CIA and State Department that the information was unequivocally wrong and that the documents had been forged," according to the Times. Indeed, that former U.S. Ambassador, Joseph Wilson, wrote in The New York Times, July 6, 2003, "The vice president's office asked a serious question. We were asked to help formulate the answer. We did so, and we have every confidence that the answer we provided was circulated to the appropriate officials within our government."


see: http://www.tompaine.com/feature2.cfm/ID/8417

:shrug:

*'s minions wanted to send a message to anyone even considering straying off the reservation that Bushco would not hesitate to retaliate.

Novak has never been a big fan of the Bush family and he hates the neo-cons. Yet, the White House leaks to him.

It could just be the game is played in Washington. Everybody uses everybody and ideology or alliances have little to do with it.

Please continue discussion here
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=430731

There's no doubt in my mind, this was a carefully placed trap to destroy Rove and the Neocons. Somebody no doubt plied the notion to Rove as an elegant way to simultaneously retaliate against Wilson and warn other potential recalcitrant spooks.

The CIA wants the Neocons heads on a large platter -- all of them!

Novak's part in it involved a calculated gamble that he can get rid of Rove and still hope to save the Bush presidency, sans neocons. But he must have realized the odds on that are long, and been willing nonetheless to play this phenomenal card.

I'm sure Novak, as well as other traditional conservatives like Pat Buchanan, have done the calculus on what would undoubtedly happen if the the Rovians were given the free hand of a second term. It terrified even them.

Novak knows, of course, that he himself is immune from prosecution. He has become a latter day, undisguised Deep Throat.

Hang on to your hats folks! Watergate is comin' round again!