Out of the Plamegate Woodwork: Woodward!
The bad news for the Bush administration is that the Patrick Fitzgerald probe into Plamegate is still plowing full steam ahead. The worse news, for all of us, is that Bob Woodward now seems likely to squeeze one more of his wooden-written books out of it.
Wednesday’s Washington Post is headlining an eyebrow-raising story on how Woodie Woodward has now popped up right in the middle of the Plamegate story. Turns out he was giving testimony to Fitz only this past Monday:
"… Bob Woodward testified under oath Monday in the CIA leak case that a senior administration official told him about CIA operative Valerie Plame and her position at the agency nearly a month before her identity was disclosed …
Woodward told Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald that the official casually told him in mid-June 2003 that Plame worked as a CIA analyst on weapons of mass destruction, and that he did not believe the information to be classified or sensitive…
Fitzgerald interviewed Woodward about the previously undisclosed conversation after the official alerted the prosecutor to it on Nov. 3 -- one week after Vice President Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, was indicted in the investigation.Citing a confidentiality agreement in which the source freed Woodward to testify but would not allow him to discuss their conversations publicly, Woodward and Post editors refused to disclose the official's name or provide crucial details about the testimony. Woodward did not share the information with Washington Post Executive Editor Leonard Downie Jr. until last month, and the only Post reporter whom Woodward said he remembers telling in the summer of 2003 does not recall the conversation taking place…"
Huh? Woodward has been out there punditizing and waxing his weenie over the Plamegate affair but had to failed to disclose his own involvement in the case? (See Josh Marshall on this subject and on how Marshall deduces that Woodward’s source is someone other than Rove or Libby).
And, hey, what’s that about Woodward not having bothered to mention any of this to his…um…editor? Who does Woodward think he is? Judy Miller?
I write this shortly after the story is breaking and there is surely much, much more to come in the next few days. It seems, indeed, that we are in the middle – not the end—of the Plamegate investigation and that the White House still has much to fear. So do we journalists – at least as far as the reputation of the media goes. Looks like another episode in the making of Reporters Gone Wild.
November 16th, 2005 at 3:39 am
I truly hope and pray that you and others continue exposing these corrupt government officials and alleged “journalists” for what they really are. The whole thing has morphed into something right out of a Dante nightmare, and it seems there’s no way in HELL we can ever wake up. Where will this finally end? Does anyone have a clue? Does anyone think we’ll ever be able to trust the government or even the press again?
November 16th, 2005 at 3:57 am
John, I think I’d trust the “gubment” before I’d trust the press. And that ain’t saying much!
November 16th, 2005 at 6:50 am
GMR - I think there are several obvious problems with that attitude, number one being that “the press” is hardly a monolithic entity, despite the best efforts of self-serving ideologues to portray it as such. My biggest disappointment with the press is that far too many of them apparently share some version of your view and trust the government as their default position. I also have to say that if what you’ve expressed is today’s “conservative” position, traditional conservatism - which was supposedly based on an inherent distrust of the government over the supposedly “unfettered” institutions of civil society, such as the press - has apparently committed suicide. (Actually, I think they all got killed in the Cold War, but that’s a long story.)
Time to plug “Good Night and Good Luck”, George Clooney’s vision of Edward R. Murrow. Excellent film…entertaining, serious, a timely reminder of what journalists SHOULD be like, vis-a-vis the inherently corrosive effects of both corporate and government power brokers and bureaucrats on the founders intent of a free press.
Regarding Bob Woodward, he’s been dead for years.
November 16th, 2005 at 7:32 am
Right on, reg.
Unfortunately our democracy is dependendent on the main stream media, because of its large investigative resources, that assures us of the government’s accountability to it’s citizens. Unfortunately, because of shills like Woodward and Miller (only the most egregious of the lot) watching out for our interests, we can no longer count on them.
This puts a huge responsibility on the individual, with the help of the many uncompromised journalists and co-citizens, to sort through the maze of information, misinformation, and disinformation.
Good luck to all of us! We’ll either become a better democracy for it or be lost forever.
November 16th, 2005 at 8:34 am
Time to put on my tinfoil hat. Bob Wodward has always had curious relationship to power. After graduatong from Yale he served in the Navy. According to the “official” story he was a communicatopns officer. Actually there is considerable evidence that he was an intelligence officer and a high level briefer. The late Adm Thomas Moorer recalled being briefed by him, also Alexander Haig. See the book SECRET AGENDA. Why keep this under wraps? Well maybe to keep his ties to the intelligence community secret. Maybe that is how he got all those good Watergate quotes and, of course, Mark Felt. Nick Von Hoffman has written about the war between Nixon and the Joint Chiefs and the Intelligence Community. And we know Felt was worried that his beloved FBI was getting rolled. Was Woodward the conduit for these snipers? There is nothing wrong with this if you are a reporter but why the lack of transparency? After all Seymour Hersh has a lot of sources in the dark world and keeps them confidential. But he lets his readers know the provenance of his material.
And he tells his editors. Something that Woodward did not do here and he is lying about it. Walter Pincus has said he knew nothing despite Woodward’s claims to the contrary and Len Downie knew nothing. Guess things have changed since Ben Bradlee ruled the roost.
Woodward has long been famous for not citing any sources in his books leading to the popular parlor game of guessing who they must be. Colin Powell, come on down! His most famous story had to be Bill Casey’s deathbed confession on Iran-Contra. Somehow the intrepid Woodward snuck into the hospital room to get the quote without any of the staff or Casey’s family seeing him. Course they could all be lying or maybe Woodward, like the Shadow, has the power to cloud men’s minds!
So how many more black eyes does American Journalism get? Maybe you could ask Queen Judith when she gives the keynote at the PJ Media launch this weekend Marc.
November 16th, 2005 at 9:02 am
Is it too late to get Beltway Bob to give a benediction at the Pajama Party ??? After all, this is the most important launch of an alternative to journalism since Drudge moved out of his mothers’ place and into his own apartment.
The MSM Is Dead ! Long Live the MSM !!!
November 16th, 2005 at 10:12 am
It’s pretty easy to see who was really behind the Watergate story. Bernstein drove the thing, and Woodward rode shotgun. It was great work, but Woodward a voting Republican wasn’t on the lookout for such political behaviors, and still isn’t. Moreover he’s acting as an advocate against this investigation. I found his third person writing strange in ATPM. From what I’ve read his books since are insider stenography. That’s not what we want from journalists.
November 16th, 2005 at 10:32 am
This is such a non-issue. The left with its media in tow are wetting their pants over a contrived “crime” for which Wilson himself was the initial source. I’m not stupid, and everyone else knows what this is all about. The Democrats want power, but they also want payback for Clinton’s impeachment, which likely and partially was payback for the Democrats hounding of Reagan and Nixon.
Fitzgerald is a prosecutor with an ego, so he has to get “someone.” But, he didn’t do a very good job in his expensive investigation and has made false statements.
Here’s what Scooter Libby’s attorney had to say about this latest development:
“If what Woodward says is so, will Mr. Fitzgerald now say he was wrong to say on TV that Scooter Libby was the first official to give this information to a reporter? The second question I would have is: Why did Mr. Fitzgerald indict Mr. Libby before fully investigating what other reporters knew about Wilson’s wife?”
But, keep on investigating. The Democrats would rather spend millions to investigate a no-crime of the Republicans than use that money for schools, etc.–or, should I say, “For the chillllll-dren.”
Now, I have wasted five minutes reponding to this. That will be the extent of my investment on this ridiculous matter.
November 16th, 2005 at 11:02 am
Nothing is more absurd to me than reading RLC and REG’s nanny-like obsessing over the purity or lack thereof to be found in the PJ media operation. On behalf of David Corn as well I would like to thank you both for spending so much time worrying about our fate. He and I and Eric Umansky and Max Sawicky and the other lefty Brad Friedman, left to our own devices, would clearly be just too fucking stupid to naviagte our away among Roger Simon and Charles Johnson without the expert assistance of your advice. No doubt without your moral guidance we would be reamed, cleaned and blue-steamed by these devious neo-con, likudite, imperialist, hate-monger fascists! There is no way we can express our gratitude to you for taking on this humanitarian effort to protect our integrity. The only small favor we ask you — as you continue to battle the forces of darkness on our behalf– is that you submit to us a detailed and documented report on: 1) where you work 2) who funds your paycheck 3)who you associate with both professionally and socially 4) your voter reg cards over the last 25 years 5) a complete breakdown of the political views held by any and all of your direct family 6) and finally a comprehensive list of all your investments, expenditures and consumer decisions dating back ten years. Oh, yeah… dont forget to include your tax returns from the last three years. We dont mean to be intrusive and tell you how to live (just because you are telling us how to) we just want to make sure you are moral enough to defend OUR moral integrity.
In the meantime… Pajamas, now known as Open Source Media is running at OSM.ORG and frankly, I find it rather bland for my taste. It’s hardly the neo-con/winger nightmare anticipated by our faithful nannies.
November 16th, 2005 at 11:08 am
Can You Hear Me Now
Well, it would seem that since the Libby indictment didn’t really resonate with the public that the Plamegate matter would slide into the fringe of media coverage as the opening stages of the trial are still well into the future. However, the revelat…
November 16th, 2005 at 11:26 am
Now is the time to assemble a panel to discuss blogger ethics.
November 16th, 2005 at 11:45 am
I’m not obsessing on purity…but I’m convinced it’s no big deal exceot as an 85% Hackorama. The thing that I think is stupid is Simple Simon claiming to have come up with something new. I’ve never thought you would lose your integrity…just hand a bit of it off to a venture that has very little integrity or originality on it’s own. You protest too much. My observations on PJM at this point aren’t about you… Frankly, they’re not far from your own as stated above. And their design sense is still residing in somebody’s ass.
If you can take a bit of money and run, more power.
As for my own details, my paychecks have been so far from pure for the last twenty years, it ain’t funny. Before that they were too pure for my own good. That’s not the issue. I think you are missing one thing about where some of this “ragging” has been coming from…it’s not because we think that you’re a patsy or a chump but that your work is better than these other guys and, maybe they need you more than you need them. But just because you’re on board, don’t expect us to love the damn thing.
November 16th, 2005 at 11:48 am
Woody…my pants are dry. Check Scooter’s.
November 16th, 2005 at 12:06 pm
“The thing that I think is stupid is Simple Simon claiming to have come up with something new.”
Actually more stupid than having the Rockettes or whatever celebrating the launch of this ad bundling venture as something innovative are, as noted on a previous thread, the absurd protestations by Simon & Johnson that they eschew “labels”. This is patent bullshit from guys who haven’t even learned to do their own little tap dance very well. They’re giving “disingenuous” a bad name.
November 16th, 2005 at 12:26 pm
OK reg.. I’ll take all that as a compliment. And seriously, David and I have our eyes wide open. As he said, I have nothing to lose. We;ll see.
November 16th, 2005 at 12:46 pm
Woodward seems to have abandoned, or graduated from, journalism. In his elevated status as a pundit, he has gained the “trust” of the elite, and hence they are willing to disclose the “real story” about the Iraq war or responses to the Sept. 11 attacks or..to him. That is, he no longer needs to dig to get a story, the story comes to him by these “leaks”, if you will, from undisclosed but unmistakably impressive sources.
That is to say, he is a patsy used freely by Establishment shills. The story is what they say it is. He volunteers his opinion that the actions of Libby and Rove are innocuous because he wants to please them. Also, if they are discredited, he’ll have to break in a new crop of senior administration officials.
November 16th, 2005 at 12:57 pm
“I’m not stupid” “The left this, the left that……”
Scooter’s in a whole heap o trouble. It’s only a nonissue for the selective amnesiacs who wistfully wish for that to be true. It isn’t.
November 16th, 2005 at 1:48 pm
Encore of the Judy Miller Problem
From the Seattle Times:
Text of Bob Woodward’s Statement
On Monday, November 14, I testified under oat…
November 16th, 2005 at 4:12 pm
reg: I think there are several obvious problems with that attitude, number one being that “the press†is hardly a monolithic entity, despite the best efforts of self-serving ideologues to portray it as such.”
Well, I think there are several obvious problems with the attitude above, number one being that “the press” is, though hardly monolithic, certainly in sync with the left, despite the best efforts of lefty self-serving ideologues to keep it from being portrayed as such.
November 16th, 2005 at 4:43 pm
“though hardly monolithic, certainly in sync with the left, despite the best efforts of lefty self-serving ideologues to keep it from being portrayed as such”
Interesting, GM, if you substitute “right” for “left”, you will get just the view I have of the MSM. Funny how differently two people can see the world.
November 16th, 2005 at 5:20 pm
And in a way it comes full circle. Woodword already got to personally symbolize the ascention of the journalist as final truth-teller, honest truth-seeker, speaker of truth to power, and all that jazz. Now he may get to symbolize it’s darker days as well, the journalist as access-seeker, protector of government officials, truth-bender.
It’s funny how some of these journalists have seen themselves as not just the guardians of public discourse but it’s owners and masters. If they deem it outside the realm of conversation then it must be so. Woodword, unless there are some exonerating revelations, seems to have fallen prey to that mentality.
November 16th, 2005 at 5:40 pm
And even with a laundry list of conservative reporters, not to mention the so-called liberal ones who shill for the administration, the press still takes that label from these ideologues. It just shows how firewalled off these people are.
November 16th, 2005 at 6:01 pm
Woody Scooter is still in a heap of trouble. He is charged with Perjury and Obstruction and nothing Woodward said today changes that. Martha Stuart didn’t go to jail for insider trading. And, if Woodward is to be believed, there was a THIRD high official spilling the beans about Plame. Now, as Dighby asks today, how many leakers cease making this a coincidence and start constituting a conspiracy? And why conspire? To make sure no one catches on to administration lies on Iraq that got us into war?
But let’s get back to Woodward for a moment. I know he is arguing that his new “Deep Throat” is only helping him gather material for another book on Bush but when is it the duty of reporters to keep material secret. I thought confidentiality was necessary to get sources to talk about matters that the public needed to know. Now we are told the info itself is off the record? When did reporters become priests or shrinks?
Here is what this story tells us. The Washington media elite now forms a part of the Government. They take handouts and release what their masters in power want them too. They do this in order to maintain their access to the Great and the Good. And they treat the public as ignorantsrubes who must be carefully spoonfed the truth so as not to be unduly agitated.
Is it any wonder that more and more people don’t trust what they read or see or hear? That I now feel that I have to read the WaPo or the NYT the way Soviet citizens had to read PRAVDA or ISVESTIA? And what does the First Amendment mean? A blanket excuse from any responsibility on the part of journalists to carry the line of the day?
Yeah, I’m a purist Marc. Go off and play with the PJ, excuse me “Open Source ™” crowd. I’m sure Glenn and Mikey Ledeen won’t ever carry water and I’m sure Jill will let you alone. But I am concerned that, more and more, REAL journalism - the kind that is celebrated in GOOD NIGHT and GOOD LUCK is, well “Quaint.”
November 16th, 2005 at 7:59 pm
And here is another example of the Govt-Media Complex. Today’s edition of the HILL newspaper has an article criticizing Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi for not giving enough time to K Street Lobbyists. Seems they’re complaining of a lack of access. Imagine that! Yesterday it was a complaint from fat cat Democratic Donors that Howard Dean was not giving them enough attention. See who is important? Not us, it seems. Yeah, I know these are “trade papers” for Hill staffers but that attitude seeps into the MSM or don’t you watch all those “Sabbath Gasbags” as Calvin Trillen so notably called them.
November 16th, 2005 at 9:49 pm
Let’s not get carried away about this Woodward thing. A little armchair guessing: Colin Powell’s entourage was major source for Plan of Attack; a memo about Valerie Plame circulated on Powell’s airplane; look for the source there. It does not automatically mean that the source was part of the Cheney campaign to discredit Wilson. Which could mean it is irrelevant to Scooter’s problems.
I as said, just a guess.
November 16th, 2005 at 10:00 pm
Whoops, that flight was in July 2003 and Woodward says June, so either my guess is wrong or Woodward has got the date wrong…
November 16th, 2005 at 11:39 pm
I like John Powers write up of Woodward in Sore Winners. Goes something like this: “If journalism represents the first draft of history then Bob Woodward represents the first draft of journalism.”
November 18th, 2005 at 9:30 am
I once wondered whether Bob Woodward was loosing his “edge” because his definition of “journalism” appeared to be strongly against the public interest and strongly in the favor of the Bush administration. I assumed his obvious bias was a way of buying access for the purpose of selling his books.
Now I understand that this was nothing as benign as the moral lapse in judgement that I had been willing to accept. Now I recognize it is a pattern of misbehavior so shocking in its depth that all or journalism must pay for his decision to call what he has been doing, “journalism”.
December 20th, 2005 at 3:00 pm
[...] Marc Cooper Blog Archive Out of the Plamegate Woodwork Of Mice and Men [Updated] Shedding Pajamas: OSM Out of the Plamegate Woodwork: Woodward! The bad news for the Bush administration is that the Patrick Fitzgerald probe into Plamegate is still plowing full [...]
July 25th, 2006 at 6:51 pm
Ein Schloss, Ein poker Wurst, Ein Kopf !nvx
July 31st, 2006 at 9:07 am
gas motor scooter gas motor scooter
August 1st, 2006 at 8:53 am
Betting Bettingbaseball handicapping baseball handicappingbaseball picks baseball picks