Rove-Novak Call Was Concern To Leak Investigators is another Waas "scoop." It basically documents a conversation between Waas and Rove after it was announced that there was to be an investigation before that investigation got underway – a conversation in which Novak told Rove that he wouldn’t "out" him. In the article, Waas makes it very clear that Novak changed his story after that conversation and strongly implies that this was a "let’s sync our stories" conversation. Rove stays noncommital, as usual:
| "Asked during his grand jury appearance his reaction to the telephone call, Rove characterized it as a ‘curious conversation’ and didn’t know what to make of it, according to people familiar with his testimony. " |
According to Rove, he doesn’t recall who told him about Valerie Plame, he didn’t remember talking to Matthew Cooper until proof was shown to him, he was bumfuzzled by Novak’s call. I suppose it’s a Pillsbury Dough-Boy defense: stay soft and fuzzy, give them nothing, deny all implications, and make them have to do all the work.
To be honest, his attempts to stay under the radar are, to me, admissions of guilt. His attorney’s response mentioned in Wass’ article is a classic.
| "Karl Rove has never urged anyone directly or indirectly to withhold information from the special counsel or testify falsely." |
Don’t answer any question of fact, ever. Just deny the implication of the question and move on. He did the same thing the other day to David Corn.
| Corn: "On a different subject, Scott McClellan told the White House press corps–many are here today–that he had spoken to you and you were not involved in the CIA leak. Can you explain why the American public…two and a half years later hasn’t been given an explanation? Don’t you think it deserves one, for it does seem that you were to some degree–though it may be disputed–involved in that leak?"
Rove: "My attorney, Mr. [Robert] Luskin, made a statement on April 26. I refer you to that statement. I have nothing new to add to it." "Nice try, though." |
It was a nice try. David was trying to get him to answer a question directly, or maybe even truthfully. Rove’s quip at the end is telling. It says, "You know you can’t trick me into being forthcoming or truthful." We’re so used to hearing that kind of malarkey from he and his cronies [careful evasions of any and all direct questions] that we don’t even remember that people in public office are supposed to answer. He sounds more like James Earl Ray or a Mafia Boss than a top governmental official – disdainful of the truth.
Indict him, if only for terminal facetiousness arrogance…
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