TIME: Why Woodward's Source Came Clean

[DeepModem Mom]

Web Exclusive | Nation
Why Woodward's Source Came Clean
The famed Washington Post journalist describes the series of events that lead him and his source to Fitzgerald

By VIVECA NOVAK
Posted Friday, Nov. 18, 2005


As reporters keep scrambling to find out who told Bob Woodward about Joe Wilson’s wife, Woodward himself has told TIME about a related mystery: what made the source finally come forward. When the Washington Post reporter went public with his involvement in the CIA leak case earlier this week, he failed to explain why his source waited silently for two years before coming clean to special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald. In an interview today, Woodward described the sequence of conversations with his source and Post executive editor Leonard Downie, Jr. that led to the latest twist in Fitzgerald’s investigation into the outing of CIA operative Valerie Plame, the wife of administration critic Wilson.

In the final weeks before the grand jury indicted vice presidential aide I. Lewis ("Scooter") Libby on Oct. 28 for perjury and obstruction of justice, Woodward says he was asked by Downie to help report on the status of the probe. In the course of his reporting, Woodward says, "I learned something more" about the disclosure of Plame's identity, which prompted him to admit to Downie for the first time that he had been told of Plame’s CIA job by a senior administration official in mid June 2003.

In his press conference announcing Libby’s indictment, Fitzgerald noted that, "Mr. Libby was the first official known to have told a reporter when he talked to Judith Miller in June of 2003 about Valerie Wilson." Woodward realized, given that the indictment stated Libby disclosed the information to New York Times reporter Miller on June 23, that Libby was not the first official to talk about Wilson's wife to a reporter. Woodward himself had received the information earlier.

According to Woodward, that triggered a call to his source. "I said it was clear to me that the source had told me in mid-June," says Woodward, "and this person could check his or her records and see that it was mid-June. My source said he or she had no alternative but to go to the prosecutor. I said, 'If you do, am I released?'", referring to the confidentiality agreement between the two. The source said yes, but only for purposes of discussing it with Fitzgerald, not for publication....


http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1132544,00.html

[HereSince1628]

1. You know, holding back probably effected the 2000 vote

The American voters were denied the opportunity to make an honest choice. Would it have changed the election?

We can never know.

Hundreds of Americans in uniform have died since the 2005 inauguration. Would it have been different if Woodward hadn't played this game (for personal fame and probably profit from a book deal)?

We can never know.

Woodward claims and has claimed for many many months that the whole Plame affair is insignificant, no one was harmed.

Well, maybe not.

If a Democrat had been elected would the military be on the same path, would those Americans be dead or alive?

We can never know.

We can never know, because Woodward cheated the readers he ostensibly serves and the nation as a whole.

Woodward deserves a job on Fox. Perhaps he and Judy could share a Sunday morning show called Punch and Judy.

[Uncle Joe]

11. No doubt, well said and I agree 100%. n/t

[Scout1071]

27. Subversion of Democracy. This DID have an impact on the election.

No doubt about it. If this had all been public slightly more than one year ago, we would be on our way to change and restoring our dignity as a nation.

[Little Star]

13. You stated the possibilities very well.

Please consider sending them to Woodwards boss.

[RazzleDazzle]

22. Nah, the boss will just be all the more pleased with turn of events

or am I too, too cynical?

[ninkasi]

18. So Woodward claims it was no big deal, no one was harmed...

What about Valerie Plame? What about her career? Also, because the company Brewster Jennings was outed, what about agents who may have been harmed, although we don't necessarily know one way or the other?

In law, I don't believe whether or not anybody was harmed is relevant when considering whether a crime was committed. If I break into your home, and during the course of the burglary decide you don't have anything I want to steal, isn't that still a crime? What if I get caught before I can leave with the stolen goods?

Republicans, who claim to be tough on crime, are certainly willing to overlook outing a covert CIA agent in order to intimidate anybody who dares speak out against the Bush regime. Such hypocrites...they are really morally bankrupt. They are all high and mighty and show such indignation over a blow-job, but act as though treason is no big deal.

[HereSince1628]

19. I should add, many of New Orleans dead might not be with a Dem

president who surely would not have had Brown as FEMA director.

We can never know. It's the nature of Woodward's offense against society.

[ninkasi]

29. Exactly...

People sometimes do things for their own selfish ends, regardless of how their decision might affect millions of other. Granted, I will never be in that position, but Woodward most certainly was, and chose to remain silent, because of his book deal.

I see the ravaged faces of the victims of New Orleans, and read accounts of horrible atrocities committed against Iraqi citizens, including women and children, and feel such sadness, and anger. How many lives have been affected, and how much misery has been suffered, so that one man could cater to his boundless ego?

It seems as though once people have reached certain heights of power, they consider themselves immune to the laws that control and restrict the rest of us. Money, indeed, buys privilege in this country, and that is another of our country's shames, and sins.

[Rodger Dodger]

37. Fitzgerald is a competent prosecute

It my belief, there are a lot of shoes that will be dropped in the future. Remember he, Fitzgerald, said he would take as much time as he need to get to the bottom of who outed Wilson's wife.

Silence is golden in a good prosecutor. He will move a fast or a slowly as necessary. In the mean time, it my guess, there will be a lot of people loosing a lot of sleep over this very serious problem and the part they played in it.

The intrigue that has gone on in the White House will prove very interesting. I know it difficult but lets be patient and waite for the out come.

[daleo]

50. I think you mean the 2004 vote. n/t

[Spazito]

2. He is so full of shit, I can smell him from where I sit

Man, his oversized ego demands he put himself as a hero when all evidence shows, without question, he is the total opposite.

[lapfog_1]

8. I thought you were going to say

"He is so full of shit,
I can smell him from where I sit,
His ego demands that he make himself a hero
While all of the evidence shows him to be a zero"

[Spazito]

15. Wow, I wish I had said that!

It has greater resonance in rhyme than in my prose! Also, thanks for giving me something to smile at and enjoy reading.

[KansDem]

48. Lapfrog, you're a poet and didn't...

...realize the fact!

[DemsUnited]

3. Oh look, now Woodward wants to make nice with Fitzgerald...

<snip>

Woodward expressed some surprise that Fitzgerald hadn't contacted him earlier in the probe, but had high praise for the prosecutor whose investigation he has openly criticized on television. During his time with the prosecutor, Woodward said, he found Fitzgerald "incredibly sensitive to what we do. He didn't infringe on my other reporting, which frankly surprised me. He said 'This is what I need, I don't need any more.'"

<snip>

Ya'll keep kissing up now, y'hear, and maybe Fitz won't throw your Woodward ass in jail with Scooter.

[DeepModem Mom]

4. I want Woody charged with obstruction. nt

[damntexdem]

6. Oh, Fitz has bigger fish to fry:

such as Woodward's unnamed source. Squeeze him/her and see what else comes out.

[Nordic65]

5. Well, if true, he forced his source to call Fitzgerald

In other words, Woodward actually did the right thing...
(better late than never...)

[Spazito]

7. ROFL, Ms. Judy Woodward is simply trying to salvage what little

credibility he may have had by spewing this garbage knowing that his 'source' cannot say he is a friggin liar.

[Nordic65]

12. A.k.a The Fitzgerald trap

Neither Woodward or his source can afford to play chicken with Fitzgerald, so to cut their losses they came forward.

Pretty much also indicates that the source was just one of several players engaged in the anti-Wilson campaign. Not the head-honcho.

On the other hand, for Fitzgerald it's one step closer to finding the holy grail - The WH Conspiracy

[goclark]

14. I though Judy was married to that buffalo named Al Hunt?

I haven't seen either one of them lately.


No?

[Spazito]

16. LOL, the Judy I was referring to in my post in "Ms. Judy Woodward"

is Judith Miller, the other bush admin shill that pretends to be a journalist.

Edited to add this pic that may help clarify my name for Woodward:

[goclark]

21. I've got it now ROTFL nt

[Carni]

31. OH-MY-GOD

Who is that slendid little woman? She is the fodder of Repuke wet dreams--I must know her identity!

And now excuse me while I -- PUKE OUT MY INTESTINES!

[Spazito]

32. ROFL, meet Ms. Judy Woodward, the epitome of a bush presstitute!

Ain't he/she sweet!

:rofl:

[against all enemies]

9. Woodward just trying to throw more dirt in Fitzgerald's eyes.

Just like his friend Scooter. Do Scooter and Woody both feed off the teats of Cheney? Sucking evil from their master.

[Olney Blue]

49. Ah, so THIS explain's Cheney's weight gain....

he's lactating.

[Halliburton]

10. now woodward is praising fitzgerald?

woodward spent months trashing fitzgerald on tv and now he has high praise for the man he once called "a junkyard dog?"

woodward is a disgrace. his story seems fishy too.

[eppur_se_muova]

33. Why is calling him a "junkyard dog" bad?

I would think a lot of DUers have called him that...a junkyard dog is one tough, dangerous critter -- which is exactly what's needed in a prosecutor up against these slimeballs.

I guess it all depends on which side of the chainlink fence you're on.

[MagickMuffin]

41. He's know as a Beltway Elitist

access is everything to these guys.

[jazzjunkysue]

17. More proof Fitz is on the money and it's working. New source and GJ:

This is all over MSNBC, which may mean they're operating on background info we don't have right now.

Sounds like there are big fish with much to hide and much to lose.

They all tip their hand when they have to, and one more had to.

[aquart]

25. No, they're pretending the investigation was over and now.....

Because of Woodward, it's starting up again. That's crap.

[stumblnrose]

20. WaPo Is Happy to Perpetuate the myth

Watched Downie Q/A online this morning. Woodward is a demi-god, we don't spank demi-gods, Woodie said he was sorry, seems like Woodie is more powerful than the mouths that feed him.No remorse there, wonder what the vibe is at the Post for "real" reporters? Are there any. Milbank is a scumbag too, sort of a self-infatuated with his own petty humor kind of guy - a male Maureen.

[RazzleDazzle]

23. Why is this being written in Time and not the WP???

Seems strange to me. Time scooping the WP on its own story, its own reporter? Doesn't compute.

[aquart]

24. It seems to be selling the story of Woodie as righteous hero.

Why, he had no idea there was gambling at the casino. But when he found out, he got right on it.

WHO IS HE KIDDING????

[MADem]

34. Well, the TIME story points out that the little shit has CHANGED his tune

Woodward expressed some surprise that Fitzgerald hadn't contacted him earlier in the probe, but had high praise for the prosecutor whose investigation he has openly criticized on television. During his time with the prosecutor, Woodward said, he found Fitzgerald "incredibly sensitive to what we do. He didn't infringe on my other reporting, which frankly surprised me. He said 'This is what I need, I don't need any more.'"


Openly criticized is perhaps too mild a term--Judy-Woodie wiped his ass on Fitz on a half dozen shows. Wonder if he wants his crow roasted or deep fried???

[aquart]

40. What is it about Bush

That makes people suicide their own careers?

[tabasco]

45. It's not just Bush. It's all the "haves and have-mores."

The super rich who have destroyed democracy in America.

They must be destroyed.

[MADem]

52. He must have photos of all of them

...in a Mexican brothel, with a donkey, perhaps????

Either that, or he has gotten away with so much shit for so long, that these syncophants think that he and his crew had a lock on power.

[RazzleDazzle]

46. You know, I vaguely remember seeing Woodward

on some show a while back and being quite taken aback at the virulence with which he attacked Fitz and his investigation. I don't remember the details, only my shock at how far he went in his criticism, esp. for a so-called journalist.

[MADem]

51. The miserable peck made the rounds--Tweety, Larry the Cadaver King

all of the chitchat/political gossip venues. And you remember correctly, the bastard was virulent--and very CONFIDENT about his assertions, as well. He was a living, breathing, definition of the expression "pooh-pooh." But at the end of the day, the poop was all over himself!!!

The thing is, WAPO does NOT PERMIT their reporters to voice personal opinions, because it plays against their impartiality and some would take it as if they are speaking/editorializing on behalf of the paper. Columnists can, because that is what they DO, but not reporters. Woodward ventured some strong opinions, and was taken to task for it.

I really think, if it is proven that his source was a genuine "senior" administration official (cabinet level, or VP/Monkey) he will have to pack his bags and leave to "spend more time with family." His hubris has really tarnished his legacy. Greedy putz!

[applegrove]

26. Is the source Bush?

:yoiks:

[DemocracyInaction]

28. Could be---think about it

This whole thing smells of a great need to rescue Libby (does he know things that he threatens to reveal about all the dirty slime). Why would the "source" scurry to see Fitzgerald knowing it would put them into the same bombsites as Libby? Well, I believe a sitting President can't be indicted can he? Okay maybe this is a stretch but I can't help but think why would some 'source' knowingly run to Fitz and direct the gun to his own head? Someone has been made to be the sacrificial lamb---

[applegrove]

38. Actually I was just being silly. I don't think anyone would have ever

left Bush alone with Woodward. I was being silly.

[Duer 157099]

39. I read that Woodward interviewed Bush many times

and that he was astonished that Bush was so forthcoming with classified information. Read that within the past couple of days, about Woodward doing research for his prior books and how Bush talked very freely with him about sensitive info.

I'm thinking it's Rice

[applegrove]

42. Yes I was going to go back and read that book too. And then I thought -

well everyone else in the world will be going back to read that woodward book - I'll just sit and wait a few days and the answer will come to me.

Thank you.

Could not remember how Woodward interviewed Bush. I always picture Bush sitting on Cheney's lap during interviews.

:hi:

[creeksneakers2]

30. If true

Woodward didn't leave his source a choice. If the source told Woodward not to talk to the prosecutor, wouldn't that be obstructing justice?

[Duer 157099]

47. That would be an odd situation, considering that the source

came to Fitzgerald already and presumably named Woodward.

[raising2moredems]

35. Maybe there is a silver lining into this mess....

and may it be a change of control in the house and the senate. Then there'd be no doubt our feckless leader is nekked as well as impotent.

[sofa king]

36. Wait a minute. This actually makes sense.

It was Woodward to forced the issue on Hadley, by informing Hadley that he had learned about Valerie Wilson from Hadley, before Libby and Rove burned her. Hadley's parachute is already packed--he made a mistake letting that Italian intel into the SOTU, and since nobody has to resign for mistakes in the Bush Administration, he thought he was in the clear.

But he's gotta tell Fitz about it to make it all okay.

This is also why Woodward wouldn't think it's such a big deal. The information conduit between Hadley and Woodward went nowhere. Wilson's identity wasn't leaked in this transaction, so in the larger sense it really isn't that much of a big deal.

The big deal now is that extra attention will be focused on Hadley and he'll have to publicly explain himself. He may decide he'd rather just leave. That's gonna leave the President fresh out of National Security Advisers, with few to pick from who are not already implicated in some sort of crime. And Bush is going to have to pick someone familiar with the crimes already committed, with a top-level security clearance.

Oh, I'm sorry. Not Hadley. The "unnamed source." I suppose we'll have to keep up that ruse until the mainstream breaks it next week.

[0007]

43. This just goes to show how sallow and non-thinking the American

public has indeed become, when a person like Bob Woodward can bullshit Larry King and tell everyone the Valarie Plame leak was no big deal.

No doubt about it! It did effect the election in 04 and for the last two years most of the American public has believed that Joe Wilson was just out to get junior, and was spewing lies for personal gain.

[Peace Patriot]

54. Please don't confuse the views of the American people...

...with what Larry King and the war profiteering corporate news monopolies would LIKE US TO BE BELIEVE are the views of the American people. These are often two VERY DIFFERENT things.

Check out the issue polls for what the American people know and believe. Nearly 60% against the Iraq war way back BEFORE the invasion (Feb. '03). 63% opposed to torture "under any circumstances" (May '04). In fact, huge majorities, way up in the 60% to 70% range, oppose every major Bush policy, foreign and domestic.

The main thing we need to know about the 2004 election is that two Bushite corporations--Diebold and ES&S--controlled the vote tabulation with "trade secret," proprietary software in the new electronic voting systems.

We had a non-transparent, fraudulent election SYSTEM, going in. And all evidence external to the results of that system--such as the news monopoly exit polls, and the Dem/Repub new voter registration figures (60/40 to the Dems)--points to a comfortable Kerry win, with whatever internal evidence that it is possible to obtain pointing to widespread irregularities, pre-programmed vote switching, and phantom votes for Bush.

It is possible that a Kerry blowout (over and above the 4%-5% margin by which he probably won the election) could have overcome Diebold's and ES&S's "trade secret" programming, and, in that sense, yes, items like Woodward's silence--and many other similar items (the lapdogism of the press), as well as flaws in Kerry's campaign--may be responsible for keeping Bush and Co. in power. (I believe that if Kerry had been antiwar, he would have blown Bush out of the water.) But please do not forget, a) the election system itself was/is non-transparent and fraudulent, and b) the American people are a lot smarter, a lot better informed, and a lot more progressive than they are given credit for.

Upshot: It's not that the American people need convincing. It's that the American people have been massively disempowered and DISENFRANCHISED.

------------

See this URGENT ACTION thread re: Diebold in California!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5410364

Throw Diebold and ES&S election theft machines into 'Boston Harbor' NOW!

[Caretha]

44. Another indictment for perjury & obstruction?

No doubt Woodward's "unnamed source" had previously given testimony to investigators and possibly the grand jury. Obviously he/she left out that little tidbit about leaking classified information to Woodward. This should get real interesting. The "unnamed source" is now in a position where they have to deal with the prosecutor or face some sort of charges, possibly both. They, she or it, whatever you want to call the unnamed source is certainly not off the hook.

Saying "I didn't remember" probably won't wash either, especially since Woodward remembered it so vividly, including the time frame.

That Fitzgerald....he's a wiley one! When I watched him on tv making his case and announcing Libby's indictment, I remember thinking to myself he was very precise in the way he parsed out his words. When he said "Mr. Libby was the first official known to have told a reporter when he talked to Judith Miller in June of 2003 about Valerie Wilson" it's possible it was a set up that would force someone's hand. Magically Woodward appears.

[Garbo 2004]

53. Jane Hamsher at firedoglake has an article on this titled "I call double

super-secret bullshit." http://firedoglake.blogspot.com/2005/11/i-call-double-super-secret-bullshit.html

Also Arianna over at Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/bob-woodwards-firecrack_b_10894.html

Obviously, Woodward's story simply doesn't make sense. Both he and his source sat on this nugget for over two years and then, like they just both realized that it might have some significance in the Plame investigation, they just decided to come forward out of what, civic duty?

Much more likely that something Fitzgerald was doing, like following up on some line of inquiry or helpful hints from Rover, is what got both Woody and his source in for questioning. Woodward knew he was soon going to get pulled into the investigation and told his publisher beforehand so they could try put a good face on it when he did get called in. But Woodward's carrying on on King's show the night before the indictment shows Woodward's true colors. He'd already fessed up to his publisher, knew the source was going in to talk to Fitz and likely he'd be called in also. And still he says he's got no "bombshell" info and continues to trash Fitz and the investigation as he had been doing previously.