Republicans reveal their innermost souls:

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

Politics Trumps National Security,as well as Truth, Justice and the American Way

That is the only comeback any Democratic talking head, pundit or representative needs to say about Rovegate. The Republicans are twisting themselves into pretzels in order to protect Karl Rove. And why is that? Because if Rove goes - they all go and that is the plain and simple truth.

When this all began right after the Novak column, the White House COULD have actually done an internal investigation and found out who the leaker was and dismissed him/them and then this scandal would have died a quick death. They didn't do that. I think the reason they didn't do that is because they all already KNEW who was responsible and they made a collective choice to cover-up, stonewall, collude, conspire, however you want to characterize it, to protect the actual leaker(s). The actual leaker may have made the leak under the direct supervision of someone higher. (I continue to think that this whole thing sprang fully formed out of the WHIG.) I imagine Bush's defense will be an heirloom from his father in Iran-Contra - "I was out of the loop".

The following is a quote from a very confusing Richard Cohen column today in the WP:

"The truth about that truth was contained in a Post story about the leaks. It quoted "a senior administration official" who said that the outing of Plame was "meant purely and simply for revenge." It also said that two -- not one -- "top White House officials" had called "at least six Washington journalists and disclosed the identity and occupation of Wilson's wife." Cohen goes on to state his opinion that while this is vindictive, it's not a crime. He concludes his column with "I find it hard to believe that Rove or anyone at the White House specifically intended to blow the cover of a CIA agent. Rove is a political opportunist, not a traitor."

This begs the question - If they didn't intend to blow her cover - what was the "revenge"?

At any rate, just like Nixon, the whole group of them will go down because personal loyalty and politics far surpassed any concern about national security or the validity of the rational for going to war with Iraq.

[acmejack]

1. Republicons have no soul!

I'm afraid your subject line is oxymoronic, soul and Republicon are mutually exclusive!