Is it possible Bush is trying to get Cheney off the hook ??

[kentuck]

Cheney has been surprisingly silent for the last few days. But if he gave Libby instructions to leak the information, that would look very bad for him. However, if he was told by Bush then it would not look so bad because the president can "de-classify" anything. If Bush de-classified the information, would that not take some of the heat off of Cheney? Just a thought...

[woodsprite]

1. I thought that the minute I saw the streamer at the bottom of CNN. n/t

[CottonBear]

2. I think Cheney is/has been using Bush. Cheney probably set Bush up.

Bush was selected by the Neocons/PNACers because he is easily manipulated.

[peacetalksforall]

4. Selected to be the candidate? Absolutely. They knew they had a

stooge - who has spent his life depending on others for his direction and for paths laid down before him.

[Atman]

3. Bush doesn't know how to get the phone off the hook

Puh-leeze. That little performance yesterday should have cemented it once and for all. George W. Bush is, in the words of Rudepundit, "a rube and an idiot of Titanic proportions." He is a placeholder. He is to the presidency what Scotty McClellan is to news. His job is merely to play the happy front man for Dick and Rummy and the rest of the cabal.

[carolinalady]

5. Here is my two cents FWIW:

I kept trying to pin down why Valerie Plame had to go-and the Brewster Jennings thing today finally solidified it for me.
Having said that here is my theory:

1. Cheney wanted Plame out so he gave Libby his marching orders. Maybe Libby had the ethics to hesitate, whereby Cheney backed it up with "Bush said".

2. I do not think he bothered to keep Georgie in the loop.

3. Cheney did not know whether or not the Pres would back him on this so he tested the waters on Hume by announcing he has the right to declassify documents.

4. After that bold statement, it was probably brought to his attention, that there had to be a few stipulations present before he can boldly declassify intelligence.

5. The shit hit the fan with the Plame story and they had to revert to George did it so the sheeples would swallow the kool-aid.

6. The reason I say this is because in this case, I really do not think Bush was lying when he was so outraged about the leak. I just don't think he was informed. Now why would George take one for the team? A 36 percent approval rating, that's why. He is a heartbeat away from impeachment. He has ticked off his own base not to mention the 51 percent of us who vehemently hate the guy. The only thing that keeps him in office, is the reality that Cheney would be worse. If Cheney goes, George would be out on his ass so fast, the ranch dust would look like a mushroom cloud over Pennsylvania Ave.

Anyway, that's what I think!

[kentuck]

7. I mostly agree with you...

However, I do believe that Fitz is getting real close to Cheney at this moment and the only person that can pull his ass out of the fire is George W Bush. If Bush accepts responsibility for "de-classification" of the information, that would relieve Cheney of much of the blame... But I think you have it almost to a tee.

[Atman]

10. I almost agree with both of you, except...

...I think Bush has a pathological barrier which makes him incapable of "taking one for the team." He has an ego the size of Texas borne of his constantly being propped up and told "Good Georgie." He thinks he really, really is "Good Georgie," and can do no wrong. The entire Bush family share this Massive Ego Disorder.

[carolinalady]

11. True-but in this case taking one for the team is really taking

care of himself. So it fits what we all know about him. He can't afford to lose Cheney.

[unblock]

6. they are grasping at straws

trying one rationale and legal theory after another.

[electropop]

8. Bush can't instantly declassify a piece of a document for one reporter.

There is a process, and they didn't follow the proces until 10 days later. The way Bush did it is a leak and a felony. As with the wiretapping, changing the rules afterward doesn't cancel out the crime and doesn't undo the obstruction of justice charges.

[damntexdem]

9. Dubya claims to have declassified a briefing, ...

not Valerie Plame's identity. Declassifying the identity of a covert operative might be within Dubya's discretion, but it would not be a wise move, morally, politically, or instrumentally. Do so could mean that no one would again be willing to become a covert operative. But that idea is so stupid that not even Dubya is claiming to have done it -- at least not yet. If he does, it will likely be to save his own neck, not Cheney's -- still, he might consider going way out on a limb to protect a man who is known for shooting his FRIENDS in the face.