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W E D N E S D A Y , J U L Y 2 7 , 2 0 0 5Rove and Traitorgate: Now "The New Yorker"Gets It Wrongby Michael in New York on
7/27/2005 10:07:00 AMI wrote yesterday about the MSM and how I'd seen creepingexamples of talking about Karl Rove and Traitorgate in termsthat downplay the importance of the issue or portray it just as"gotcha" politics with the Dems taking advantage of an openingto pound Bush. My last example was The Wall Street Journal.Today it's The New Yorker.In the lead Talk of the Town item -- "Roe v Rove" -- writerHendrik Hertzberg mostly discusses Supreme Court nomineeJohn Roberts, what he's like and how Bush moved up theannouncement to try and get Rove's possibly traitorous actionsoff the front page.But in listing the cast of characters that have made Rove andTraitorgate such a compelling story, this is what The NewYorker wrote:It had a colorful supporting cast, including the spy herself(an attractive blonde whose neighbors thought she was justanother working mom), her husband [Joe Wilson] (aflamboyant ex-diplomat whose secret mission andsubsequent apostasy set the stage for skullduggery),and a Times reporter jailed for her refusal to talk.My Random House dictionary defines apostasy as "a total desertion ofor departure from one's religion, principles, party, cause, etc." It's avery negative term -- early Christians were apostates when theydenied their faith to save their necks during Roman persecution.Understandable, but not admirable. Apostates are weak, unprincipled,feckless and -- at best -- to be pitied and more likely hated andcondemned for tossing their principles overboard when the going getsrough. (I won't even get into the more subtly derogatory descriptionof Wilson as "flamboyant," ie., someone not to be taken seriously.)Does The New Yorker really believe Joe Wilson committed apostasy?By what possible standard could he be accused of this? Joe Wilson isa brave American, described as "a hero" by Bush Sr. He came forwardbecause he knew President Bush had lied to the American people inthe State of the Union address during the buildup to war. Bush madea claim that had been investigated and proven to be false -- not onlydidn't Bush know it to be true he had every reason to believe it wasfalse to pretend Hussein was trying to buy uranium in Niger.Wilson came forward even though he knew he would be attacked andsmeared just like everyone else from the Administration who cameforward and spoke the truth. And Wilson was smeared and attackedand belittled. His wife was smeared and attacked and belittled. Hischildren were put in harm's way. National security was weakened andpeople around the world who risked their lives by working with theUS to spread democracy and freedom might very well be dead.How did this all happen? It happened because Karl Rove, ScooterLibby and perhaps at least one other White House figure outed acovert CIA agent -- the first time in history that an agent has beenouted by political operatives -- just to provide payback againstWilson. If anyone should be accused of being an apostate, it's Roveand Scooter and Bush.Keep in mind: Wilson was immediately vindicated. He came forwardbecause he knew Bush had misled the American people in the Stateof the Union and made fear-inducing claims that he couldn't back up.Wilson published an op-ed and went on TV with his statement. Thevery next day, Bush admitted Wilson was right -- the White Housecalled major media outlets and made clear it wasn't standing bythose 16 words in the SOTU that Wilson knew were wrong. Bushcaved immediately.
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© 2009 - John Aravosis | Design maintenance by Jason RosenbaumSend me your tips: americablog@starpower.netAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Rove a...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/rove-and-traitorgate-now...
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7/27/2005 10:07:00 AMI wrote yesterday about the MSM and how I'd seen creepingexamples of talking about Karl Rove and Traitorgate in termsthat downplay the importance of the issue or portray it just as"gotcha" politics with the Dems taking advantage of an openingto pound Bush. My last example was The Wall Street Journal.Today it's The New Yorker.In the lead Talk of the Town item -- "Roe v Rove" -- writerHendrik Hertzberg mostly discusses Supreme Court nomineeJohn Roberts, what he's like and how Bush moved up theannouncement to try and get Rove's possibly traitorous actionsoff the front page.But in listing the cast of characters that have made Rove andTraitorgate such a compelling story, this is what The NewYorker wrote:It had a colorful supporting cast, including the spy herself(an attractive blonde whose neighbors thought she was justanother working mom), her husband [Joe Wilson] (aflamboyant ex-diplomat whose secret mission andsubsequent apostasy set the stage for skullduggery),and a Times reporter jailed for her refusal to talk.My Random House dictionary defines apostasy as "a total desertion ofor departure from one's religion, principles, party, cause, etc." It's avery negative term -- early Christians were apostates when theydenied their faith to save their necks during Roman persecution.Understandable, but not admirable. Apostates are weak, unprincipled,feckless and -- at best -- to be pitied and more likely hated andcondemned for tossing their principles overboard when the going getsrough. (I won't even get into the more subtly derogatory descriptionof Wilson as "flamboyant," ie., someone not to be taken seriously.)Does The New Yorker really believe Joe Wilson committed apostasy?By what possible standard could he be accused of this? Joe Wilson isa brave American, described as "a hero" by Bush Sr. He came forwardbecause he knew President Bush had lied to the American people inthe State of the Union address during the buildup to war. Bush madea claim that had been investigated and proven to be false -- not onlydidn't Bush know it to be true he had every reason to believe it wasfalse to pretend Hussein was trying to buy uranium in Niger.Wilson came forward even though he knew he would be attacked andsmeared just like everyone else from the Administration who cameforward and spoke the truth. And Wilson was smeared and attackedand belittled. His wife was smeared and attacked and belittled. Hischildren were put in harm's way. National security was weakened andpeople around the world who risked their lives by working with theUS to spread democracy and freedom might very well be dead.How did this all happen? It happened because Karl Rove, ScooterLibby and perhaps at least one other White House figure outed acovert CIA agent -- the first time in history that an agent has beenouted by political operatives -- just to provide payback againstWilson. If anyone should be accused of being an apostate, it's Roveand Scooter and Bush.Keep in mind: Wilson was immediately vindicated. He came forwardbecause he knew Bush had misled the American people in the Stateof the Union and made fear-inducing claims that he couldn't back up.Wilson published an op-ed and went on TV with his statement. Thevery next day, Bush admitted Wilson was right -- the White Housecalled major media outlets and made clear it wasn't standing bythose 16 words in the SOTU that Wilson knew were wrong. Bushcaved immediately.
EschatonPretty Much - I think this encapsulates nicely ourmodern media environment.1 hour ago
HuffPost PoliticsHuckabee's Huck Pac In Turmoil With StaffTurnover, Mounting Debts - Former Arkansas Gov.Mike Huckabee's political action committee, HuckPac, is undergoing a "restructuring," ExecutiveDirector Sarah Huckabee said Wednesday....1 hour ago
Ben SmithGoing small - My story tonight: President BarackObama came alive about 50 minutes intoWednesday night’s news conference – whensomebo2 hours ago
FiredoglakeLate Late Night FDL: What Eclipse? - A new videofrom Fatoumata Diawara, and and oldie from Bob.2 hours ago
Daily KosOpen Thread and Diary Rescue - *Today, srkp23(pulling a double shift), ybruti, taylormattd,ItsJessMe and vcmvo2 combed through hundredsof diaries to find this powerful list. Today's...3 hours agoJ O H N ' S P H OT O S
Show AllA M E R I C A B L O G T V
AmoLatino.comFeedback - Ads by Google
Next 6AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Rove a...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/rove-and-traitorgate-now...
1 of 57/23/09 3:50 AM
Visit ourAMERICAblog TV site.see all 322 videos >I collect with
vodpod
In honor of SenatorDeMint
For the GOPers, healthcare is politics. They just
Traditional media has todebunk the birthers
One small step...
The right-wing media, thevoices of the GOP, inAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Rove a...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/rove-and-traitorgate-now...
2 of 57/23/09 3:50 AM
The TreatmentObama Has a Grown-UpTalk With America(Gulp)3 hours agoEzra KleinTab Dump7 hours agoWonk RoomSen. Byron Dorgan:The ‘Trade’ InCap-And-Trade ‘MakesNo Sense To Me’9 hours agoHealth BeatTruth Squad: WallStreet Journal HealthCare Editorial Wrong onthe Facts . . .10 hours agoDaily DoseProviders Endorse 'Payfor Value' ProposalsG AY P O L I T I C S
Visit our new gay politicssection, AMERICAblog Gay.F E E D S
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AmoLatino.comAds by GoogleTop AdAdvertise in this spot.H E A LT H C A R ER E F O R MAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Rove a...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/rove-and-traitorgate-now...
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Blog ArchiveS I T E S W E L I K EAir America RadioAlan Colmes' blogAri Melber (The Nation)Ben SmithBicycleMark's blog &podcastBilericoBradBlogBring It OnCarrie FisherCrooks and LiarsDailyKosDan Savage's "Slog"Daou ReportDemocratic UndergroundEschatonEzra KleinFire Dog LakeFiveThirtyEight.comFreeway BloggerThe Gavel (SpeakerPelosi's blog)Good As YouGlenn GreenwaldHoly Bullies and HeadlessMonstersHuffington PostHullabaloo (Digby)Jack and Jill PoliticsJed ReportJesus' GeneralKenneth in the 212Margaret and HelenMatthew GrossMedia MattersMike Signorile's "The Gist"MudflatsMyDDOpen LeftPlum LinePolitical Punch (JakeTapper)Political WirePolitics 1Pop SurfingProgressive Blog DigestQueers UnitedRawStoryRex WocknerRude PunditSmirking ChimpTalk LeftTappedTaylor MarshThink ProgressTowleRoadVetVoice.comWashington NoteWayneBesen.comWonketteWorth Repeating
N E W S L I N K SUSWashington PostNYTAP PoliticsReuters PoliticsRasmussen PollsTimeNewsweekRoll CallThe HillABCNews
P L E A S E S U P P O RTA M E R I C A B L O GOne-time donation$
Recurring monthlydonation$
Donations are nottax-deductible.L A B E L S
Select a labelL A S T 1 0 0 V I S I T O R SRecent Visitors
A B O U TA M E R I C A B L O GWhy AMERICAblog?Because a great nationdeserves the truth.What issues do youcover?US politics overall with aparticular focus on theObama Administration, theradical right, and civilrights.Who are you?John AravosisEditorWashington, DCJoe SudbayDeputy EditorWashington, DCChris RyanAssociate EditorParis, FranceRobert ArenaContributing EditorBaltimore, MarylandJacki SchechnerContributing EditorWashington, DCAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Rove a...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/rove-and-traitorgate-now...
4 of 57/23/09 3:50 AM
© 2009 - John Aravosis | Design maintenance by Jason RosenbaumSend me your tips: americablog@starpower.netAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Rove a...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/rove-and-traitorgate-now...
5 of 57/23/09 3:50 AM