Think Progress

Rove Rips NYT For Outing CIA Agent’s Identity And ‘Putting Our Country At Risk’»

On Sunday, the New York Times published an extensive article examining the CIA’s interrogation of 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammad (KSM). The article identified the name of the CIA agent who interrogated KSM, Deuce Martinez.

Yesterday, on The O’Reilly Factor, Karl Rove slammed the New York Times for supposedly leaking the name of a CIA agent. “[T]hey’ve got a very callous view about our nation’s security and interests,” Rove charged:

ROVE: Well, I read their explanation. And basically, it sounded to me like they were saying we put his name out there because we decided we could. And I mean, they didn’t have a good explanation for it.

Rove claimed the United States is put at risk when a CIA agent’s identity is leaked. “Look, they put our country at risk when they reveal the details of a program that saved America from attacks.” Watch it:

How ironic that Karl Rove says that the country is put “at risk” when a CIA agent’s name is exposed. A quick recap of Rove’s role in leaking undercover CIA agent Valerie Plame’s identity for political retribution:

– Time magazine reporter Matt Cooper said, “Karl Rove told me about Valerie Plame’s identity on July 11, 2003. I called him because Ambassador Wilson [Plame’s husband] was in the news that week. I didn’t know Ambassador Wilson even had a wife until I talked to Karl Rove.”

– A week prior to publishing his column which outed Plame, Robert Novak spoke with Rove. Novak brought up Plame’s role at the CIA, and Rove confirmed that Plame worked at the CIA:I heard that too,” said Rove.

In an addendum to the article, the Times explained its rationale: “Mr. Martinez had never worked under cover and…others involved in the campaign against Al Qaeda have been named in news stories and books.”

As former White House press secretary Scott McClellan said recently, Rove is “pretty disingenuous” when he talks about the CIA leak scandal.

Transcript:

O’REILLY: Well, now, last week, The New York Times outed a CIA agent. I’m not going to mention his name, who interrogated Khalid Sheik Mohammed. Now the CIA asked The New York Times not to do that. It obviously puts the CIA agent in danger because al Qaeda knows who he is. And they say well, we’ll out anybody unless they’re undercover. Since you were involved with this, how could you respond to that?

ROVE: Well, look, The New York Times has a double standard. It is deeply concerned when Richard Armitage outed Valerie Plame. Of course, they were only concerned until the point that it became apparent that it was Richard Armitage, not Karl Rove.

But The New York Times has a habit, they did this. They previously, against the objection of all of our intelligence agencies, revealed the existence of programs to monitor the electronic communications of known and suspected terrorists abroad. And they’ve got a very callous view about our nation’s security and interests.

O’REILLY: Do you know why they’re behind that? Why would they want to put this guy’s name in the paper? It’s not important to the story? They could tell the story without it. Why…

ROVE: Well, I read their explanation. And basically, it sounded to me like they were saying we put his name out there because we decided we could. And I mean, they didn’t have a good explanation for it.

O’REILLY: No, they don’t. They don’t. You know, I wish I could read minds. Again, I know what Imus thinks. And then I know what The New York Times thinks. But to me, you put the man in danger for no good reason. And after the Valerie Plame stuff where they just went crazy on it, and it’s the same kind of deal, you don’t want to put any of our intelligence people…

ROVE: Well…

O’REILLY: …whether it’s Ms. Plame or anybody else in danger, and they do exactly the opposite.

ROVE: Look, they put our country at risk when they reveal the details of a program that saved America from attacks.

O’REILLY: But see, they think that you put our country at risk, Mr. Rove. You see? That’s where they’re coming from.

ROVE: Every single day, they think I put America at risk.

O’REILLY: I get that. And that’s where we are in the United States.

UpdateRaw Story has more.



Sort Comments By: Top Rated | Date

65 Responses to “Rove Rips NYT For Outing CIA Agent’s Identity And ‘Putting Our Country At Risk’”

  1. RUCerious Says:

    Insert something about goose/gander here.


  2. ralph the wonder llama Says:

    OMG! The irony! It burns!


  3. kasinca Says:

    Once a liar, always a liar…about everything.


  4. MCMetal Says:

    As former White House press secretary Scott McClellan said recently, Rove is “pretty disingenuous” when he talks about the CIA leak scandal.

    Yeah , Scotty

    That ………..And just about everything else he opens his yap about.


  5. Above the Clouds Says:

    Why doesn’t Karl Rove just go away? He’s done enough damage to America.


  6. liberal traitor Says:

    I think I may vomit.

    Are we living in Irony Land, or what?


  7. Fred Says:

    It’s roves magic trick that works quite well with morons.


  8. shoeless Says:

    But I thought Valerie Plame was not covert. I’m sooooo confused!


  9. IgnoranceIsNotBliss Says:

    Hows that saying go? Oh yeah, “Pot. Meet Kettle”.


  10. Bob Says:

    Karl Rove: Hypocrite, Traitor, Liar.
    He’s blossomed into quite a sht.


  11. Bob Says:

    Texas-sized Piece of SH!T.


  12. Above the Clouds Says:

    O’Reilly and Rove on TV talking to each other about ethical media behavior. Now that’s comedy.


  13. shoeless Says:

    Above the Clouds Says:

    Why doesn’t Karl Rove just go away?

    It’s not that easy. We need to have an exorcism.


  14. LividLib Says:

    unbelievable!
    you can’t make this shit up.

    on second thought, totally believable.


  15. Guido the Loving OBGYN Says:

    So funny! What a dick!


  16. Buckie Boy Says:

    Uh, Rove…wasn’t it you and Libby that planned with Cheney and Bush to expose a CIA agent not so long ago?

    Something stinks here, and it sure looks to be a big pile of crap that just happens to look like Rove.


  17. Fred Says:

    This thread is basically about rove’s penchant for propaganda. He should be tried for un-american activities.


  18. po Says:

    no boys and girls, the true irony here is that Rove - who assisted in outing a covert CIA agent working on matters related to the proliferation of WMDs in the Middle East during wartime - has not been prosecuted, but rather remains a citizen whose opinion te opinion makers wish to solicit. That’s the irony. That, and we all continue to watch and discuss what he and others like him have to say.


  19. liberal traitor Says:

    OT, but this is just for the trolls:

    http://www.crooksandliars.com/ 2008/ 06/ 25/ bush-administration-spent-500-million-to-found-anti-american-arab-tv-station/

    Why those dirty TRAITORS! Why do they hate America!?


  20. liberal traitor Says:

    po:

    That’s not irony.

    That’s tragedy.


  21. upside99 Says:

    I do hope this information will be captured and used as evidence for the rover and Darth’s treason trial.

    Watching those two doing the Perp walk will be priceless!

    I bet there are about 137 very large, STD-positive, extreme body-arted, dentally-disadvantaged men salivating at their new future prison brides.


  22. Arn Gunnutes Says:

    Rove will BURN for ETERNITY for his role in Bush’s GENOCIDE.

    Along with TRAITORS Bush, Cheney and Ronnie Reagan, now DEAD and BURNING for his EVIL DEEDS (GENOCIDE).


  23. misshusseinmolly Says:

    I’m kind of impressed that Karl is able to make accusations like this with a straight face. If he ever had a soul, it’s long gone now. Is there anybody left who still places any value on what he says? Oh, silly me — there’s still 23% of the population that drinks that Kool-aid.

    That said, I think the NYT could have written their article without giving up the name of the CIA agent involved. I believe the article would have had just as much credibility if they had protected Mr. Martinez with a pseudonym. However, the NYT has a point — Martinez was NOT an undercover agent, and “outing” him (while possibly dangerous to Martinez) did not compromise national security, while blowing Valerie Plame’s cover did.


  24. SpoxLogic Says:

    Er…
    Did it ever occur to Rove that this is the type of issue that he should stay far, far, far away from? If he’s gonna slam NYT for this, he’s only setting himself up for later. What an idiot!


  25. SpoxLogic Says:

    I say out the bastards. This guy was breaking the law, torturing people. He’s a criminal, and criminals get their names printed - even the suspected ones.

    And for those who say he was only following orders, that didn’t work for the Nazis tried at Nuremburg (sic?).


  26. Fred Says:

    misshusseinmolly Says:

    rove has set the bar so low that noting is sacred anymore.


  27. paleolib Says:

    Granted, the comatose FoxBots who watch this crap from their double wides clearly don’t do irony but when the talking heads get this tone deaf it makes me wonder if someday we are all going to find out that Fox “News” was really designed as some bizarre form of dadaesque performance art that Murdoch only kept going when he discovered how many truly gullible people didn’t get the joke. If Borat lands the slot after Insanity & The Pathetic Fake Liberal we will have our answer.


  28. LibertyLover Says:

    And let’s not forget that Plame was working on Weapons of Mass Destruction when Rove colluded with Novak ( traitor ) and Libby and used Armitage as a tool when they decided to send a message to others who might be thinking about speaking out against going to war in Iraq,


  29. RantingTommy Says:

    Gee, the talking points must not yet be handed out to defend this one yet, the trolls are still waiting to be told what to think.


  30. Leftside Annie Says:

    Jebus. This is your brain on Kool-Aid.


  31. alphainfinityomega Says:

    Caption:

    OINK !!

    _AIO_



  32. Bilbo Hussein Baggins Says:

    Irony is definitely not a word in the Republican’s dictionary.


  33. gitrdone Says:

    But I thought Valerie Plame was not covert. I’m sooooo confused!

    Fox News: Mission Accomplished.


  34. Max-1 Says:

    .

    Does Rove feel guilty appearing in front of the House Judiciary Committee, testifying under Oath?

    Is this why he insists on going on FOXPRAVDA to misconstrue his facts amongst the populace?

    .


  35. Dr. Hussein Matt Says:

    KKKarl is an expert on outing CIA agents and putting our country at risk.


  36. DRxJ Says:

    Rove Rips NYT For Outing CIA Agent’s Identity And ‘Putting Our Country At Risk’

    Seriously???
    I mean, you can’t make $hit like this up, can you?
    Is this a SNL or Mad TV sketch?
    Or a scene from an upcoming Zucker, Zucker, and Abraham movie?


  37. GeeDubs Says:

    Oh, this is really rich. The convenience these “people” have with their convictions is truly astonishing in its depth, breadth and chutzpah. Karly shouldn’t go there because it’ll just remind peeps about him and Valerie. But apparently he doesn’t care or is so tone deaf he doesn’t see how truly appalling this is. My guess is he doesn’t care.


  38. MysteriousTraveller Says:

    Who said irony is dead?


  39. Bob Says:

    Are they trying to reinforce the idea of their innocence by talking about a case of ‘really’ outing a covert agent? The audience won’t see the irony if they can’t see any similarity. Or they are demonstrating the use of mass hypnosis.


  40. Zimzone Says:

    OT:
    SNL is going to run their first ever broadcast in honor of George Carlin this Sat. night.

    (Carlin was their first host.)

    Kudos, Lorne Michaels!


  41. williamf Says:

    You gotta a lot of room to talk Rove. You spend your time in dark corners working your ways, making kings out of idiots. You out an agent and now you’re gonna lead the mob against the NYT for doing the very same thing?! You’re full of s***. The Times is doing what the media should be doing. Watching you and the little power freaks in Washington who get an erection everytime someone says torture. Let me tell ya something Rove, you are a scourge and a pox upon this country. Say what you will it’s my personal opinion you’re two feet lower than whalesh**.


  42. Conservativeslayer Says:

    You have to hand it to Karl, he sure has a hell of lot of chutzpah to say that. What a disgusting pile of puke. One thing most people forget in the Valerie Plame affair, was that the CIA cover company she worked for was outted too. CIA cover company Brewster Jennings was identified as well as Valerie Plames. We’ve never been told how many people may of died because of this traitous act. If there’s a hell, I hope Rove, Libby and the rest burn in it.


  43. GeeDubs Says:

    Ah, Karly! Please just keep opening your yap. The more you say and the more you do, the deeper in that pile of doo-doo you will become. Perhaps you’ll be able to think about that when, as Bette Midler says in ‘Ruthless People,’ you’ll be looking the other way. (Of course, I don’t think any criminal would even look at Rove in a sexual manner - they’ll just make him clean up their other messes.)


  44. Oval12345678 aka James K. Sayre Says:

    Karl Rove is just another worthless lying member of the Buush gangster regime. Eight years of treason from these self-centered clowns. They should be held under lock and key in an Institution for the Criminally Insane.


  45. zuch Says:

    The ol’ “the best defence is a good offence” ploy. Otherwise known as the “I know you are but what am I?” tactic.

    Cheers,


  46. Marie Says:

    It’s true - it’s proven every day - they have no shame.
    THEY leaked the CIA agent’s name, but they blame the paper for printing it!
    They are not only immoral, they are amoral. Their collective conscience doesn’t tbother them - they have no conscience.
    They are not only criminals, they are delusional criminals.
    They are not only liars, they are pathological liars.

    Will we survive another 200 days? And if we do, how can we be sure that they go away forever? In a prison!


  47. Marie Says:

    #22 Arn
    I don’t think that there is a hell - although these guys belong there if there is one. But I don’t want to wait for that - nor do I want to have “faith” that there is indeed a hell. I want them to pay for their crimes while they are alive and if it means they burn in eternal hell, too, well so be it.


  48. stormkrow Says:

    “CIA’s interrogation of 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammad ”

    Should read “alleged” or “self avowed” mastermind. There is currently ZERO evidence KSM had anything to do with the events of 911.


  49. The Shadow Says:

    This PIG and I do mean PIG has no right to call anyone out about outing a CIA agent. He should have been indicted and convicted for treasan and he knows it. This man is the worst traitor to our country since Benedict Arnold. The sad part is that the media and the weak Democrats in Congress gave him a free pass. If an average Joe had done this, he’d be rotting in jair rather than making millions of dollars working for a facist rag of and organization like Fox (fake) news with a little “n”. How dare this coward set that and say such a thing. Karl you are nothing for that a tratorist fat low down scum sucking PIG. You should be in GITMO with the rest of the scum who hate America, you low down dog.


  50. Loonie Says:

    Indeed, Karl. Let’s talk about the outing of a CIA operative, shall we?


  51. SP Biloxi Says:

    “Rove Rips NYT For Outing CIA Agent’s Identity And ‘Putting Our Country At Risk’”

    This must a joke, right? The pot calling the kettle black. Tubby McTreason Rove throwing the NYT under the bus by accusing them for outing CIA Agent’s identity? Does Rove think we left our brains in the closet at the time of the CIA Leak investigation?

    Memo to Tubby: No, you put this country in risk for leaking a covert operative’s name. Don’t try to play the American people like village idiots.

    I will be glad when Rove is finally frog march to prison for his crimes. This criminal and clown doesn’t deserve any airtime to speak on this subject when he was involved in the leak case.


  52. VerbalKint Says:

    Karl Rove deserves to swing from the neck.


  53. Art Says:

    That’s like firing a gun, then being mad at the bullet.


  54. kasinca Says:

    KKKarl Rove should go under oath and plead his case in the real No Spin Zone instead of on FAUXNOIZ phoney zone. If he has nothing to hide, why doesn’t he want to tell the truth under oath? It is not a difficult question to answer.


  55. christopher wiwi Says:

    Is the kool-aid that good or what!KKKarl is unphucking -
    believable…………. Talk about calling the kettle black!!!


  56. MCMetal Says:

    Rove Rips NYT For Outing CIA Agent’s Identity And ‘Putting Our Country At Risk’»

    In other news :

    Tom Delay rips Obama for balking at public financing ; calls him unethical

    The Pretzeldent criticizes McCain’s speech ; claims he’s “weak” at public speaking

    DICK Cheney claims Dems are being too secretive in their oversight


  57. LibertyLover Says:

    *sigh*

    …must be nice to not have a conscience or any shame.


  58. sacopenapa Says:

    Rove speaking and Dog shiting means the same thing!


  59. sectionop92 Says:

    Actually, you can put dog crap in the trash and the garbage man will take it away to the dump. With Karl Rove, he just puts his fat head on TV and spews his garbage like a nuclear waste runoff that won’t stop. It’s nice to know that he fears Obama…the Pig probably has nightmares at night that Barack will walk into his country club James Bond-style and take his wife to the back of the Aston Martin. Rove’s campaign plans for McCain sure don’t look good when the best he has is that Obama and the Dems are “new money”.


  60. Paul W Says:

    As former White House press secretary Scott McClellan said recently, Rove is “pretty disingenuous” when he talks about the CIA leak scandal.

    Rove is “pretty disingenuous” whenever he opens his mouth. How typical for Rove et al to use the NYT to do their dirty work and then blame them for cooperating.

    http://progressiveworldreview.com


  61. Gregor Samsa Says:

    I believe the technical term for what Rove just did is Chutzpah.


  62. neopro Says:

    you can almost hear the loony tunes music in the background


  63. KayInMaine Says:

    From one of the articles linked in the post:

    “After discussion with agency officials and a lawyer for Mr. Martinez, the newspaper declined the request, noting that Mr. Martinez had never worked under cover. … The newspaper seriously considered the requests from Mr. Martinez and the agency. But in view of the experience of other government employees who have been named publicly in books and published articles or who have themselves chosen to go public, the newspaper made the decision to print the name.”

    Martinez wasn’t undercover and if the CIA thought the NYT had blown this person’s cover, they would have reacted exactly the same way they did when Plame/Brewster Jennings cover was blown: BATSHIT CRAZY.

    They haven’t.



Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.


Jump to Top

About Think Progress | Contact Us | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy (off-site) | RSS | Donate
© 2005-2008 Center for American Progress Action Fund
View Most Popular

Advertisement


Visit Our Affiliated Sites

image image image
What We're About

Featured

image
Subscribe to the Progress Report




Got a hot tip?
Have a hot news tip? We'd love to hear from you. Use the form below to send us the latest.

Name:
Email:
Tip:
(required)



Reports

imageTopic Cloud


imageArchives


imageBlog Roll