Andrew McCarthy of the National Review blasts media coverage of today’s news that President Bush authorized Scooter Libby to leak classified information:

[F]irst impressions it seems to me that the story the press is going gleefully ga-ga about today is pretty disingenuous. … It is crucial to note here, however, that there has been no accusation — none — that the President or anyone else was willing to reveal, much less actually revealed, classified information. It is irresponsible to say such a thing based on the current record.

Actually, it’s perfectly responsible. Scooter Libby said that President Bush authorized the disclosure of classified info. From page 23 of yesterday’s filing:

[Libby] further testified that he at first advised the Vice President that he could not have this conversation with reporter Miller because of the classified nature of the NIE. [Libby] testified that the Vice President later advised him that the President had authorized defendant to disclose the relevant portions of the NIE. [Libby] testified that he also spoke to David Addington, then Counsel to the Vice President, whom defendant considered to be an expert in national security law, and Mr. Addington opined that Presidential authorization to publicly disclose a document amounted to a declassification of the document.

The information was classified, that’s why Libby initially told Cheney that he could not talk to Miller about it. The distinction here is that, in the opinion Addington, when the President authorizes the disclosure of classified info it amounts to declassification. But the whole point of Addington’s analysis is that Bush authorized the disclosure of classified information. The National Review may not like that story but the press isn’t making it up.

UPDATE: The National Review’s Bryron York, appears to agree with my analysis: “As for leaking portions of the National Intelligence Estimate, yes, it was classified, although it would later be declassified. But it should be remembered that when the president decides to make something public, then it can be made public.” (York, however, is still “a little baffled by the excitement.”)

“In recent months I have grown increasingly concerned that the administration has been giving thought to a heavy dose of air strikes against Iran’s nuclear sector without giving enough weight to the possible ramifications of such action,” said Wayne White, former deputy director at the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research.

President Bush’s approval rating in a new Fox News poll, tied for a record low. (HT: Atrios)

This morning in Charlotte, a Bush PR event on the war on terror went off-script when a man named Harry Taylor took the microphone. Watch the video:

“‘I feel like despite your rhetoric, that compassion and common sense have been left far behind during your administration,’ Taylor said, standing in a balcony seat and looking down at Bush on stage. ‘And I would hope from time to time that you have the humility and grace to be ashamed of yourself.’”

Read below for the full exchange: Read more

Another piece of interesting information buried in yesterday’s filing by Patrick Fitzgerald: Scooter Libby “implored White House officials to have a public statement issued exonerating him” even though he “had in fact played in disclosing Ms. Wilson’s CIA employment.”

He went so far as giving Press Secretary Scott McClellan a (somewhat poetic) hand-written note:

According to Fitzgerald, on October 4, 2003, “as a result of defendant’s request” McClellan told the press corps he had talked to Libby, Karl Rove and Elliot Abrams and “those individuals assured me that they were not involved in this.”

That statement continues to haunt McClellan to this day.

In 2000, British Petroleum adopted a new “green” public relations strategy, changing their slogan to “Beyond Petroleum” and their logo to an environmentally friendly flower image. The BBC called it “part of a rebranding exercise ["¦] which the company hopes will boost profits.” Six years later, BP’s profits are surging (up 25 percent last year to $22 billion), but its self-created image as a “force for good” is taking a beating – and deservedly so.

The Wall Street Journal today reports that BP is facing criminal investigations into both its environmental and labor practices:

On the environment:

U.S. environmental regulators are conducting a criminal investigation into BP PLC’s management of pipelines in Alaska’s North Slope, according to people familiar with the matter, adding to mounting regulatory scrutiny of the British energy titan’s U.S. operations.

These people said the investigation, which has been under way for several months by officials at the Environmental Protection Agency, was expanded to include an early March spill of an estimated 134,000 to 267,000 gallons of crude from a BP-operated pipeline at Prudhoe Bay. Alaska state conservation officials say the pipeline ruptured from internal corrosion, causing what is considered the largest oil spill ever in the energy-rich North Slope.

And worker safety:

The North Slope allegations come as U.S. investigators continue to pore over details of an explosion last year at the company’s Texas City plant, which killed 15 and triggered a $21.3 million fine from workplace-safety regulators. The Labor Department referred the case to the Justice Department for possible criminal charges.

For BP, it isn’t easy being green.

In October, a source told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos that President Bush was directly involved in the CIA leak scandal. It looks like Stephanopoulos’ source was right.

According to court documents released in the Scooter Libby case, the former chief of staff to the Vice President received “the specific permission of President Bush” to leak a highly classified intelligence document:

Defendant testified that the Vice President later advised him that the President had authorized defendant to disclose the relevant portions of the NIE. Defendant testified that he also spoke to David Addington, then Counsel to the Vice President, whom defendant considered to be an expert in national security law, and Mr. Addington opined that Presidential authorization to publicly disclose a document amounted to a declassification of the document.

Although the White House press corps has never pressed Bush on his personal involvement, Bush has repeatedly implied that knew nothing about leaks from the White House:

“There’s just too many leaks, and if there is a leak out of my administration, I want to know who it is.” [Bush, 9/30/03]

“I want to know the truth. I have no idea whether we’ll find out who the leaker is, partially because, in all due respect to your profession, you do a very good job of protecting the leakers.” [Fox News, 10/8/03]

“I’d like to know if somebody in my White House did leak sensitive information.” [Bush, 10/28/03]

For more on Bush’s role in leaking sensitive information, see Murray Waas’ latest article.

When not being referenced in Tom DeLay’s indictments, or tied to phone-jamming scandals, he does consulting work for the Wal-Mart front group “Working Families for Wal-Mart.”