If news reports are true that Stephen Hadley is the “senior government official” who discussed Valerie Plame with Bob Woodward prior to Scooter Libby’s conversations with Judy Miller, what does this mean to the Bush White House? Althought there are mixed reports regarding Hadley, he is one of the few major players who has not publicly denied being the source and is still considered by many to be a likely candidate.
In my opinion, if Hadley is the source, it means that everything that has been done to insulate George Bush from active involvement in the scandal is thrown out the window.
Unlike Scooter Libby, whose actions can be isolated from association with the President, Stephen Hadley was promoted by George Bush after any conversations he may have had with Bob Woodward about Valerie Plame. He was promoted after George Bush made public statements about wanting to get to the bottom of the leak, promising to fire anyone who was involved, and directing all members of his administration to cooperate with the investigation.
Either George Bush knew of Hadley’s involvement and promoted him anyway, while repeatedly lying to the American people about what he knew . . . or Hadley was actively lying to the President about matters of national security and ignoring the President’s directive – while being considered for the position of National Security Advisor!
Either way, if Hadley is Woodward’s source, then it is critical to have a full investigation of exactly what George Bush knew at the time he promoted Hadley to his current position!
If Bush knew of Hadley’s involvement in the leak and promoted him anyway, then there is no question of a conspiracy and cover-up that arguably exceeds what happened in “Watergate.”
If Hadley, who may have admitted to being the first administration official to reveal the identity of a CIA operative to a reporter, was lying to the President in order to get the job of National Security Advisor, then there are some very serious questions that must be addressed beyond just the leak of Valerie Plame’s identity.
Could Hadley be subject to additional charges for misleading the President to obtain his current position? How could the President be such an incompetent judge of character that he would select such a person for the position of National Security Advisor? What were the recommendations Hadley received from his then boss, Condoleeza Rice? What, if anything, did she know about his involvement in the leak?
If Hadley is Woodward’s source, then the American people will deserve full, complete answers to all of these questions and more, which will require an investigation that focuses not on obscure conversations between administration officials and reporters, but an investigation that focuses on what President Bush knew and when he knew it!
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