Defying the facts, Coulter, York, Limbaugh revived Wash. Times' baseless conclusion that Plame's neighbors knew her covert status
In response to news of recent FBI interviews further confirming that neighbors of former clandestine CIA operative Valerie Plame did not know of her employment with the agency before syndicated columnist Robert D. Novak's July 14, 2003, column identified her, several conservative commentators revived a Washington Times editorial's baseless conclusion that Plame's neighbors did, in fact, know of her covert status.
For example, on the October 26 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh said of Plame: "[E]verybody in her neighborhood knew who she was." Similarly, in separate appearances on the October 26 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes, right-wing pundit Ann Coulter and National Review White House correspondent Byron York echoed the false claim. Coulter declared that "everyone in Washington knew she [Plame] was a CIA agent," then stated that any neighbor of Plame's who claimed that they didn't know is lying and should face "prosecution":
COULTER: [O]ne prosecution that I think does need to be brought is the neighbors of Valerie Plame ... who claim that they told investigators yesterday that they didn't know she was a member of the CIA. That's a lie, and it's a crime to lie to federal investigators.
York deceptively stated that "there had been talk" that Plame's neighbors knew she worked for the CIA, but he failed to reveal that the two neighbors with whom he had spoken told him that they had not in fact known of Plame's CIA affiliation:
YORK: [T]he whole question was -- early on in this thing was -- did anybody else know that she worked for the CIA? And there had been talk that her friends and neighbors did. And I did meet two of the neighbors this evening, and I said -- well, the FBI agents were re-interviewing you, right? And they said no. When they came on Monday, it was the first time they'd ever been contacted by anybody from Fitzgerald's office.
It was only in an entry York posted later that evening on National Review Online's group weblog, The Corner, that he acknowledged that "both men said they did not know that Mrs. Wilson worked for the CIA" -- a statement he did not make on Hannity & Colmes.
Coulter, York, and Limbaugh's suggestion that many of Plame's neighbors were aware of her covert status apparently originated in a July 15 article -- and two subsequent editorials -- in The Washington Times, although Limbaugh was the only one to cite the Times directly. As Media Matters for America noted at the time, the only neighbor mentioned by name in the Times report, David Tillotson, told the newspaper that he "absolutely didn't know" she worked for the CIA, which corroborated the assessment of other neighbors who were mentioned by name elsewhere.
However, the article also cited Fred Rustmann, a former supervisor of Plame's at the CIA who claimed that "[h]er neighbors knew" of her CIA employment. Yet even though Rustmann was not Plame's neighbor and had supervised her for only one year at the beginning of her career, a July 19 Times editorial used his account to baselessly conclude that "most of Plame's neighbors in Northwest Washington said they knew she worked for the CIA." The claim was then repeated in a July 26 Times editorial, which stated that "numerous neighbors were aware that she worked for the agency."
How long are they going to try to float this fabrication in the face of the nieghbors being on RECORD saying they didnt know. How does Coulter get away with claiming they are lying without ANY shred of evidence this is so. IF Coulter has such evidence why doesnt she cough it up?
Why are all these right wing pundits such children?
"They knew she was a CIA agent! Everyone did! It was posted all over the world," says Ann.
"Now, Ann," I say, "you know that's not true. You know that the record states very clearly that her neighbors were astonished to find out she was a CIA operative, that Novak's column was the first they heard of it."
(Ann has since held her breath twice and stuffed her $500 manicured fingers in her ears) "I can't hear you, I can't hear you! Lalalalalalalala!"
Sad, sad, sad.
Another lie bounces around the conservative echo chamber. Thanks again Washington Times. Couldn't have done it without ya!
I would suggest some media out there actually make a list of Wilson's circle of friends and neighbors and go ask each and every one instead of this hit and miss crap.
"I never knew." said neighbor Billy Bob who admitted Valerie had nice legs.
These stories are all one giant joke.
leatherhelmet - Thursday October 27, 2005 04:19:07 PM EST
For the logically challenged here is the clue. IF you are going to make the claim, like, her nieghbors DID know, then it is YOUR obligation to cough up the nieghbors who in fact KNEW, instead of just pulling such allegations directly out of their rectal database.
Okay, was it not stated earlier that Mrs. Plame-Wilson was in fact a covert agent? I thought I heard that some place before? If so, then why would she traipse around her neighborhood telling her neighbors that she is a covert agent for the CIA? Does that even make sense? I dunno.
These guys are just lying through their teeth now and hoping that their followers won't check the story with other news sources. Look I listen to Rhandi Rhodes but I would never rely on what she says without verifying the information. I find her entertaining, but she is partisan and she’s giving the news with a left wing spin. Rhandi's like the Daily show for me, both of the shows often alert me to a story, but I research those stories with traditional news outlets.
Lynn - Thursday October 27, 2005 04:23:49 PM
I research those stories with traditional news outlets<<
WOW what a concept, I hope it catches on
I'll say it once again: Coulter, Limbaugh, etc. don't believe what they're saying anymore than we do. They're just feeding the flock.
There are many people out there who need to hear Coulter, etc. say this stuff so they can be re-assured. Simple as that.
Don't waste your time questionning motive, availability of evidence, credibility, etc. It doesn't matter to any of them.
Coulter, Limbaugh despise their audience. They see them as obsequious, mindless and vapid.
off topic for just a moment: the dan rather documents have never, i repeat, never, been proven to have been forgeries, by actual recognized, non-partisan experts in the field. remember, i said "non-partisan". assuming and proving are not mutually inclusive.
back to our regularly scheduled rant: beware, coulter may well be gw's next nominee to the USSC. her, or nancy grace.
aside from that, who cares what these guys think, or rant, i suspect mr. fitzgerald pays them no mind.
It would be interesting if a neighbour of the Wilson's was put forward by the media for Coulter et al to back up their claims. Personally l would be looking for an apology for anyone claiming that l deliberatly told lies to the police on any issue. Expecially if l was just being used for partisan politics. Just a thought.
So the Moonie propaganda rag, which Moon BRAGS about using to manipulate our nation, they give cover to the little propagandists who will tell you they read their misinformation in the WT. Appears this LIE got back to the GJ and they asked Fitz to check it out. That is my guess as to why the late look at the neighbors. Waste the taxpayers dollars chasing moonie financed propaganda.
And some fools don't think Moon's organization has a hand on the wheel guiding this nation.
Bullpoop. Moon is the right's savior, he outspent Scaife bringing these right wing freaks to power. He gave them backbone with his propaganda fronts. They ALL owe him.
Read just a little about the "independent" WT here.
When is the USA going to wake up to the FACT that non-citizen Moon's organization conned our nation and thanks to his friends in the conservative movement's help, he is the MAJOR force behind our nation's drive right and theocratic?
There is no George Bush presidency without Moon's BILLIONS molding the nation right the last 25 years. Wouldn't have happened.
He did this folks, anyone who looks will see it. Until we look and understand there will be NO CHANGING the direction our nation is headed.
"Gingrich" revolution in 1994. haha The "Moon" revolution. Moon bought and paid for it, guided it. He is the right's savior. Their "go to" guy.
Mr. Soejima, who ran Moon’s papers in Japan, said Moon bragged about how he influenced our president through the Washington Times.
quoting the WP:
“The Washington Times was the top priority of the entire Unification Church worldwide,” said Soejima, who was editor of Sekai Nippo (World Daily News), a church-controlled Tokyo newspaper, before being fired last October following a dispute with church officials over control of the paper. …
But he (Moon) spoke with pride of The Washington Times, bragging of important officials who had attended its opening ceremonies. Moon said that James Whelan, then publisher of The Washington Times, “listens to what I say and makes the newspaper as I tell him,” according to Soejima…“With journalism, we have now reached success by establishing The Washington Times,” Moon said, according to Soejima. “We now have a direct influence on Reagan through The Washington Times.”
(John Burgess and Michael Isikoff, “Moon’s Profits Bolster Efforts in U.S.” Washington Post, Sunday, Sept, 16, 1984, pg. A01.) [link to www.washingtonpost.com]
Moon himself says that he used the paper and other “activities” to influence America.
quoting:
I influenced America through the Washington Times and so many different activities. Do you want Father in America. (YES !! The ministers responded)…The Last Days are coming to America. Be careful. Those that oppose Rev. Moon will perish. Since I came here, I didn’t get anything from America.
(Sun Myung Moon, Sun Myung MoonSeptember 13, 2002 “The Last Days Are Coming to America.” An address by Moon given at East Garden to clergy planning the Sept. 14 “blessing.”)