Home > Programs
> Democracy
Now! > Thurs., Aug. 4, 2005
Democracy Now!
ATTN: ALL STATIONS
From: Democracy Now!
Re: Rundown 8-4-05
PRSS Channel: A67.7
Exclusive: New Information May Reveal Key Details on Judith
Miller's Role in the Rove/CIA Scandal
Presidential Hopefuls Veto Emergency Contraception Despite
FDA Support
Exclusive: New Information May Reveal Key Details
on Judith Miller's Role in the Rove/CIA Scandal
In a rare interview, veteran investigative journalist Murray
Waas reveals new information on the federal investigation
into the leaking of the identity of undercover CIA operative
Valerie Plame and the role of jailed New York Times reporter
Judith Miller. We also speak with Plame's husband, Ambassador
Joe Wilson about the latest developments in the case. [includes
rush
transcript - partial]
Today, we are going to take a comprehensive look at what
has become one of the most important political controversies
in recent times. That is the outing of undercover CIA operative
Valerie Plame and the investigation into how high up the chain
of power in Washington a potentially serious crime stretches.
This story has many dimensions – a lot of them, we have
covered extensively on this program. One dimension of the
story—some would say the central part of the story--involves
Valerie Plame’s husband: veteran diplomat Joe Wilson.
He served under both Republican and Democratic administrations,
winning high praises from the likes of President George H.
W. Bush for his work as the top US diplomat in Iraq when the
Gulf War broke out.
Wilson was widely credited with saving hundreds of lives
during the hostage crisis that ensued when Saddam invaded
and occupied Kuwait. He served under President Clinton and
has always been a well-respected career diplomat. But in July
2003, Wilson published an op-Ed in The New York Times that
forced the current Bush administration to admit that a key
justification for its invasion of Iraq was false--namely the
allegation that Iraq was attempting to import uranium from
the African nation of Niger; an allegation Bush made in his
January 2003 State of the union address.
- President George W. Bush, speaking during his 2003 State
of the Union address:
The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently
sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa.
Those 16 words provided one of the lynchpins of the administration
case. But Wilson knew it was a lie. He knew because he had
been sent by the CIA to Niger to investigate those claims
before the invasion began and he had found them to be baseless.
In July, Wilson decided to out the Bush administration by
publishing the op-Ed entitled "What I Didn’t Find
in Africa." Within days of that article’s publication,
the so-called Plame scandal, which some call the Rove scandal,
was in full motion. By July 13, Valerie Plame was outed in
a column by rightwing columnist Bob Novak.
- Former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, describing the Novak
article on Democracy Now!, May 14, 2004.
Well, two years have gone by since Plame’s outing and
there have been serious developments--the Grand Jury is still
sitting, the Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald continues
his investigation, the White House has backtracked on its
early denials and is left to refusal after refusal to discuss
the case. New York Times reporter Judy Miller is in jail.
To go through the latest developments, we are joined now by
Ambassador Joe Wilson. The Republican party has distributed
so-called talking points to try and discredit him and Bob
Novak this week attacked him in his column as well. President
Bush’s senior advisor has now been forced to admit that
at a minimum he discussed Valerie Plame with journalists,
but that admission came under fire and after years of denial.
- Karl Rove, speaking on CNN on August 31, 2004.
- Ambassador Joe Wilson, was the acting US ambassador to
Iraq before the 1991 Gulf War. He was the last US official
to meet with Saddam Hussein before the war began. His book
is called "The Politics of Truth: Inside the Lies that
Led to War and Betrayed My Wife’s CIA Identity."
- Murray Waas, veteran investigative journalist who writes
for American Prospect magazine, Salon.com and other publications.
He has broken a number of stories on the saga of the outing
of CIA operative Valerie Plame. He maintains a blog at WhateverAlready.blogspot.com.
Presidential Hopefuls Veto Emergency Contraception
Despite FDA Support
Three governors eyeing the 2008 presidential race are appealing
to the Christian Right by vetoing state legislation legalizing
over-the-counter sale of the Morning-After pill. We host a
debate between NARAL Pro-Choice New York and the Family Research
Council.
Today, legislation hits the desk of New York Republican Governor
George Pataki that would allow pharmacists to give out emergency
contraception to women without a prescription. The contraception
known as the Morning-After or Plan B pill was overwhelmingly
approved for over-the-counter-use in 2003 by an FDA advisory
panel and the full FDA is expected to vote on the drug next
month.
Earlier this week, Pataki, through his spokesperson, Kevin
Quinn, revealed that he intended to veto the legislation,
outraging many Republicans and Democrats who backed him precisely
because of his long support for reproductive rights. Pataki's
position came to light just days after he announced that he
would not seek a fourth term in the Governor's office. Critics
of the Governor said he was altering his position in order
to win favor with national conservatives as he prepares for
a possible presidential run in 2008. Pataki's office denies
the charge and says that he would re-consider the legislation
if it restricted minors’ access to the drug.
Pataki's position was revealed when his administration was
asked about plans by NARAL Pro-Choice New York to launch a
nationwide television advertising campaign intended to get
Pataki to back the bill. The spots aired this week in New
York, Iowa and New Hampshire - the traditional sites of the
first presidential nominating contests.
- NARAL advertisement, airing in New York, Iowa and New
Hampshire.
An ad released in New York, Iowa and New Hampshire this week
by NARAL. Pataki is not the only Republican Governor with
eyes on the Presidency who has vetoed legislation increasing
women's access to Plan B. Last week, Republican Governor Mitt
Romney of Massachusetts vetoed similar legislation. And earlier
this year Colorado Republican Governor Bill Owen vetoed a
bill that would have required health care providers to inform
rape victims about the emergency contraception.
- Charmaine Yoest, senior fellow for policy studies at
the Family Research Council,
one of the most vocal critics of Plan B.
For a copy of today’s program, call 1 (800) 881 2359.
Our website is www.democracynow.org.
Our email address is mail@democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! is produced by Mike Burke, Sharif Abdel Kouddous,
Ana Nogueira, Elizabeth Press, Jeremy Scahill and Parvez Sharma.
Mike Di Filippo is our engineer.
Thanks also to Uri Galed, Angela Alston, Orlando Richards,
Simba Russeau, Johnny Sender, Rich Kim, Joe Murgio, John Randolph,
Chris Zucker, Karen Ranucci, Denis Moynihan, Eric Rweyemamu,
Jenny Filipazzo and Isis Phillips.
|
Listen
to the show
Help
whole
show
