Point of order: Bush's authorization of the security leak
I've seen a few people say "Bush authorized the leaking of Valerie Plame's name". This is not correct.
Today Scooter Libby revealed that George Bush authorized the leak of classified portions of the National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq. Scooter also leaked Valerie Plame's covert identity, but that is not the leak that Scooter said that Bush leaked. Scooter *has* said that Cheney ordered him to leak Valerie Plame's identity, but Bush is not yet implicated in that charge.
The White House has argued that the President has the authority to declassify, which he does. But as mentioned before, there are procedures for declassifying intelligence. Papers are redacted, sources are protected, agencies are notified. The President does not simply wave his Executive Declassifying Wand.
Today Scooter Libby revealed that George Bush authorized the leak of classified portions of the National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq. Scooter also leaked Valerie Plame's covert identity, but that is not the leak that Scooter said that Bush leaked. Scooter *has* said that Cheney ordered him to leak Valerie Plame's identity, but Bush is not yet implicated in that charge.
The White House has argued that the President has the authority to declassify, which he does. But as mentioned before, there are procedures for declassifying intelligence. Papers are redacted, sources are protected, agencies are notified. The President does not simply wave his Executive Declassifying Wand.