Peter Daou: "Random Rove Observations"

From Daou's personal web site, The Grit:

1. Candy Crowley positively giddy on CNN - laughing and calling him 'Karl' instead of Rove.

2. Big media outlets include the Jason Leopold fiasco in their coverage: here, here. Expect more of the same. And expect rightwing bloggers to have a field day with the Leopold angle.

3. Christy at FDL notes the prematurity of saying the case is over:
"[T]o spin this as the case being over is laziness on the part of David Johnston — and the media writ large, frankly — who have never dug into this case to realize that the players were larger than the Libby and Rove narrative frame that the corporate media types have conveniently used throughout the investigation. And that the be all and end all of the case was not the ultimate criminal charges, but the exposure of the smarmy underbelly of the Bush Administration and their standard MO of attacking, with a vengeance, anyone who dares to question them — even when those questions are not only appropriate but also expose them in a lie."

4. Beyond irony - Rove on veterans Murtha and Kerry (presumably in contrast to Bush):
"Speaking of Sen. John Kerry and Rep. John Murtha, Rove said, "They may be with you for the first shots. But they're not going . . . to be with you for the tough battles."

From Daou's Salon site, Daou Report:

What About Rove's Security Clearance? Media Matters: "As Media Matters repeatedly noted, the subject of Rove's security clearance has gone largely unreported by the news media. When the White House has faced questions about the clearance, it has repeatedly refused to answer, citing the "ongoing investigation." Now that Rove is apparently no longer the subject of an "ongoing investigation" into the Plame matter, Media Matters hopes reporters will demand answers about his security clearance."


MULTI MEDIUM: Fitz goes soft on us...
The prosecutor in the C.I.A. leak case on Monday advised Karl Rove, the senior White House adviser, that he would not be charged with any wrongdoing, effectively ending the nearly three-year criminal investigation that had at times focused intensely on Mr. Rove. Based on everything I've read about Fitz, the only conceivable (and non-tinfoil) explanation is that he didn't think he could prove wrongdoing. Rove is one slippery sumbitch. I think it's time for Jason Leopold to burn his sources (if indeed he ever had any) and go away forever.

DAVID CORN: The news today is that Karl Rove will not be indicted by Patrick Fitzgerald. I'll be back later with more on this. But first thought: that doesn't mean that Rove and the White House didn't do anything wrong. In fact, the White House falsely stated that (a) Rove (and Scooter Libby) were not involved in the leak and (b) that anyone involved would no longer work in the White House. Rove did tell two reporters (Robert Novak and Matt Cooper) about Joe Wilson's wife's employment at the CIA (undeniably classified information). And he's still working at the White House. What does that say about the man in charge of the White House?