Dang! Stepped on our own story.

[troublemaker]

Two different sources wanted to fuck-up the Republican convention (maybe).

Ben Barnes has provided the blow-by-blow of how Papa Bush got Barnes (then Lt. Gov TX) to improperly get his idiot son into the guard. Very damaging, since among other things the MoveOn ad on the same topic has been mentioned a zillion times as the Dem lie to equal the Swift Boat Liars. Hah! It's an orchestrated story by our guys, and carefully timed.

Meanwhile somebody drops this Spy story that boils down to "Bush pentagon political appointees include Israeli spies" The spy story will step all over the Barnes story on merit--it's an actual news story. I just wish this had broken two days ago or two days from now.

Interesting that it's a close-of-business Friday leak, which means it was released to be buried, so who leaked it? Is it a pre-emptive WH leak?

Too bad. The Barnes thing is minor, but the Gennifer Flowers type of story that could wreck the convention. (It won't lead to anything beyond what everybody already knew, but it's a credibility story that demands refutation or comment by Bush, and the last thing he wants is to lose a Repub Convention news cycle day to spewing more lies about his service record.)

[rumguy]

1. Is the Barnes story getting any play in the media?

Or is it only on the internet?

[blm]

2. Still a good zinger for the debates.

Still a good contrast story when weighing the two candidates.

[DoYouEverWonder]

3. This is a present for the convention

from the anti-Bush people in the CIA.

Think pay back for Valerie Plame.

[troublemaker]

4. Please note that this is a Friday PM leak, though

Probably a WH/pentagon leak designed to minimize this story. And to make sure it would not break DURING the convention

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. This is not a can of worms

that Bu$hCo has any desire to open right now.

This one is not going away. We are talking treason at the highest levels of the WH and DOD.

[A_Possum]

12. I tend to agree

You can claim the WH leaked because of the timing, but the timing cuts two ways.

Very very hard to deal with this before the RNC, it will cast a HUGE pall on "the four day "Bush is Lord" service."

(apt description stolen shamelessly from ApolloCreedLives. ;))

[imax2268]

6. so let's push it...

I have been sending this to everyone I know...even some friends with media contacts...!!!

Get it out there so it blows up on Monday...!

[troublemaker]

14. Tomorrow's Wash Post story ought to at least get it onto Sunday TV

[Cheswick2.0]

7. Ben Barnes?

Do you have a link or anything?

[Jane Austin]

8. http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/

It's the second story on that page.

[imax2268]

10. here's Ben Barnes on video...

http://69.59.167.160/Barnes%20on%20Vietnam.mov

[troublemaker]

11. WASHINGTON POST (link)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/wh2000/stories/barnes092199.htm

[Rose Siding]

9. The spy story has percolated for so long that many reporters will have

various bits of it. I don't think we have nearly all that's there, yet. It keeps the focus on Iraq ineptitudes and if the Plame burn thwarted something bigger, who knows where it will go?

[DemBones DemBones]

13. Scarborough opens with mention of the guy who claims he

didn't think Kerry deserved his first Purple Heart -- the one who was his commander over there.

Now he's talking about what Clinton said on The Daily Show re: hitting back, saying Kerry's been hurt, etc., Kerry shouldn't rely on "his Harvard Yard buddies." He's telling Kerry to hire Carville.

[Gloria]

15. I just saw Buchanan on the Olb. rerun opining about this leak...

and one of his concerns was that it was meant to ABORT a full investigation.

In other words, stop it at the spy level? And not go the full route up the chain?