And What About The Wilsons?
Let's not forget that were it not for one name, we would not be here today in ad nauseam Scooter Libby verdict analysis mode. That name is Wilson. Ambassador Joseph Wilson wrote the scathing op-ed piece that challenged a key rationale for the Bush Administration's path to war in Iraq. That engendered the so-called "smear campaign" that culminated in the illegal disclosure of his CIA officer wife Valerie Plame's name.
That said, the aftermath of the verdict would not be complete without some comment from the Wilson camp. Rest assured, we the media were not deprived.
In a teleconference with his attorneys from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Wilson expressed gratitude for the work of the prosecution and the judge in the Libby case and said "we take great comfort that this is a nation of laws."
The Ambassador said the Wilsons will go forward with the civil case they filed in July against Libby, former State Department official Richard Armitage and Karl Rove. Wilson continues to be incensed about the "campaign of disinformation" and said the civil suit must proceed to "get the truth out."
One reporter asked if Wilson thought that Libby was indeed the "fall guy" for the Administration? Did he have a modicum of sympathy for the guy?
Not exactly.
"I'd hope that Libby and the other official would derive the right lesson," Wilson said, that you don't violate public trust "to engage vendettas."
As for non-legal future matters, "we'd like to move on," said Wilson, who is appearing on three cable shows tonight.
The Wilsons, along with their twins, are moving out to New Mexico and Valerie has a book forthcoming about the leak ordeal. She hopes to get it out "soon" but is still in a "delicate stage" of dialogue with her former employer, the CIA, about the sensitive nature of the material in her manuscript. She was, after all, a classified officer whose cover was blown, he pointed out.
Also, as reported last week, a Warner Bros. feature film about the CIA leak case is in the works. When asked about his casting choices for the movie, Wilson had only one strong opinion.
"I'd only ask that Jack Black be cast in a role other than Joe Wilson," he said.