White House: No Comment On Rove

Stonewalling On Bush Adviser's Connection To CIA Leak Probe

(CBS/AP) 
"I'm well aware, like you, of what was previously said," McClellan said. "And I will be glad to talk about it at the appropriate time." He said the appropriate time would be when the investigation is completed.

CBS News Correspondent John Roberts reports the change of heart was odd, considering the investigation was well underway when the White House came out to defend Rove and nine months later when Mr. Bush promised harsh punishment for anyone who leaked Plame's identity

On June 10, 2004, Mr. Bush said he stood by his pledge to fire anyone found to have done so.

Democrats Monday said they hoped the president would make good on that pledge. But Rove's attorney tells Roberts there's nothing in the e-mail that Rove hasn't already told investigators and that Rove was only trying to steer Cooper away from potentially bad information, not disclose the identity of a covert agent.

He also said Rove has been assured by prosecutors that he is not a target of the investigation.

But, as Roberts reports, it was a bad day at the White House, unable to defend its own "on the record" statements and unable to explain why what it repeatedly said with such certainty 21 months ago now would appear so demonstrably false.