Armitage On CIA Leak: 'I Screwed Up'

CBS Exclusive: Interview With Man Who 'Outed' CIA Agent Valerie Plame

(CBS)  In an exclusive interview with CBS News national security correspondent David Martin, Richard Armitage, once the No. 2 diplomat at the State Department, couldn't be any blunter.

"Oh I feel terrible. Every day, I think I let down the president. I let down the Secretary of State. I let down my department, my family and I also let down Mr. and Mrs. Wilson," he says.

When asked if he feels he owes the Wilsons an apology, he says, "I think I've just done it."

In July 2003, Armitage told columnist Robert Novak that Ambassador Wilson's wife worked for the CIA, and Novak mentioned it in a column. It's a crime to knowingly reveal the identity of an undercover CIA officer. But Armitage didn't yet realize what he had done.

So, what exactly did he tell Novak?

"At the end of a wide-ranging interview he asked me, 'Why did the CIA send Ambassador (Wilson) to Africa?' I said I didn't know, but that she worked out at the agency," Armitage says.

Armitage says he told Novak because it was "just an offhand question." "I didn't put any big import on it and I just answered and it was the last question we had," he says.

Armitage adds that while the document was classified, "it doesn't mean that every sentence in the document is classified.

"I had never seen a covered agent's name in any memo in, I think, 28 years of government," he says.

He adds that he thinks he referred to Wilson's wife as such, or possibly as "Mrs. Wilson." He never referred to her as Valerie Plame, he adds.

"I didn't know the woman's name was Plame. I didn't know she was an operative," he says.

He says he was reading Novak's newspaper column again, on Oct. 1, 2003, and "he said he was told by a non-partisan gun slinger."

"I almost immediately called Secretary Powell and said, 'I'm sure that was me,'" Armitage says.

Armitage immediately met with FBI agents investigating the leak.

"I told them that I was the inadvertent leak," Armitage says. He didn't get a lawyer, however.

"First of all, I felt so terrible about what I'd done that I felt I deserved whatever was coming to me. And secondarily, I didn't need an attorney to tell me to tell the truth. I as already doing that," Armitage explains. "I was not intentionally outing anybody. As I say, I have tremendous respect for Ambassador. Wilson's African credentials. I didn't know anything about his wife and made an offhand comment. I didn't try to out anybody."

That was nearly three years ago, but the political firestorm over who leaked Valerie Plame's identity continued to burn as Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald began hauling White House officials and journalists before a grand jury.

Armitage says he didn't come forward because "the special counsel, once he was appointed, asked me not to discuss this and I honored his request."

"I thought every day about how I'd screwed up," he adds.

Armitage never did tell the president, but he's talking now because Fitzgerald told him he could.

[ronniehm]

So Patrick Fitzgerald knew on the first day who leaked. Nice. He should be disbarred.

[ikez78]

No apology to Lewis Libby who shifted in the wind and had his reputation smeared for something Armitage did?

Why woulnd't CBS even ask?

[jpfennelly]

Why didnt CBS ask...
Why did the special counsel asked Richard Armitage to not reveal that he was the leak? It seems there was a frenzy for no reason.
Why did the special counsel continue to spend millions of dollars and collect a salary when the man that leaked the information had confessed so early on.
Why is Richard Armitage not it trouble?
Why were people put in jail?
Why is Scooter Libby still in so much trouble?

This whole affair and the special counsels handling of it seem reprehensible. It also seems reprehensible that CBS failed to ask or address any of these simple questions.

[MinniePearlJam]

Hey CBS! Let's go over this one more time. The law against unmasking the identities of U.S. spies says a "covert agent" must have been on an overseas assignment "within the last five years." The assignment also must be long-term, not a short trip or temporary post. Again, for Katie and the other "news" people at CBS, NONE of this applied to Valerie Plame. It was common knowledge in Washington that she worked for the CIA. Do you people really still wonder why you're at the bottom of the news heap?

[bruinau]

One of the common errors the news media keeps making is to write or state that Ms. Wilson was a covert or covered agent of the CIA. She clearly was not covered by any law as a covert agent, having served overseas more than 5 years previous to her name being mentioned by Mr. Armitage. This fact is the basis for the whole investigation being a red herring. I would appreciate the media, including CBS, correcting this factual error.

[litsterd]

Gonzales should fire Fitzgerald for incompetence, Bush should pardon Libby and Cheney should re-hire Libby immediately to restore his reputation and show that cover-ups and conspiracies will not be tolerated.

[davidjrichar]

Hey Bruinau and KirstenNJ give up on the whole covert vs non-covert thing. Nobody cares.

Issue now is why this played out the way it did viz Fitzgerald and Libby. I'm sure we'll find out more as this unfolds further.

[ralphcrossen]

The media has been exposed as bias once aain, and they are totally silent about it. Jerks!

[MonsterSound]

If you care about your country you must care about facts.
See: http://www.observer.com/20060911/20060911_Joe_Conason_politics_joeconason-2.asp

"Specifically, she ran the Joint Task Force on Iraq, which was part of the Counterproliferation Division of the C.I.A.%u2019s Directorate of Operations. She worked overseas, including trips to Jordan and other theatres of operations, using a %u201Cnonofficial cover.%u201D

See:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rachel-sklar/broder-hitchens-frum-a_b_28899.html

Fact: Karl Rove leaked Joe Wilson's wife's identity to Matt Cooper BEFORE Novak published his column.

Fact: Scooter Libby leaked Joe Wilson's wife's identity to Judith Miller BEFORE Novak published his column.

[valuelife-2009]

A very tricky guy, that Fitzgerald. He knew the
man who furnished Novak the name, yet he pursued a crime that did not exist. Does that not violate a trust and an oath? I thought that a prosecutor was sworn to uphold the law, not to try and manufacture crimes when no crimes exist.
I guess that Fitzgerald first had to assist in creating some crimes and then getting some criminals in order to be a prosecutor. He reversed the process! After all, what good is a prosecutor if there are no crimes? He made himself relevant.

[ronniehm]

How on Earth can you leak something that's already been leaked? Fact: Huffington is a twit.

[martinn50]

I notice few of you seem to think that Scooter Libby and Karl Rove are owed an apology. The Dems and the media have been feasting on this bit of doggerel for what, 3 years now? Hoping for indictments? Isn't this what you excoriated Republicans for during the Clinton years? I guess taking the high road doesn't occur to many of you.

And of course Armitage only thinks he owes the Wilsons an apology. Wouldn't want to miss any cocktail parties over a small thing like allowing peoples lives and reputations to be smeared.

Positively revolting.

MonsterSound, thanks for the links, obviously if these two people are reporting this than it must be fact (sarcasm). It's amazing that all the money and resources the major networks have and they can't get the same info as these two people working out of their parents basements.

For a crime to be committed two things must be proven: actus rea (criminal act) and mens rea (criminal intent). It looks seriously doubtful that a crime has even been committed. Assuming a jury could be convinced that she was a covert agent, I see serious problems proving criminal intent.

Now, that said, I hope that the special investigator is most specially investigated. He obviously bilked us tax payers out of a lot of money.

Fact: We will never know the whole story.

[ralphshort]

It is unbelievable that Fitzpatrick continued to pursue this for 2 or more years. It is obvious to me the "special persecutor" is looking at the political hay he can make and is more likely a left wing commiecrat than anyone will admit.

This guy should be fired immediately, and then disbarred and finally indicted for abuse of power.

[mloehrer]

If it was significant enough a crime to indict Scooter Libby for NOT doing it, why is it then insignificant that Armitage DID do it? Can we expect charges against Armitage? Or against Powell, who knew the truth from the beginning? Or against Fitzgerald, who clearly abused his position? A crime serious enough to warrant an independent counsel demands a resolution, so the question is: who's going down?

[zenstate]

When I served in the Marines as a U.S. Embassy Guard we were taught to protect classified material, including the names and identifications of clandestine employees. We served under the Direction of the Department of State. Now you have Mr. Armitage harming our country by outing our intelligence officers and putting lives at danger.
He is an embarrassment to the U.S. Department of State and to the U.S. Government. He should be locked away for the rest of his life for treason.

Robert
USMC Embassy Guard 1977-1982
Islamabad Pakistan
Geneva Switzerland
San Salvador, El Salvador

[emhawks]

Interesting to read/watch what's happening (2) months before the Nov. elections:
(1) Richard Armitage is given permission by Fizgerald to publically disclose that he was the one who told columist Robert Novak that Valerie Plame Wilson worked for the CIA.
(2) Bush acknowleges the existence of secret CIA prisons & says (14) high value terrorists have been transferred from the system to Guantanamo Bay for trial.
(3) "The Path to 9/11", with all it's distortions & factual errors, will be aired SU& MON. Hopefully, there will be enough protest & it'll be cancelled. 9/11 was a horrific tragedy for all America. No one should take "dramatic license" with what happened that day; especially to make a profit!
All the above mention "events" aren't just happening @ this time out of coincidence.

[texasdish62]

WOW...the arrogance of some folks. I can't believe that Armitage (once upon a time, I admired him) doesn't acknowledge the injustice of what he has done to Karl Rove, Scooter Libby and countless others caught up in Fitzgerald's pointless, Dem-driven investigation. The self-promoting, Wilson duo don't deserve anything...they have had their moment in the sun. Wilson was the first and primary leaker regarding his wife. What pathetic examples of public servants Armitage, Fitzgerald and the Wilsons are!

[danblather]

Well, before we go calling people names, maybe we should get Dan out of mothballs. His opinion would sure carry some weight, and if it doesn't, he'll just make it up out of whole cloth. Armitage should be apologizing to Libby and Rove, not the two charlatans, Blame and Flamin Plame. They are disgusting to many Americans. Lie after Lie. That's ol' Joe Wilson, typical left wing DEMOCRAT.

[bon1ie]

Of course Armitage waited. Anyone who reads mysteries or suspense could easily see it. He said someone to Bobbie (Woodward), but he didn't take the bait. So, he said something to another Bobbie (Novak) and pop! the bait was taken. But, Joey had already written and distributed his missive to the newspaper editors, hoping someone would bite. It was buried in the opinion section of some local rag and when Novak mentioned in passing about this missive, everyone and I do mean everyone becomes upset. FOR WHAT!!!????? I may be a nobody, but I know I am a nobody and I have no ambition to be a somebody (unlike some bloggers/journalists/whatever), so I can look at this with the eyes of a parent (and I am) and what I would say to all those who are whining about not being on top and having their way is:
GO TO YOUR ROOM WITH NO SUPPER AND NO ELECTRONICS!!! I DO NOT HAVE TO TAKE THE COMPLAINING AND I WILL NOT LEAVE MY FAMILY TO THE WHIMS OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD PREFER US DEAD INSTEAD OF AS FRIENDS!!!!! You can not bargain my life for the political life of someone who does not care without it coming back into your face and not by me, but it will be by the very person you are bargaining with.

Remember Teddy Roosevelt: Speak softly and carry a big stick -

[isaacroll]

What are you TALKING about "saving Scooter Libby?"

The man LIED to Fitzgerald. Nothing else matters. He broke the law. Whether or not he needed to is nobody's business but his own; the man got caught doing what crooked politicians do.

And now he should pay for it.

[effallah]

I don't buy it. Why would Armitage mention Mrs Wilson? Everyone knows Cheney was pissed that Wilson disproved the iraqi nuke lie cheney was pushing...so what does cheney do? Tell Armitage to get revenge and out Plame. Where the hell is the outrage at all the GOP talking heads who said Plame was just a pencile pusher at Langly? What a joke. The GOP has no morals. Armitage is just covering Cheneys butt now with his i'm so sorry routine.

[fryken-2009]

Armitage, Bill & Hillary Clinton , John Kerry should all be in prison for treason

[nepany]

Fitzgerald orders Armitage not to speak -- for two years -- while the President, Rove and Cheney are falsely accused day after day in the media. Will Wilson apologize for saying he wanted to see Rove "frog-marched" out of the White HOuse? Will Fitzgerald apologize for standing by while the President is falsely accused? What about Wilson, who we now know from the 9-11 commission was not telling the truth about his trip to Africa, and yet became the source of Bush being false accused as lying in the State of the Union Address? Fitzgerald, Wilson, Armitage-- none of them showed a shred of common decency.

[karlrove2]

Hehe. Good job my supporters.

I am a staunch Republican too, but consider the facts:
1) I was the second source for Novak's column.
2) I spilled the beans to Cooper so that Cooper could report it if Novak chickened out like Judy Miller did.
3) I even told Libby that Novak was planning to write the column. By the way send Libby some money - he's going to need every penny to delay the trial till the time comes when he can be pardoned.
4) I told Chris Matthews that we were going to screw the Wilsons. Plame WAS fair game. I aint giving no stinking apology like that Armitage fellow.
5) I successfully hid my email to Hadley about the Cooper call for almost a year. Until Cooper was ready to spill the beans on me.
6) I have a legendary memory, but had a case of amnesia when I failed to tell the FBI and the grand jury about my conversation with Cooper. Things were so much easier under Ashcroft where the journalists would not have been forced to reveal their sources, as they should never be.

Now that Fitz has cleared me, expect me to hit the networks like Armitage has, and I'll clear everything up. On second thought, Scott McClennan did such a good job the first time around lying about my involvement, I'll send him instead.

Love you all and thanks for your support.

[jpporter]

Dan Blather should have his head examined. How in the world does he get the idea that V. Plame and her husband are "charlatans" and "disgusting to many Americans." Sorry, DB, Plame did nothing for which she deserved "outing," and her husband did nothing but tell the truth.

Maybe you got problems with the truth. That puts you in league with the Bush administration.

[safecents]

One liberal wrote here that 9/11 was too important to show a docu-drama that had a little bit of artistic license.

How much do you want to bet this same complainer saw Micael Moore's Farenheit 9/11 a dozen times and believed ever distortion in it?

Oh I get it, as long as it attacks the Republicans then it is OK to tell a lie.

There should be another criteria....if you STEAL top secret, original documents out of the 9/11 commission room you should not be able to complain about ANYTHING. Maybe those secret documents that Sandy "the burglar" Buergar SLOPPELY shoved down his pants contained proof that Clinton was too busy with Monica to wage a war on terror nad turned down an opportunity to kill or capture Bin Ladin.

I thought progressives were against censorship.

Both sides play partisian politics but I have never seen the right actually put the national security of the country and the safety of the American people at risk, like I am seeing the democrats do today.

[e-mail] (Ayn Rand Libertarian)
Patriot Motors (PMCY)

[effallah]

Hey Ditto Head,

Be carefull what you wish for. Opening hearings would only result in the discovery of the fact that there was no reason for armitage to mention mrs. wilson other than the fact that he was directed to do so by rove and cheney.

[jamesod2-2009]

Bah! Armitage is a weasel, he and his former boss at the Dept of State, Powell, are both weasels, else why would the two of them have kept their yaps shut while Fitzgerald played out his farce of an inquiry? And Fitzgerald, that mountebank should be forced to pay all the expenses he and his staff incurred from the time Armitage told him what he had done -- near three years worth of our tax money. These people, all three of them, are almost as dishonest as Plame and her sweet hubby, "former" (why ever?) Ambassador Wilson, and their companions in crime -- the loud mouthed, unlovely Main Stream Media, in toto.

James O. Dirden
CSM, U. S. Army
'44-'49/'50-'73

[angeby]

"What are you TALKING about "saving Bill Clinton?"

The man LIED to Congress. Nothing else matters. He broke the law. Whether or not he needed to is nobody's business but his own; the man got caught doing what crooked politicians do.

And now he should pay for it."

Wow. If only that happened with EVERY POLITICIAN out there. The problem is, no one is willing to even REMEMBER what our politicians do from day to day, let alone punish them for it. The only ones who seem to care are those who are more interested in partisanship than truth. They keep pointing out the flaws of those they disagree with while completely ignoring the flaws of people they agree with politically. Those who want to educate themselves on modern political philosophy should read Schopenhauer's "38 ways to win an argument." And watch and wait for it ALL to show up in the next election cycle.

[jalexson]

This revelation proves that the whole investigation has been a farce from the beginning. In order for an agent to qualify from legal protection the government has to acting to prevent discovery that the agent has an intelligence connection to the U.S. Plame married to a former ambassador. the job of ambassador includes gathering intelligence about foreign governments. Joe Wilson admitted in the N.Y. Times that he had worked for the CIA. The idiots at the CIA may be too dumb to understand that spouses of admitted intelligence gathering agents have an intelligence connection to the U.S. People in most unfriendly countries are going to treat an ambassador's family as suspected spies.

Another problem with the claim that Plame was a covert agent is the fact that she worked at CIA Hq. and she apparently didn't enter the building through a secret entrance in a tailor shop (Man From U.N.C.L.E.) or a phone booth (Get Smart).

[evotelution]

Friends, Citizens, contimplate how someone would know a CIA agent? The source will set you free in this. He is a fall guy for the CIA. This is just another cover up. Bush's father was CIA, Bush is a product of CIA. This guy is a scapegoat for the CIA. He is CIA. How stupid can americans continue to be. We deserve our plite.

[jerryemt2001-2009]

So CBS thinks Armitage owes the Wilsons an apology but not the Bush administration who were raked over the coals over this matter by the mainstream press especially Newsweek and the NY Times? Wilson is a pompous know nothing. Hey, CBS: can you get reporters who actually see the entire picture?

[gramto7]

I have read all the posts and cannot believe the number of people who are upset about the current 'special prosecutor' and his length of investigation. Has everyone forgotten Ken Starr and his overly-long investigation of Whitewater? For years after he found out that neither Bill nor Hillary could be charged with anything to do in that mess, he kept on 'investigating' things that had nothing whatsoever to do with Whitewater! It was a LONG time after he should have finalized the investigation before he 'found' the Monica ordeal.

[dhslough]

I have a simple question. Why aren't those in the media questioning why Mr. Fitzgerald asked Mr. Armitage not to disclose that he (Armitage)was the one who "innocently" leaked Mrs. Wilson's name? If if was all a misunderstanding, it appears that this could have been wrapped up within a short period of time. Appparently, from your interview with Mr. Armitage, he was willing to "talk" without the need for an attorney because all he was going to do was speak the "truth".
Finally, to those who are so opposed to everything that America does in the war on terror, why don't you consider moving to the country of your choice, that way, it will be much easier for you to "kiss the ***" of those petty dictators!!
Long live America and may we all Thank God for our men and women of the Armed Services!!!
And Thank God for a leader such as President Bush who understands the true evil that exists in this world and is willing to do everything within his powers to destroy it while the only things that the Democrats, the press and liberals do is "whine". Grow up you BIG LOSERS.....

Dwight H. Slough, MBA

[coxd3]

Too late Armitage. You are a coward and a treasonous scoundrel. Knowing what you knew and standing by watching careers and families and individuals being ruined all in a time of war, all along knowing full well that full and open disclosure would have likely stopped or impeded the Fitzpatrick circus. I hold you and Fitzpatrick in contempt. You should both be charged and fined the cost of reimbursing the government for waste, fraud, and abuse.

[murthacoward]

Armitage is a horrible human. He let his President and administration suffer all kinds of slurs and injustices and just sat there silent. Now, when he's caught, he's sorry! And what about Chucky Schumer; talk about a pathological liar. Does no one remember him frog marching arm-in-arm with Joe Wilson to numerous Press Conferences to slander the President and Karl Rove. The "Main Stream Media"; what an inept and scurrilous bunch they are.

[pwrslm]

The Special Investigator knew of this and still failed to conclude the investigation. Isnt that a crime? Like withholding evidence in a capital case?

Then they investigate members of the White House, with full knowledge of how the leak occured, slandering and ruining carreers of how many people?

That is a crime.

Investigating Clinton wasnt.

[bedgiant]

President Bush should pardon Sen. Charlie Schumer. He was the leader in special prosecutor requirement.
Since Schumer will not apologise that he knew the Armitage connection. He could be indicted for obstruction of justice. A pardon would avoid further litigation.

[rock_cha1k]

Obviously the person who posted the comment referring to Ken Starr has a short memory as well. Every time ken starr requested documents the Clintons delayed, in hopes to cause enough delays that his appointment would run out. Also there was somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 indictments handed down. And if you are truly so intellectually inept that you believe the Clintons were innocent, then I have a bridge for sale.

[mldetch]

At least Armitage as ashamed of what he did but Fitzgerald should be more ashamed for wasting 3 years and millions of dollars when he knew the truth within weeks of the start of the investigation and order Armitage to keep quiet. THAT%u2019S THE CRIME. Blumenthal should be ashamed for convicting Karl Rove in the court of public opinion and the media should be ashamed for being, once again, the liberal left's lap dogs, instead of doing what they are supposed to do. Follow the facts and uncover the truth. Not take sides and run with innuendo.

[rock_cha1k]

efallah and isaacroll or obviously part of the fringe left and listen to too much Air America. To clarify a couple thinks for you knucklheads....First, Armitage hates the administration, he was a hold over from Clinton. The state department in general(prior to Dr.Rice), was at odds with the administration, including Powell. In regards to lying to Fitgerald, a prosecuter can not entrap a witness when they know they are innocent. Libby couldn't have possibly "outed" plame because her name was already known, and thus he should not have legally asked Libby if he was the source for Novak, with the knowledge that he was not. This activity is known as prosecutorial misconduct. Get a brain.

[hogdriver91]

AARRUUGGHH! Fitzgerald knew it all along, why is he still investigating. This was a non event, she was NOT covert, there was no outing, nor intent to out her. The media ought to be ashamed as well for keeping it alive when they knew nothing wrong was done. There is a bit of Bush hate in the whole event as well.

[tarheelsram]

I want the special prosecutor prosecuted for
1. continuing to spend tax dollars to investigate the source of the news article revelation when he knew from the start who that source was, and
2. for tying up government officials with this frivolous investigation for years...keeping them from doing their normal important duties and forcing them to spend unnecessary monies on lawyers and
3. for placing people, whom he knew were not guilty of the focus of his investigation, in judicial jeopardy with obvious entrapment schemes!
Fitzgerald%u2019s Nifong (Duke Lacrosse rape case dunce) like tactics are totally un-American! He is, at the very least, guilty of judicial misconduct in my humble opinion...not as an expert, just on the basis of common sense and decency!
Tommy Flores,
Goldsboro, NC

[gkantor]

Softball by CBS.
What an interview. Mr. David Martin did'nt know that the same was told "casually" to Bob Woodward? This is just plain junk. Shame.

[ncknight05]

ITS SO BLATANTLY OBVIOUS...CBS..NBC..ABC PMSNBC.. NY TIMES..WASHINGTON POST..ALL OWE KARL ROVE A LOUD AND PRONOUNCED APOLOGY FOR WRONGLY CONVICTING HIM IN THE ARENA OF PUBLIC OPINION.ITS NOW SO OBVIOUS THAT ALL OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED ARE ON THE DEMOCRAT PAYROLL TO PROMOTE THAT SOCIALIST PARTY AND DEFAME PRES BUSH.

SINCERELY
RIC STARNES
NC

[psuess]

It is a crime to knowingly reveal the identity of an undercover CIA officer. This did not apply to Valerie Plame and that was known day #1 of the investigation. Why the investigation? Why the wasted millions of dollars and all the lathering of the mouth from "Scary" Harry Reid, Nancy "tough talk" Pelosi and other no nothing democrats. Where is the fire? Where is the smoking gun? You talk about the presdient's popularity numbers. Look at your own. They are significantly lower.

Good Luck in November. With no ideas and no direction to a better future for America, the democratic party rips bush and offers no vision of where they would take us. They just tell us with perfect 20/20 hindsight what has failed without even having the ability to offer a better solution.
Perfect!!

[sallystride]

I thought ignorance of the law is no excuse?

[cyrusfx]

I'm sorry to have to tell you people this, but this isn't news. You should stop talking about it, and pick up long overdue interest in any other of the world's ongoing affairs.

Since the get go, this whole story has been a ploy by Bob Novak to buffer his own ego, and secondarily to force more people to read his column; he knew from the beginning that the equally guilty demofrauds had nothing on him, but let the story work itself into an empty media frenzy. In a time when there are so many more important issues to cover, this is a sin in itself.

Everyone in the media should be ashamed for pushing this nothing of a story so hard on us.

Ooh, who leaked the name of Valerie Plame.. ask yourself: do you actually care? Why?

I'm never reading another Bob Novak column again.

[avgeno]

Here we go again...two days in a row...the neo-dittoheads (Rush's brain dead friends) are out in force screaming bloody murder for revenge against anything that even resembles a liberal slant. We said it yesterday and I'll say it today...their scared. They come out in the dark of night like slime breathing hate instead of reason. They only do it when their scared....less then 60 days left before we really know what lies they have told for the past 6 years...the cover-ups they have contributed to...it's all going to surface. The shredders are working overtime. I am loving every minute of it......watching their fear of whats coming this November is more exciting then the election itself.