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Valerie Plame Wilson Appearances

By Larry Johnson on November 1, 2007 at 9:17 PM in Current Affairs

Val has done a spectacular job of telling her story on air. For your convenience I have collected some for your viewing pleasure:

Sixty Minutes Part One:

Sixty Minutes Part Two:

Keith Olberman:

Larry King Live:

Chris Matthews:

Yogi-one

Excellent!

She makes short work of the whole idea that she was somehow predispositioned against the Administration. She makes short work of the idea that she wasn’t “really” covert or that she was somebody’s secretary (which is a slander against you women, by the way, and you should recognize that for what it is as well. Did anyone ever say Joe was somebody’s secretary?)

America needs a FOX-Style 24/7 blitzkrieg of this kind of information.

She should be all over Democracy Now, Satellite radio, and all TV networks that have to guts to do something right, for a change.

The secrets MUST come out about this administration. It does NO ONE, not Hillary, not Nancy P – no one – any good to collaborate with Dick Cheney in hiding the secrets of his corruption.

Americans need to be confronted with the awful truth, so we can get on with repairing our injured nation.

People who know and don’t come forward are accomplices to crimes against humanity. They have to understand that.

When you make deals with the devil, the fine print print specifies that the devil owns you, and is one day coming to get his payback. Most people who make those kinds of deals think they aren’t interested in the fine print.

Shirin

“She should be all over Democracy Now…”

Yeah, true, except that on programs like Democracy Now and KPFA’s Flashpoints, she is preaching to a small community of believers. In order to get to the people who need to hear her the most she needs to get on mainstream media outlets as much as possible.

Montag

Shirin,
Exactly. It’s like the old saw, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.” “Democracy Now” and “Flashpoints” are Advocacy Journalism venues, where they’re promoting a point of view. Hence, they can be dismissed as “far left bombthrowers.” That’s why for once it’s good that Plame has her publisher’s PR machine behind her. They want to sell her book and she wants to get her side of the story made public. Regardless what we may think of PR machines, they’re effective at working the mass media–remember the persistent canard about the stolen Kuwaiti baby incubators? Well for once they’re on the side of the angels.

It’s like the old joke, a vicious dictator asks a PR firm to take his account. He wants them to counteract the rumor that he had a political opponent murdered. He explains, “Look, the guy was too small to be a threat to me. I investigated and discovered he’d been shot by a cuckolded husband, yet they insist that I MUST be the bad guy somehow!”

The PR guy says, “Your Excellency, that’s fine. We don’t charge extra for telling the truth.”

Sandy

Thanks so much, Larry, for providing these for us. Haven’t watched the Chris Matthews one yet….but it’d be hard for them to top Keith Olbermann’s outstanding interview. He made an effort to preface the interview itself with some strong statements of truth that paved the way for what she was about to say. Well done!
Shirin

I thought she was great on The Daily Show this week, and she did an excellent fairly lengthy interview on Flashpoints on Berkeley’s Pacifica station, KPFA also. The interview is archived here: http://www.kpfa.org/archives/index.php?arch=23022 and is also available as a podcast. She is wonderfully articulate, at ease, and certain of her subject, and her humanity comes through very clearly. I was also pleased that she spoke certain things very plainly without veiling it in “diplomatic” language forcing unnecessary reading between the lines. That was refreshing.

I earlier expressed my disappointment that on Flashpoints Valerie repeated the untruth that Saddam kicked the inspectors out in 1998. That is not what happened. He did very justifiably expel the American inspectors only, but not the others, and in any case that issue was resolved quickly by the U.N. and he allowed the Americans to return. All the inspectors were there when Clinton gave the U.N. the word to remove them in preparation for his little bombing spree romantically named “Operation Desert Fox” – an “Operation” that took the lives of Iraqi civilians, including one of Iraq’s foremost artists.

Saddam kicked out the American inspectors because it became clear that Clinton had assigned spies (CIA, if memory serves) to the job of weapons inspectors, and instead of conducting real inspections, they were scoping out bombing targets – a clear violation of the terms of the inspections, not to mention the supposed neutrality of the U.N. – and also creating provocations presumably intended to provide a pretext to bomb. Given all that, plus clear statements by the Clinton regime that no matter what were the findings of the inspectors it would never lift the sanctions as long as Saddam was in power, it should hardly be surprising that Saddam was not in a hurry to bring the inspectors back after that.

Anyway, I noticed that on The Daily Show Valerie did not say that Saddam had kicked the inspectors out, but merely said that after 1998 there were no inspections, which is, of course true, as well as significant, and more to the point than the contra- factual claim that Saddam had kicked them out. As Scott Ritter frequently pointed out in his anti-sanctions campaigning, as long as the sanctions remained, Saddam, very justifiably, would refuse to let inspections take place, and without inspections there was no way to know for sure what he did and did not have. So, while most of us rightfully spoke about the moral and humanitarian reasons for lifting the sanctions, Scott had very pragmatic reasons that the sanctions should end.
http://www.evergreenpolitics.com shoephone

Ms.Plame handles herself so well in these interviews. She’s measured, articluate and — clearly — quite believable.

I couldn’t get through the whole Charlie Rose interview yesterday though. He never shuts up! He never quits interrupting. It’s always all about HIM and not the guest. Katie Couric is a rank amateur, but Rose is a total self-aborbed baltherer.

And Plame still remained cool throughout. It’s really impressive. I bought her book but I’ve got to finish “The Kite Runner” first.

Taters

Thanks Larry.
Shoephone – “Kite Runner” is one of those works that affected me profoundly. I can’t wait to see the movie.
And I assure you Hosseini’s follow up, “A Thousand Splendid Suns” will not disappoint.

I look forward to reading Valerie’s book.

Reggie

She needs to be on Oprah.

Taters

You’re absolutely right Reggie.
Centrocitta

Yes, she does need to be on Oprah. So do I, actally.

Montag

Well I want to BE Oprah! Do I win?

http://www.food4humanity.org HoosierHoops

Thanks Larry:
a couple thoughts.. It is really difficult to listen to Katie do an interview..She really needed to stay on the Today show..Segments on weight loss diets seem more in her wheelhouse..

That Keith Olberman fellow used to work for ESPN and announce sports all the time..he was really good until he quit the network.. This is the first time i’ve seen him do a political interview..Keith has got chops..very impressive. I’ll have to look up the time his show plays on TV.

Larry King: I’m alittle conflicted about Larry King..he’s ok I guess.. He definately is a softball player with interviews…BUT..
If I ever was to get famous..And his show called..I’d accept in a New york minute..
That’s just the kind of guy i am
Donovan Fraser

She needs to go on FOXNEWS and once and for all call out her detractors for the liars they are . I am glad she is appearing on what morans call the “liberal media” but she needs to cut these coolaid drinkers off at the knees and outright challenge them to prove the Bullshit they are peddling.I am tired of FOXNEWS saying she is not who she says she is.
Larry if you are reading this…Is there any legal way to go after them for slander/liable whatever? They are purposly shitting on her credibility on national TV in front of the intelectually lazy folk.

I would pay to see her respond to F@#k nutt Hannity face to face when he dribbles on about his “real truth” about her. for he is not a man that can handle the truth.Much like Baghdad bob.

Retired

Actually, I would like to see Valerie go face-to-face with Hannity, myself. I don’t believe that it will happen, though, because she would best him decisively, and that would have the real possibility of ending his career if it happened on live TV in primetime. I believe that if Combs was successful on inviting her on the show, which is doubtful, it would either be a solo prerecorded interview with Combs or Hannity would conveniently be on vacation that day. He isn’t a total fool when it comes to broadcasting and ratings.

mudkitty

What are the chances that Faux Noise would have her on any show unedited? Come on. Get real.
Shirin

In all fairness to “Baghdad Bob”, he was undoubtedly saying what he was told to say, and preferred to follow orders rather than face the consequences.

Montag

Shirin,
Ditto for the talking heads at Fuks Annoys. When the last helicopter is lifting off from the conveniently-provided helipad of our Baghdad “Fortress of Solitude” the wordcrawl at the bottom of the screen will be, “Just Making A Beer Run.”

Shirin

Yeah, except that the talking heads on Faux News aren’t threatened with torture followed by execution if they – ummmmm – told the truth. So, there is a bit of voluntary complicity there, wouldn’t you say?

Bill Keyes

12;17 PM PST

Val’s book is back up to #11 on Amazon!!
Centrocitta

Valerie is very beautiful and she just oozes East Coast class. No doubt many women in America would die to have cheekbones like hers. I can certainly tell that Val is not from Texas. She has blond hair and BLUE eyes. You know, the way it’s SUPPOSED to be.

http://www.evergreenpolitics.com shoephone

Wasn’t she born in Alaska? Anyway, it’s all due to family genes, not regionality. Her mother was beautiful too.

Centrocitta

I disagree with your comment about regionality. It’s much easier for immigrant genes (Val is of Ukranian descent) to remain blonde and blue when the immigrant settles in a place like Pennsylvania. In Texas, you see many dyed blondes with brown eyes. Blue eyes don’t last long when they are mixed with Spanish and Native American genes. I always wonder why brown-eyed women insist on dying their hair blonde. It’s so unnatural.

Montag

I liked the part during her Congressional testimony where she said that she’d really rather that Joe hadn’t gone to Africa, because she had two young children to put to bed at night and didn’t want to be outnumbered when she did it. You can bet when Mothers all over the country heard that they said, “Those BASTARDS!”

Gloria

In the first couple of interviews she did, she used the term “malevolent” to describe Iran. Nothing like helping along Bushco framing…..

Shirin

That’s too bad. I wish she had not said that.

I don’t see what is so malevolent about Iran. Iran has no history of aggression against other countries. I have not seen anything to indicate Iran intends to change that history any time in the foreseeable future.

Compare Iran’s record of malevolent actions to that of the United States. Which country is a greater threat to world peace and security, the United States, or Iran?

Bill Keyes

The answer to that question is a no brainer.

Shirin

Yup! It really is.

And while we are on the subject of malevolent countries, can we talk about the so-called “only democracy in the Middle East” – a country that has a history of aggression unmatched by any of its neighbors, and one of the worst human rights records on earth?

Not to mention that this “only democracy in the Middle East” has clear policies and practices that favour one type of citizen over all others in a number of very critical ways. Citizens of this country, unlike citizens of any Arab or Muslim country that I can think of are required to carry national ID cards that specify their ethnic and/or religious affiliation, something I find rather shocking in a country that boasts it is a modern democracy.

Retired

Valerie is providing the most accurate and effective portrayal of the realities of being an intelligence officer that I have ever seen. Strangely, I never believed that such portrayal was necessary until she was betrayed. Yet another milestone in the march of history, courtesy of the current administration.
Mr.Murder

Look to when the GOP controlled the House under Newt. There were other items playing to the static level of inspections… the year it occurred is probably not a concidence in regard to those factors.
Mr.Murder

“CREW FEC Complaint Against MZM and Mitchell Wade Results in $1,000,000 Penalty

Prompted by a CREW complaint, this week the Federal Election Commission (FEC) announced that the second largest fine in FEC history — $1,000,000 — had been imposed against defense contracting firm MZM, Inc. and its former CEO Mitchell Wade.

In June 2005, CREW filed a complaint with the FEC alleging that MZM and Wade, violated the Federal Election Campaign Act. CREW’s complaint alleged that Wade had funneled corporate funds to reimburse MZM employees for contributions made to members of Congress who Wade believed could be helpful to MZM.

MZM and Wade have entered into an agreement with the FEC admitting that MZM made corporate conduit contributions to the campaigns of Rep. Virgil Goode (R-VA) and former Rep. Katherine Harris (R-FL) and agreeing to pay $1,000,000 to settle the matter.”

The email continues:

CREW Lawsuit — Magistrate Judge Issues Recomendation for Temporary Restraining Order Against the White House

Last month, CREW sued the Executive Office of the President, the Office of Administration, and the National Archives and Records Administration, challenging the administration’s failure to preserve at least 5 million e-mail deleted from White House servers since March 2003, a violation of federal law.

After the White House failed to provide assurances that it was keeping backup copies of the records, CREW filed a restraining order against the Bush administration, resulting in a recommendation by a magistrate judge that a temporary restraining order be issued to prevent the destruction of federal records.

The White House has filed an objection to this recommendation and Judge Henry Kennedy is expected to issue an order early next week.

http://www.citizensforethics.org/node/30364
Mr.Murder

Val’s radio interviews have been amazing.

Toensing and Novak, her hubby DiGenoa?

Val shows no quarter when she takes on the haters…
Retired

Joe and Valerie were spectacular on Bill Maher tonight–humorous and professional and one step ahead of Maher on his own live show during the whole 20 minutes of their segment. Every media advisor to a politician or talking head that has dissed Valerie who watches Maher will be advising their principals to stay away from live head-to-heads with her at any cost.
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misfiteye

To hell with impeachment.
Lets go for Treason.
TeakwoodKite

I read recently that intellegence work is a balance of competing interests between national security interests and political order.
The look in Valerie Plames eyes when asked by Bill Maher if being out’ed “was treason” says it all. It is.
Sometime-CIA-Defender

Finished Fair Game last night on the plane ride back. Was inspiring, though also heartbreaking, especially the parts where things got tough between Joe and Valerie. I am glad they stuck together (and didn’t move to New Zealand… have many friends who joked about the same).

There are a whole lot of people who appreciate what the Wilsons, Larry, Pat, Ray, Bob and many others are doing by speaking out and setting the ever-muddier records straight. You truly are heroes and proof that there certainly are ethical and highly patriotic folk who worked and work in the most secretive and important of jobs. People who care about democracy look to you for a glimmer of hope, and we owe you a debt of gratitude.

Thanks!
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Larry Johnson (Bio)
@noquarterusa

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