What Did the President Know?
And when did he know it?

Those of you old enough to remember the Watergate Hearings will remember the prominence of those two questions. It appears these are now again relevant. On this my hometown paper scooped the WP, announcing yesterday what is in today's WP article Columnist Says Bush Knows Who Leaked Name . Below are excerpts.

Syndicated columnist Robert D. Novak, who has repeatedly declined to discuss his role in disclosing the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame, said in a speech this week that he is certain President Bush knows who his mystery administration source is.

Novak said Tuesday that the public and press should be asking the president about the official rather than pressing journalists who received the information.

[ . . . . ]

"I'm confident the president knows who the source is," Novak told a luncheon audience at the John Locke Foundation in Raleigh, N.C., on Tuesday, according to an account published yesterday in the Raleigh News & Observer. "I'd be amazed if he doesn't."

"So I say, don't bug me. Don't bug Bob Woodward. Bug the president as to whether he should reveal who the source is," Novak said.

Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) sent a letter to Bush yesterday urging him to name the source and make public any disciplinary action taken, "in keeping with your stated desire to root out leaks."

It seems at the very least, Bush has lied to the American public once again. I know, I know. All president's lie, but Georgie seems pathological. The only question left in my mind is how much of all the tripe he spews does he actually believe. Is he ruthless or stupid?