The Argument: The Mantra on Rove & Plame – v.1.01

Here’s the mantra I would suggest for Democratic talkers, responding to the current RNC talking points on Rove:

1. Bush cited bogus intelligence to justify war on Iraq.

2. Karl Rove burned a CIA NOC agent because her husband corrected one of Bush’s bogus claims.

3. The Republican leadership defends Rove’s actions.

4. The White House lied for two years about Rove’s actions.

5. Bush said he would fire whoever was involved in that, but he now seems to have changed his mind.

 

I think those are the essential points.

 

As for the falsehoods in the current RNC talking points – which is an irrelevant attack on Joe Wilson – I think it’s a mistake to talk about them. I strongly suspect they were deliberately put in as bait. They provide an inviting target, so we talk about them. And then instead of attacking Rove for indefensible conduct he has admitted to (through his lawyer), we are defending Joe Wilson against false accusations. Every word we spend defending Wilson gives the impression – perversely, but nonetheless – that there is a real debate, and that it is the relevant debate.