Jeff Toobin on CNN saying WP Viveca Novak story hard for him to believe

[DeepModem Mom]

He says her testifying indicates for certain that Rove is not out of the woods, and says it's not the job, or usual practice, of prosecutors to call witnesses in order to exonerate suspects.

[mzmolly]

1. Very interesting point.

it's not the job, or usual practice, of prosecutors to call witnesses in order to exonerate suspects.

Makes sense to mua.

[MADem]

2. Usually, suspects will ask people who can exonerate them to go have a

"friendly chat" with the prosecutor...no need whatsoever for formal TESTIMONY.

Here's Luskin's spin to the press, FWIW (and my take is that the source is Luskin himself, despite the convoluted sourcing):

It's not clear why Luskin believes Novak's deposition could help Rove, President Bush's deputy chief of staff, who remains under investigation into whether he provided false statements in the case. But a person familiar with the matter said Luskin cited his conversations with Novak in persuading Fitzgerald not to indict Rove in late October, when the prosecutor brought perjury and obstruction-of-justice charges against Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby.

"This is what caused to hold off on charging" Rove, the source said. But another person familiar with the conversations said they did not appear to significantly alter the case.

...The disclosure of Novak's impending testimony is the latest indication that Fitzgerald is still considering charges against Rove and that the investigation of Bush's top aide continues, even as the prosecutor prepares for Libby's trial. It also shows that Rove, who, like Libby, was dragged into the case for talking to reporters, is now hoping that a reporter will help pull him out.(MORE AT LINK)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/28/AR2005112801683.html

The article notes that Luskin and Viveca are friends...maybe he is hoping she will lie for him, or maybe, because their friendship is a known quantity, that Luskin hoped Fitzgerald would "take his word for it." Ooopsie!!!

[DeepModem Mom]

4. Thanks, MADem for this background, and your wisdom! nt

[HereSince1628]

9. Are we sure it's Rove? Aren't there other possibilities

all involving who knew what Rove said and when?

At this point things could range from secretarial staff acting to obstruct (and declared phone call that ended up not being logged could do that) and hang a little person on the meat hook; or it could involve the timing of specific language in a conversation that conflicts with another version by another person who testified.

[MADem]

11. It looks like him, so far

Of course, all we know is what we read in the papers, and the main guy talking about all this to the press is Luskin, Rove's attorney.

It could go higher. Frankly, I hope it does!

[HereSince1628]

12. Well, an island in a river is obvious as hell in the light of day

but then again still water runs deep.

Rove is who people are thinking about, but there is no reason to believe that he is directly what Fitzgerald is up to. Until Fitzgerald makes his move, if he makes a move, we won't know.

[MADem]

18. And it is entirely possible that Fitzgerald is taking this in stages quite

deliberately; the old drip, drip, drip of prosecutorial water torture. One by one, they are taken away...screams are heard from the other room...what could be happening over there? Who will get it next???? Who's talking to save themselves???

One factor that no one is really talking about is what is going on in the bowels of the CIA. Those guys are really pissed at this administration, for trying to make them the "bums with the bad intel" re: the war, for trying to slime their rather beloved former director, Tenet (and then quickly giving him a medal when they realized they had bitten off more than they could chew), for putting Porter Goss in there (hugely unpopular move)...it really would not surprise me if there's some sort of assist coming under deep background to Fitzgerald from that quarter.

And if that is the case, I'd say next up to bat after Rover is Five Deferments Dick!

[joeybee12]

3. It's clear Rove's attorney is playing in the court of public opinion...

...some stupid reporters (like Michael I. and the twit who wrote this Post article) are buying it. Fitzgerald won't play that game--he's just being very thorough in trying to get to talk to as many people as possible. Rove's whore attorney is trying to spin something mundane into something significant.

[underpants]

5. Saw it-He was laughing in Wolf's face

Seriously he was. None of it made any sense but Wolf just kept reading from his blue page talking points as usual.

Only 90 more minutes before Wolf returns to the Ewok tree village and begins shaving for tomorrow's adventure down in human land.

[DeepModem Mom]

6. Now, I'M laughing, underpants! nt

[underpants]

7. =

I love that. I'm very proud of it.

I'm at home today sick so I get to watch the funniest show on TV-The Situation Room. God Wolf made it sound like W had a clue who Duke Cunningham is and what happened yesterday "slammed" "railed against".

[DeepModem Mom]

8. Wolf is, indeed, a funny little man.

:)

[MADem]

19. Well, old Wolfie cut his chops, as it were, as a 700 Club reporter

...so that should give you a sense of his journalistic training and level of expertise!

No, I am NOT making it up, really! (Someone will no doubt suspect that!): http://www.yuricareport.com/Media/OnPatRobertsonWolfeBlitzerAndDavidCorn.html

It’s scary to hear someone carry-on like Pat. But it’s sort of strange to realize that Pat and Wolf Blitzer go way back together. Yep! Wolf used to work for Pat Robertson's CBN way back when Pat was setting up his news bureau and Wolf was the 700 Club’s reporter from the Middle East. He was a lot younger in those days, but in those beginning days Pat exposed Wolf Blitzer to a viewing audience that topped the Nielsen ratings at 28.7 million monthly viewers! That’s a great way to launch one’s career. But Wolf Blitzer likes to keep that part of his career kind of quiet. He doesn’t list the 700 Club’s news bureau in his biography. He doesn’t tell CNN’s audience that Pat was like an angel to him when he was just an independent reporter starting out. But those of us who watched Pat’s show could never forget Wolf Blitzer’s reports. He was presented to us as such an expert—we were just so proud of him! And look how high he’s gone. You’d think he’d give Pat a little credit. No doubt he says “Thanks” by inviting him on CNN!

[writes2000]

10. I wonder if Luskin is guilty of obstruction

if Luskin mentioned something about V. Novak as a way of stalling Rove's indictment and Luskn's info turned out to be a lie, isn't that an issue for Luskin?

[...of J.Temperance]

13. Who is Viveca Novak again? Sorry, I've heard the name but

I can't remember what her role in Plamegate is.

[DeepModem Mom]

14. She's a TIME mag reporter. Here's a brief article --

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7001208621

[...of J.Temperance]

15. Okay

I'm going to read that now, thanks :)

[swhisper1]

16. If it is just a deposition Fitz wants from her, he is just

seconding a source or tying up a loose end. She isn't going to be helping Rove since she never spoke to anyone but his lawyer. Could be Fitz wants to know if she was being co-erced to back some false testimony. I suspect Woodward brought her name into the picture

[DeepModem Mom]

17. Good thinking, swhisper -- thanks for posting, and welcome to DU!

[MADem]

20. Actually, she is a friend of LUSKIN's--Rove's attorney

Luskin brought her name up to Fitz, which supposedly made Fitz "pause" in his efforts vis a vis Rove.

What will be interesting is what Vivica says AFTER SHE TESTIFIES. The prohibition on talking about the case no longer applies after you have finished your turn in the witness box. We'll know more then.

She didn't try to use the "secret source" argument or get out of her appearance, so whatever conversations took place, they did not take place under the reporter-source rubric.