Leaking Legitimacy

Another crumb of controversy fell from the figurative plate of yellowcake last week, when a court filing revealed former vice-presidential aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby’s accusations against both Vice President Dick Cheney and President George W. Bush. The prosecution’s filing said that Libby told a grand jury that Bush had authorized Cheney to leak specific classified information that supported the administration’s views on Iraq, namely that Saddam Hussein had attempted to acquire uranium ore from Niger.

Libby is now on trial for lying and obstructing an investigation of the leak of the identity of Valerie Plame, an undercover Central Intelligence Agency officer working in Niger. Despite the fact that Bush is not on trial, the revelation that Bush ordered selective leaks raises worrisome questions about his methods of pushing for the invasion of Iraq, especially given the contested nature of the leaked information. And considering the notoriously strong loyalties of Bush’s staffers, we believe that Libby, in turning against the president, is presenting allegations that are at least plausible.

If Libby is indeed being honest, and the commander-in-chief was also the “leaker-in-chief,” then Bush chose a dishonorable path to push his agenda. The administration only released information to journalists that it viewed as sympathetic to the president’s goals (such as New York Times reporter Judith Miller), which exemplifies Bush’s desire to manipulate public opinion.

This is not to say that what the president did is illegal. It is within the president’s power to declassify information as he sees fit. But it is disappointing that he chose to selectively notify those who were bound to support his position by highlighting this new “evidence.” Ironically, he has routinely chastised members of his own administration for their own leaks of internal White House activities to the press. In a time when Bush’s popularity and legitimacy have eroded, Libby’s testimony implicitly attacked one of the last strongholds for Bush’s presidency: his supposed honesty. The White House has responded to Libby’s words with silence. This is not what we expected from the man who once stated that “a President must mean what he says.”

If the President has something to say or declassify, we strongly support open press conferences where he can face the entire press, regardless of their opinions. When our president wants to share information with the nation, he should always be open and honest, and Bush’s behavior in this situation only decreases our faith in our leader.