Breaking: BFD

A conference call announcing the endorsement of Hillary Clinton by Joseph Wilson was just held with bloggers to hear the breaking news. This is a huge deal for Candidate Clinton and a big endorsement for her candidacy. That it was broken on the blogs sends a powerful signal. I'll provide the transcript as soon as it is available.

Wilson has known Clinton for over a decade. He said she is not the aloof rock star that walks on stage, gives her speech, then walks off with her bodyguards without feeling or thought.

As to shock value, it ranks right up there with Bernard Kerik endorsing Rudy. As to irony it's fitting, both being somewhat detached from the truth, so to speak. From a conspiracy viewpoint just remember that Time reporter Matt Cooper, who penned the story "War on Wilson?", which kick-started the whole Plamegame thing, is married to longtime Hillary strategist Mandy Grunwald.

But in terms of the upcoming Democrat primaries it's significant. If blogs are any indication then Democrats more closely followed the story than conservatives and many of those are likely primary voters. Many haven't warmed to Hillary due to Iraq, and Wilson--well--he's "Debunker One".

In terms of usefulness to the Republicans down the road, it just might carry a lot of weight as well. A whole lot.

MORE 7/16/07

Not exactly related, but did anyone else think Graham was just one more misplaced word away from getting his neck wrung right there on TV? His fear of Webb was palpable, even if he defended himself fairly well. Wonder if the realization that Webb carries a pistol has anything to do with it?

WILD HARE 07/17/07

The American Thinker has an interesting piece on newly released but formerly redacted court documents in the Libby case involving Richard Armitage. Clarice Feldman, the writer of the piece, ends with this opinion:

Each bit of information makes this prosecution look more focused on finding a scapegoat--Libby- than on finding out the truth.

Let's say for a moment that Fitz knew going in that 1) no crime had been committed but 2) the Democrats and others would howl if he didn't accomplish an investigation. It seems beyond odd that Armitage was never charged with perjury after telling the Grand Jury he didn't leak to anyone except Novak. He boasted that he didn't even need a lawyer.
This begs the question of a scapegoat alright, but doesn't clear up why.

Also, as the story eludes, maybe there was more to Matt Cooper's role than was initially suspected. Maybe that's why Rove was never frogmarched. Fitz is no moonbat. He's prosecuted his share of terrorists--the biggest and the baddest. It's not a given that he was on the dark side in this (that would be Wilson's, not Cheney's-just to be clear).