A Glimpse of Secret Rove

"Simpson says she found no evidence of infidelity despite months of observation. She tells Pelley that Rove, who had been a top Republican strategist in Alabama, had made requests for information from her before in her capacity as an 'opposition researcher' for Republicans running for office."

Here's a video clip. Pelley says Simpson claims "that the Siegelman prosecution was part of five-year, secret campaign to ruin the governor."

Pelley asks Simpson if she was surprised by what Rove asked her.

Simpson: "No.

Pelley: "Why not?"

Simpson: "I had had other requests for intelligence before."

Pelley: "From Karl Rove?"

Simpson: "Yes."

An Exaggeration -- at Best

President Bush's campaign to terrify Congressional Democrats into submission on national security issues may be losing its effectiveness -- see my Feb. 15 column, The House Strikes Back-- but Bush isn't backing off. In fact, he's ratcheting up the rhetoric.

In an interview with reporters on Air Force One yesterday, as they headed home from Africa, Bush was asked about foreign intelligence surveillance. And he made the over-the-top assertion that if Congress doesn't grant retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies, there will be "no program" at all.

In reality, plenty of surveillance would continue to be legal, and plenty more would become legal if the House version of the surveillance bill -- which does not include retroactive immunity -- became law. So what, one has to wonder, is Bush talking about?

From the interview: