Silent Now, GOP Used to Talk Tough on Leakers

With Republicans and the White House now refusing to answer questions about what should be done now that we know Karl Rove was involved in leaking classified information, it is instructive to go back and look at their previous ideas about how they claimed to despise national security leaks.

BUSH ADMINISTRATION SAYS IT WILL NOT TOLERATE LEAKS: "The president does have very deep concerns about anything that would be inappropriately leaked that could in any way endanger America's ability to gather intelligence information, and even that could harm our ability to maintain sources and methods and anything that could interfere with America's ability to fight the war on terrorism." - White House spokesman Ari Fleischer, 6/21/02

GEORGE H.W. BUSH CALLS LEAKERS 'TRAITORS': "I have nothing but contempt and anger for those who betray the trust by exposing the names of our sources. They are, in my view, the most insidious of traitors."
- President George H.W. Bush, 4/26/99

RUMSFELD SAYS THOSE WHO LEAK SHOULD BE JAILED: "[Leakers] are disgraceful. They're unprofessional. They're dangerous. They put people's lives at risk. I would also add that I think it's the obligation of people who find people leaking to tell responsible authorities because folks that do it and put people's lives at risk ought to be in jail." - Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, 2/13/03

ASHCROFT SAYS LEAKS DAMAGE NATIONAL SECURITY: "Leaks of classified information do substantial damage to the security interests of the nation.” - Attorney General John Ashcroft, 12/14/01, upon creating a task force to investigate government leaks

One simple question: where are these tough talkers now when it comes to Karl Rove?

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