No Soaring

Christian blogger Allen Brill posts today about the response of "Christian Hawks" to the Valerie Plame affair (Ms. Plame is the CIA employee whose employment with the Agency was recently made public by columnist Robert Novak).

In his post, Allen writes that I've ignored the whole thing, which is true in the sense that I've not posted on it, although I've been following it.

So, let me say a brief word: if something illegal has been done by someone in the Bush Administration, then they should be prosecuted. Has anything illegal been done? I have no idea (which is one reason I haven't posted on it). Bob Novak -- the guy, again, who revealed her employer -- claims that the Administration officials who mentioned her did nothing illegal, and others have said that her employment at the CIA was and is common knowledge. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't (Clifford May claims that "everyone" knew).

I'm not sure what Allen thinks my motivation is for not blogging about the issue; perhaps he thinks I was avoiding it because it paints the President and/or his administration in a bad light; perhaps he thinks I was agonizing over it; perhaps he thinks I am in denial; perhaps he hasn't even wondered about my motivation at all.

What is my motivation for not blogging about the incident? Two things come to mind: first, I don't blog about everything -- good and bad -- which affects the President. A lot of times, it just depends on my mood. Second, and relatedly, at this point, the issue doesn't seem as big of a deal as some claim. It surely isn't indicative of Bush's character, as Allen believes it is, when he writes:

The Plame Affair reveals the very heart of this administration. While they have claimed to put the security of the nation above all else, even to the point of dragging us into a war with little international support, it is now becoming clearer day by day that the national security is far less important to them than their own political power. Honor, dignity and integrity have vanished like so much mist. Some of us knew it was a mirage all along.

Allen, here's how I understand the events: Novak spoke with senior administration officials who mentioned that Ms. Plame worked for the CIA. Novak said as much in a column.

This is indicative of dishonor, lack of dignity, and integrity... how, exactly? That's what I don't get, that's why I don't think this is a huge deal, and that's why I haven't blogged on it. If it turns out that these actions constitute a violation of the law, fine: prosecute those involved. But even then, how is this a major breach of the public trust?

I'm being honest... I'm trying to be objective, and I just don't see why or how this says what Allen thinks it says about Bush et al.

I look forward to Allen and anyone of like mind explaining why and how this is bigger than it seems to me to be.