Fighting back

Bill Kristol:

WHEN CHIDED for a sharp or acerbic remark, Pat Moynihan used to invoke an old aphorism: "This animal is vicious; when he's attacked, he bites back." Moynihan would quote the French verse, which made the point seem more elegant (cet animal est très méchant; quand on l'attaque, il se défend). We quote it in English, so the Bush administration will not be deterred from acting on its wisdom.

In other words: Mr. President, fight back.

Last week, news from the prosecution of Scooter Libby put the debate over the justification for the Iraq war back on the front pages. The president, through Vice President Dick Cheney, apparently authorized Libby to share with reporters key judgments of the National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq--evidence that disproved accusations from Joseph Wilson and others that Bush had manipulated or distorted the judgments of the intelligence community.

There was nothing unlawful or improper about what Libby claims the president did. News reports, however, darkly implied that Bush had been caught doing something disreputable; Democrats accused the president of duplicity, hypocrisy, and possible illegality; and the White House went into its characteristic defensive crouch: "We're not commenting on an ongoing legal proceeding," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said.

...

The irony is that the leak was a way of fighting back against the false charges made by Joe Wilson. It seems that the faux anger of the media over the leak is consistent with its theme that the Bush administration should never have attempted to correct the misinformation published by Wilson. When looked at in that context the kerfufle make some sense.