[richlevy]

I find Joe Scarboroughs take on the Rove affair interesting.

What amazed me was the attempt at spin by Rep Peter King (R,NY) on Tuesday.

SCARBOROUGH: Now to the storm over the president's top adviser, Karl Rove. Did he leak classified information to a reporter, and should he be bounced from the White House?

With me now to talk about that is Congressman Peter King.

Thank you so much for being with us, Congressman.

It's a fascinating case. And I just got to start by saying, you and I served together during the Clinton administration. We attacked the Clinton administration for not taking national security more seriously. I got to just tell you, I mean, bottom line is, if Clinton's chief of staff or top adviser had leaked the identity of a CIA agent, you and I would be up in arms and say, Clinton had to fire that person immediately.

Should Karl Rove be treated at the same standard?

REP. PETER KING ®, NEW YORK: No, in fact, I think Karl Rove should get a medal, Joe. I really mean that.

I think this is much do about nothing, because let's look at the facts very clearly.

SCARBOROUGH: For revealing a CIA agent's identity?

KING: First of all, it's only a crime if she was undercover, if he knew she was undercover, and he did it deliberately.

I think, Joe, this thing was such a hoax. Joe Wilson was a shameless self-promoter. Everything about his story was either a lie or a hoax or he was incompetent. And when Karl Rove—even just looking at the e-mail. If you are talking to a reporter and you have someone like Joe Wilson, who was totally discrediting the president of the United States, unfairly and untruthfully, and you say, how come this guy was sent over to do this?

And to say, you know, looking at the fact that he is—was sent over

by his wife, who was in the CIA.

A medal? For outing a CIA agent whose only offense, according to King, was in not speaking to the press, when she probably couldn't?

So much for Republican=patriot. I still can't believe the spin he tried to put on this.