Thursday 21 July 2005

White House Stresses Roberts' Wife "Not A CIA Agent"

No Knowledge of WMD's; No Plans To Send Husband To Niger

In announcing John G. Roberts to be his nominee for the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, President Bush stressed to reporters that "Mrs. Jane Roberts is not a CIA operative"

The President went further, saying "there are no planned leaks on Roberts, or his wife" and even chided reporters that "see, we're being up front with you all".

To further demonstrate the point, Chief of Staff Andrew Card released a Press Kit on Mrs. Roberts to the media, which included a detailed interview with the new nominee's wife, and a layout of Google maps, with street and routes outlined to demonstrate that Mrs. Roberts hasn't even traveled close to the location of the CIA Headquarters.

Card did admit that Mrs. Roberts has been near and in the FBI Headquarters, taking a public tour when she was in college. However, Card also stressed that Mrs. Roberts was not employed at any time by the FBI.

"As best as we know, the only thing she knows about Weapons of Mass Destruction is what she has read in the newspapers or seen on television", said Card.

Card advised the media that this actually has been a policy of the White House "for some time" and he wanted to take the opportunity of the prime-time announcement to "refresh" the media on it.

A source close to the White House believes there will be "a flood" of these announcements.

"It's a new strategy to downplay the Rove scandal. Blur the lines … Say we've always down it".

Critics believe Mr. Bush pushed up his announcement for the Supreme Court vacancy in order to push Rove and the growing investigation into the background.

Scott McClellan, White House Press Secretary, said that he was "aware" that Mrs. Roberts was not a CIA operative.

'Yes, they did tell me about this one, in advance".

Card and McClellan were asked if there are any plans to have Mrs. Roberts become a CIA agent, and, if so, will she have the authority to send her husband on secret, fact-finding trips.

"I am not aware of any such plans", stated McClellan. "I don't believe the President has any such plans. He's never stated such plans".

Card indicated, that in the Mrs. Roberts Press Kit, the Google maps will demonstrate that "Mrs. Roberts has never traveled in or near Niger".