The White House, Rove, and More Lies

Think Progress delivers some interesting recent and current facts, like how the WH first told us that the idea that Rove was involved in outing Plame was ridiculous and that Bush knew Rove was innocent.

First:

This morning, Newsweek revealed that Karl Rove told Time reporter Matt Cooper that Joe Wilson’s wife worked for the CIA.
Here is what White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said about the matter on 9/23/03:

Q All right. Let me just follow up. You said this morning, “The President knows” that Karl Rove wasn’t involved. How does he know that?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I’ve made it very clear that it was a ridiculous suggestion in the first place. I saw some comments this morning from the person who made that suggestion, backing away from that. And I said it is simply not true. So, I mean, it’s public knowledge. I’ve said that it’s not true. And I have spoken with Karl Rove –

And then there's this from today:

23: Number of times McClellan could’t answer a question because the Rove investigation is “ongoing.”
10: Number of times McClellan couldn’t answer a question because it was “related” to the investigation or in the “context” of the investigation.
16: Number of times McClellan said he just wouldn’t “comment” on a question.
5: Number of times McClellan assured reporters he “appreciates the questions” about Rove’s involvement in the Plame case.
8: Number of times McClellan told reporters he and the president were “helping” the investigation with their silence.
8: Number of times McClellan said he and President Bush want to “get to the bottom of this.”
3: Number of times McClellan said he and the president planned to “cooperate fully” with the investigation by not answering questions.
10: Number of times McClellan claimed he’d already “responded” to a reporter’s question.