Bush backs Rove

The Dallas Morning News reports that President Bush has backed up Karl Rove. In a roundtable type discussion with a group of 5 Texas newspapers, Bush said,

"Karl has got my complete confidence. He's a valuable member of my team."

According to Reuters, the president also got in a shot at the sharks which have been circling Rove for months:

"Why don't you wait and see what the true facts are?"

"We're in the midst of a serious investigation," he said. "There is a very fine lawyer looking into all this, all the allegations."

This is a somewhat amazing development. The White House has been absolutely mum on the Rove / Plame saga for months. Presidential Press Secretary Scott McClellan has been taking an almost daily beating from the press for weeks, yet has refused any comment. The official White House line has been, "No comment on an ongoing criminal investigation." And now, suddenly, the president himself comes out swinging in support of Karl Rove. Do they know something we don't?

TAGS: Bush, Karl Rove, Valerie Plame, Rovegate, Plamegate