From Prime Time to B-rated: Wilson Redux

The rapid rise of stars is often punctuated with a mighty decline. Are we on the edge of Joseph Wilson's fall from the heights? In his early days of scrabbling for the pinnacle of media attention he was a simple talking head on the Fox box. But that is where the troubling event is alleged to occur. A slip of the tongue, a bit of name dropping, some innocent self promotion and wham-mo, the General learns of your wife's employment. Nothing to worry about at the time. There is the NYT op ed to write, a White House to slander, a book to contemplate. Not to mention picking up the twins from day care. And the future is so bright! Adviser to President Elect (almost) J. Effn K. part of the epic future. Speaking engagements abound! The book success, darling of the media, champaign and caviar, it doesn't get any better than this.

But it appears the slope has shifted. For most people who aren't obsessed with this whole Plamegate affair, major questions began to surface after the Special Prosecutor failed to find any evidence of a crime in regards to the intent of the investigation. Hopefully it was not a crime, because Joe seems to have crossed that line many moons before he accuses the W.H. of the same. And its going to be hard to argue with Major General Paul Vallely. Its mano a mano.

Wilson countered Vallely's claim with a weak letter from his attorney. Joe! What happened? You have to get the media to support you and trash Vallely's accusation, as well as go after him personally. It worked for you so well before, why changes your tactics now? Or were you just a pawn, a starlet that was used and abused by the mainstream media? Do you mean to say that it wasn't you who came up with the smear campaign against the Administration? Who wears the pants in the family?

Another weak letter from Wilson's attorneys finally scratches the General, who sends a left hook and lands it squarely! Yes, Vallely called for Wilson to publicly apologize for accusing him of slander. Ouch, no easy way out of that one. What can be done? No way to prove or disprove a conversation between two people without a record. And a trial means investigating what Wilson's history is concerning his wife's employment and that is probably not going to go well. And the other option is unthinkable. Apologizing would be an open admission that he had loose lips. It will be fun to track this next episode of the Wilson Affair, even though its been moved to Sunday afternoon, and will likely be preempted by overtime football.