when will the firings happen?
This was Scott McClellan’s comment in September 2003 about the Plame leak:
The President has set high standards, the highest of standards for people in his administration. He's made it very clear to people in his administration that he expects them to adhere to the highest standards of conduct. If anyone in this administration was involved in it, they would no longer be in this administration. [emphasis added]
The NY Daily News (h/t: Ron Chusid at Liberal Values) summarizes the ten—yes, ten!—people in Bush’s administration who leaked Valerie Plame’s identity as a covert CIA operative:
Vice President Cheney When Libby reminded his boss the vice president that he learned about Plame from him, Cheney tilted his head quizzically and said, "From me?"Karl Rove
Bush's top political mastermind told reporters Robert Novak and Matt Cooper about Plame.Richard Armitage
The former deputy secretary of state gossiped about Plame to Novak, and marveled to Watergate icon Bob Woodward, "How about that?"Ari Fleischer
Bush's former spokesman got immunity before admitting he told reporters John Dickerson and David Gregory about Plame. Reporter Walter Pincus said Fleischer told him about her, too.Dan Bartlett
Fleischer claimed Bush's counselor blurted out to him on Air Force One in July 2003 that Plame "worked at the CIA."Robert Grenier
The top CIA official overseeing Iraq operations got nervous over Libby's pestering and later "felt guilty" about telling Cheney's chief of staff about Plame.Bill Harlow
The CIA spokesman told Cheney flack Cathie Martin.Cathie Martin
She told Cheney and Libby about Plame.Marc Grossman
The No. 3 at the State Department also told Libby about Plame.Craig Schmall
Cheney's CIA daily briefer discussed Plame with Libby.
I wondered, briefly, when the firings would happen. Then I remembered: living up to a promise would require someone in Bush’s administration to have integrity.