The Libby trial is going to be quite fun. I just don't see how the administration gets out of this one without losing something:

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 — The chief defense lawyer for I. Lewis Libby Jr. told a jury today that his client was innocent of perjury and obstruction of justice charges and that White House officials had sought to make him a scapegoat in the investigation of the leak of a C.I.A. operative’s name to protect Karl Rove, the White House deputy chief of staff.

Let's review the bidding. The prosecution claims the second most powerful member of the administration led the effort to smear Wilson/Plame and obstructed justice via his hitman, Libby. The defense claims the administration's leader, the Preznit, was using Libby as a scapegoat to cover for their number one snake, Rove.

What I think everyone I'm reading is finding most spectacular is just how conflictual Cheney seems to have been with Bush ..... or at least their staffs. It has been conventional wisdom that they worked in lock step. The picture that is emerging suggests that Cheney was running more of a shadow government with less than full support from the Preznit's staff. And Bush? Probably off playing with his chainsaw collection.

Should be good times as Cheney goes to testify. I'm looking forward to Fitgerald questioning the Darth-Vader-in-chief. In any other time, the V.P. would be resigning. But then these are not ordinary times. On the other hand, it would be timely to put Bush's annoited one into the V.P.'s office. But I won't be holding my breath. Hell, I thought it appropriate for the whole bunch to have resigned about five years ago.

Update: Looks like Ari Fleischer is a White House rat who was granted immunity to testify against Libby. Ari kinda looks like a rat ....