Second, and maybe someone else has already addressed this, but it has been bugging me…they used the same methods with the press and the Brits:
1. The WH fed lies to Judy and then went on the tube and referred to the stories in the NYT as if they were factual. “According to the New York Times (lie, lie, lie)”
2. They arranged to get the forged Niger documents into the hands of British intelligence, and then told the American people and the UN that British intelligence had in their possession documents that said Saddam was trying to get enriched uranium from Niger.

So cynical–though of course most people bought it–as if having planted the info, they could quote the people they deceived and have some sort of deniability by saying….”We didn’t say it was true, we said, ‘according to the Times’, or ‘Here’s what British intelligence tells us’….hey, not our fault if they were wrong.”

Because of Fitz, for the first time in years I have hope that we may get our country and our democracy back.

By the way, Tweety is actually going after the admin on Hardball right now about using the press. I’d really like to see the MSM not only go after the admin, but also admit their own complicity….a lot of people only watch the nightly news and they are still clueless as to this intricate web of deception and ineptitude.

In finally listening to the press conference in one go, it is obvious to me that further indictments are on hold until intent/motivation is provable. Once he has intent, the three who leaked go down – unless one of them cracks and gives away who told them all to do it and why and makes a deal. There was no point to charging Rove while he has so much on Libby and can make him very uncomfortable for a while.

Now, as to why would Libby give it up when he knows he will be pardoned in a few yrs? Because he is an out doorguy of 55 and a few yrs will be very very hard to do – let alone 30.

Re: Ari. He almost certainly is cooperating. You wouldn’t have the detail that Libby told him about Plame’s identity unless he was cooperating. And–as you can note by Fitz’ mention of Ari in the press conferece, Ari is a VERY critical witness in the Libby obstruction charge. You don’t rely on someone who doesn’t have good reason to be reliable.

If he refers to Ari by name, then that would seem to leave ‘Official “A”‘ in the lurch.

I’ve still got my money on Official “A” as being Rove.

-Monk

FITZGERALD: It’s also alleged in the indictment that Mr. Libby discussed it with the White House press secretary on July 7th, 2003, over lunch. What’s important about that is that Mr. Libby, the indictment alleges, was telling Mr. Fleischer something on Monday that he claims to have learned on Thursday.

In addition to discussing it with the press secretary on July 7th, there was also a discussion on or about July 8th in which counsel for the vice president was asked a question by Mr. Libby as to what paperwork the Central Intelligence Agency would have if an employee had a spouse go on a trip.

When I was listening on the radio, that caught my attention, right away. All those titles Fitzhugh threw out…then this relatively casual reference to Ari. It was weird.