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***Sorry about the server hiccup everyone.  While we were down, Marcy completed liveblogging at DKos here.  We'll update our liveblog thread as soon as Marcy can eat her lunch and give her tired fingers a break.  Thanks everyone for your patience — and please remember to be judicious with comments and refreshing.  Thanks much!  — CHS  UPDATE from Pach:  All the content posted during our site hiccup at Dkos has now been posted here at FDL again.  Check below this post here and here for all the courtroom updates.  Marcy's at lunch and when she gets back, we'll be back in full action here at Firedoglake.  Thanks for your patience! *** 

It's lunchtime, and I thought we could all use a little diversion.  So I've gathered a few link to some funnies — some Libby related, some not, but all in the spirit of fun.  (Well, most of them are fun, anyway.)

– The Daily Show did a Libby trial recap that is hilarious.  Too funny.

– Be still my heart:  The General has the hots for FDL's Libby coverage.  And a fascinating sneak peek at Tim Russert.  And fubar at Needlenose does a little trendspotting.

– Michael Kinsley's snide is too subtle, but that doesn't mean that I can't laugh at it anyway.  Especially this:

The specific facts of this saga have not been friendly to the press's arguments. Far from keeping the government honest, the leaks, or intended leaks, to Novak and others, in this tale were all part of a dizzy spin campaign in the Vice President's office. What's more, everyone involved seems to have overlooked the fact that a leak of the identity of an undercover agent can be against the law. This is a law that even most journalists think is reasonable. This law cannot be enforced if one of the parties to an illegal conversation is protected by the Fifth Amendment's right against self-incrimination and the other party, as journalists wish, is protected by a First Amendment reporter's immunity from testifying. Journalists have secrets, and government intelligence agencies have secrets. Journalists seem to be saying that their secrets are always more important and always get to win.

But even Bob Woodward can't create a leak all by himself. It takes two. You need someone else with inside knowledge of the evildoing in question. And here is what's strange: the gospel of the leak has nothing to say about sources except that the reporter won't blab about who they are. If the boss finds out who the leakers are in some other way and fires them, or if they find themselves the subject of a gargantuan federal prosecution, they should not look to the press for sympathy.

Big hat tip to the reader who e-mailed the article link to me, but forgot to tell me what screen name to thank.  So, thanks! 

–Digby pulled a choice selection from the Judy Diva Roadshow.

– In case you missed it last night, Olbermann had another special comment — and Crooks and Liars has the video up for your viewing pleasure.

– The Nitpicker points out Michelle Malkin's most recent faults.  Quite handily, I might add.  For more on Malkin's fatuous hot air, see the lovely folks at SadlyNo!

– Taylor has a compilation of Republican lemons.  Mwahahaha.

– The latest TBogg takedown of J-Pod?  Too funny. 

– Patrick at Making Light has a peek at the Bush thumb on the science scales.  Not funny, but well worth a read.  And a call to your elected representatives.  (What?  You can do it in between hitting the refresh button…)

– While we're at it, please go and read this story from Bob Geiger.  It's infuriating, but it needs to be read, discussed and sent out to anyone pushing escalation.  Soldiers are not automatons we send out to do the neocons bidding — they are human beings, and we would do well to remember that each and every time a decision is made to send them into harm's way.  Each and every time.  While you have your elected official's office on the phone, tell them to say no to escalation — and offer to send them a link to this article.

Related posts:

  1. The Bush Fairy Tale on the Libby Pardon
  2. Cheney’s Betrayal Made an IIPA Charge for Libby Possible
  3. New White House Counsel Bob Bauer and Scooter Libby Justice
  4. Dick Cheney, Scooter Libby, and the “Unremarkable” Meat Grinder
  5. Frank Rich: McCain Was Wrong On Everything. CNN Treats Him As Sage