Scottie McC seems prepared to testify more broadly about Plame (and about pre-war intelligence) than Chairman Conyers thus far envisions.

According to Roll Call, Conyers has cordially invited Scottie McC for an HJC chat on June 20 (h/t egregious): "I have extended an invitation to Mr. McClellan to testify before the Judiciary Committee after discussions between Committee staff and his attorneys," Conyers said. "In his book, Mr. McClellan suggests that senior White House officials may have obstructed justice and engaged in a cover-up regarding the Valerie Plame leak. This alleged activity could well extend beyond the scope of the offenses for which Scooter Libby has been convicted and deserves further attention."

Henry Waxman noted the same thing that I did about Scottie McClellan's book. He noticed that Scottie McC's book sure came close to saying Dick Cheney and George Bush were personally involved in the outing of Valerie Wilson.

Scottie comes awfully close to confirming that Bush did authorize the leak of Valerie Wilson's identity.

The passionate media poobah dismissal of Scott McLellan's new book, and the insistence that he has joined the ranks of liberal bloggers in an outlandish attack on their integrity, is pretty amusing. I guess it's on us to remind everyone how Time Magazine knew that what McClellan was telling them about Plame wasn't true, but they printed it anyway...

While I still don't advocate that you all go out and buy Scottie's book (tell you what--I'll buy it and tell you the interesting bits), this little revelation is interesting news: McClellan also suggests that Libby and Rove secretly colluded to get their stories straight at a time when federal investigators were hot on the Plame case.

At a Chicago fundraiser for Dem. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) called "The Ultimate Women's Power Lunch," the featured Guest of Honor and Hillary Clinton supporter Valerie Plame crossed paths with Michelle Obama. Somehow, fireworks failed to break out. Who let these two be campaign surrogates?

A Monday tra la through the news spin cycle: I'm with Aravosis -- some public comment on the Bush Administration's plan to yank counterterrorism funding from police, fire and rescue departments would be a good thing. Howie raises some excellent points on war profiteering and the Bush Administration that are worth asking over and over until there are solid, public answers to them....

The best disinfectant for government corruption and bad acts is a healthy dose of sunshine. To that end, I say to Attorney General Mukasey -- release the transcripts: More evidence that new Attorney General Michael Mukasey is running a more transparent and inclusive shop than his predecessors John Ashcroft and, especially, Alberto Gonzales:

Manages to write an editorial criticizing Bush's stingy use of the pardon power over the last seven years...Mr. Bush is to be commended for intervening, even though he did so deep into Mr. Short's prison term. But the gesture falls woefully flat. This is only the fifth commutation Mr. Bush has issued since taking office in 2001.