Reply #139: Yes, BUT, it's a plan.

[Festivito]

At trial Libby tries to blame upper FOUR-or-more, specifically, Cheney.
Jury MIGHT aquit Libby as LOW-LEVEL player. (No need for Libby to then testify against Cheney.)

Libby lawyer calls for excessive secret revelation, Bush defies, MAYBE jury sympathizes that PDBs are denied and aquits Libby.

Libby plays game with two words: AUTHORIZED and ENCOURAGED. The jury might not catch the difference as the word choice changes at trial and most especially in the press. Libby was authorized by Cheney to release the info. So, we'll hear, the release of that info was NOT ENCOURAGED by Cheney.

Cheney can be made to look a passive player at his trial. (Libby's job to maintain the confidence.) AND, he IN NO WAY ENCOURAGED the release of that information. (Bamboozle a jury.)

With at least four officials AND DOCUMENTS, it may appear an orgy of informants. Passive players.

Motive remains clouded, shrouded for a weary jury. Rebut WMD allegation, discredit Wilson's trip, OR, stop Plame/Brewster-Jennings from thwarting plant of WMDs in Iraq. Can't say with certainty. (Fitzmas kicker: Why did Libby lie in the manner he lied earlier, hiding Cheney?) But, then, why is he telling the truth about Cheney.

Libby will try to claim a FAULTY MEMORY.

Pass the popcorn, please.

Will it reach Bush*? Bush may be impeached by states without notion of Plamegate, so Bush will be able to pardon Plamegaters should RepubliCONs lose '06 since, he'll argue, his impeachement is on different grounds.

The list of players so far:

The Documents (on that plane to Africa?)
Stephen Hadley
Karl Rove
Colon Powell
Karen Hughes
Condoleeza Rice
Carl Ford
Dick Armitage
Lawrence Wilkerson
George Tenet
James Pavitt
John Bolton
Noel Koch
Flynt Leverett
*GWB

It will be an uphill fight.