A new CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll is absolutely devastating to the Bush Junta. If you so wish, feel free to perform the "Snoopy Happy Dance," even if you're at work; if anyone asks, tell them it's a "religious thing" and threaten to file a lawsuit if they keep bothering you. Now, onto the poll.

A whopping majority, 55% "now judge Bush's presidency to be a failure," and believe that the remaining three years of "his" presidency will continue to be a failure;

Only 49% view Bush as honest and trustworthy (which is amazingly high and just underscores the fact that the "liberal media" is a complete and total fabrication of the extreme right-wing);

56% believes he can't "manage the government effectively;"

During his, "Notes? I don't need no stinkin' notes!" hour plus performance last Friday, Patrick Fitzgerald had much to say. He patiently explained the role of the Grand Jury, outlined the case his team was investigating, emphasized the seriousness of the charges against Scooter Libby contained in his indictment, talked about what he couldn't talk about and answered questions and answered questions and answered questions. Everyone was impressed to the nines.

After a weekend of sleep and recovery from countless hours of reading Reddhead and Jane at Firedoglake, a tidbit of simplicity has finally bubbled to the surface.  

All the words Our Man Fitz rattled off last Friday added up to one cool unspoken message.  

"Your move, Scooter."

TIME reports:

[A] source close to the investigation told TIME that Fitzgerald and Libby's attorney Joseph Tate discussed possible plea options before the indictment was issued last week. But the deal was scotched because the prosecutor insisted that Libby do some "serious" jail time.

Mike Duffy at the Huffington Post also talks about a Libby deal:

[A] number of veteran criminal-defense attorneys believe a trial will be avoided for one reason: Libby's lawyers face the prospect of calling veteran journalists' credibility into question and permitting the prosecutors to call some of the most senior officials in the government, like the Vice President, to the stand. In an environment in which little to nothing has gone right for the White House, politics alone could compel a Vulcan like Libby to take one for the team.

Of course, any plea bargain also has the potential to endanger higher-level officials like Cheney, who is mentioned more than once in the indictment.

I want to return to wg's comments from KO's blog, which NYBri quoted the other day.

He'll follow the evidence where it leads and no further, but he's not afraid of anybody, especially these smug thugs. He seemed like a walking, human rebuke to the insane political atmosphere of the last decade.

And also DarkSyde's excellent diary this morning over at Kos:

When you or I, or a politician, or anyone else is under oath, they damn well better either tell the truth, or not answer the f**king question. And if they lie and they get caught, I want them subject to the same consequences everyone else is subject to. Doesn't it matter if they're democrats or republicans or communists or theocrats or lunatics, because this is a matter of law and law cannot play party favorites.

(George Inness expresses similar sentiments here).

And finally, from Fitzgerald's news conference:

When I was in New York working as a prosecutor, we brought those cases because we realized that the truth is the engine of our judicial system. And if you compromise the truth, the whole process is lost.

In other words, respect for law is the necessary precondition for American Democracy.  It is part of the social contract into which we all have entered, and it is so ingrained in our shared consciousness that we rarely question how fragile it is.  But the law is like paper currency: it only has value for as long as their is a collective agreement that it does.

Plame. Flame. Take Aim.
The hurricane "Blame Game".
Miers' Aflame!  It's all the Same...
A dubious Claim to Fame.
No sense of Shame.
Only Shell Games; Con Games; Head Games.
Where is the reference Frame?

They drop Names with Tame Acclaim.  
Saddam to blame?  Lame.
Lay Claim, and then Defame... Shame!
Life is not an exhibition Game.

Freedom fries.  No Allies?
A pack of lies.
Outing spies - unwise!  Alibis?
Sensationalize for my eyes.  
Decriminalize.  Surprise!  Evil underlies.  
Torture wins a Nobel Prize.
Don't improvise.  Say your goodbyes.
Please advise, there's no reprise.

Plame. Flame. Take Aim.
The hurricane "Blame Game".
Miers' Aflame!  It's all the Same...
A dubious Claim to Fame.
No sense of Shame.
Only Shell Games; Con Games; Head Games.
Where is the reference Frame?

They drop Names with Tame Acclaim.  
Saddam to blame?  Lame.
Lay Claim, and then Defame... Shame!
Life is not an exhibition Game.
But they still Overcame.

Freedom fries.  No Allies?
A pack of lies.
Outing spies - unwise!  Alibis?
Sensationalize for my eyes.  
Decriminalize.  Surprise!  Evil underlies.  
Torture wins a Nobel Prize.
Don't improvise.  Say your goodbyes.
Please advise, there's no reprise.

Friends and neighbors in a green Trance.
Dance with France?  No chance.
At first Glance, a vast Expanse... Eyes Askance.
Emboldened in an empty Stance.
Refinance!  Like a rain dance with a sand lance.
War romance. High finance.
Need another cash Advance?

Scooter, Scooter, on my Computer.
He's a grassy knoll Shooter;
A neocon Looter;
Pockets filled with Pewter.
Please find a Recruiter
for my friend Scooter.

Welcome to the Political Cortex!

This editorial piece in the WSJ online about the indictments is so riddled with factual errors and meritless arguments, I think the author was channeling Ann Coulter. At the age of 12. Before she had her sex change and was still confused.

Patrick Fitzgerald's investigation took nearly two years, sent a reporter to jail, cost millions of dollars, and preoccupied some of the White House's senior officials. The fruit it has now borne is the five-count indictment of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, the Vice President's Chief of Staff--not for leaking the name of Valerie Plame to Robert Novak, which started this entire "scandal," but for contradictions between his testimony and the testimony of two or three reporters about what he told them, when he told them, and what words he used.

Two sentences. two tons of bullshit. As Fitzgerald explained yesterday, this investigation would have ended a year ago if Judy the Tease didn't hold out. And "millions of dollars"? As has been pointed out time and time again, the investigation has cost only $743,000.   Keep your boots on, and let's wade through the second paragraph:

But there is a question to be asked about the end to which the accused allegedly lied. The indictment itself contains no motive. And Mr. Libby is not alleged to have been the source for Robert Novak's July 14, 2003 column, in which Valerie Plame's employment with the CIA was revealed.

Charged with lying repeatedly to the Grand Jury, Scooter Libby has been indicted on 5 counts.

Perjury, Obstruction of justice, and false  statements.

Russert now answering questions about his conversations with Libby.

Transcripts available soon.

From the Special Counsel's website:

**MEDIA ADVISORY**
SPECIAL COUNSEL PATRICK J. FITZGERALD TO HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE

Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Department of Justice Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald will hold a press conference at 2:00 P.M. EDT today, Friday October 28, 2005, regarding the status of the Special Counsel's criminal investigations.

WHO: Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald
FBI Special Agent-in-Charge John C. Eckenrode

WHAT: Release of public information and press conference

WHERE: Department of Justice
7th Floor Conference Center
950 Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20530

NOTE: 7th floor access to reporters at 11 A.M. EDT Cameras allowed access at noon EDT Cameras must pre-set by 1:00 P.M. EDT

Fitzmas starts today ...

Update [2005-10-27 23:48:52 by btyarbro]:: O.K. So much for the Times. Here's a clearer piece from the LATimesthat seems to withhold judgment on Rove's fate. Guess we wait until tomorrow. Fitzgerald is not required to alert Rove's lawyer ahead of time.

The NYT is reporting tonight that I. "Scooter" Libby faces indictment tomorrow. Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald will ask for an extension as he still holds Karl Rove under investigation.

Here's the link and a small snippet:

Associates of I. Lewis Libby Jr., Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, expected an indictment on Friday charging him with making false statements to the grand jury in the C.I.A. leak inquiry, lawyers in the case said Thursday.

Karl Rove, President Bush's senior adviser and deputy chief of staff, would not be charged on Friday, but would remain under investigation, people briefed officially about the case said. As a result, they said, the special counsel in the case, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, was likely to extend the term of the federal grand jury beyond its scheduled expiration on Friday.