Libby trial inching closer to Cheney, White House

I've been following reporting about the trial of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Dick Cheney's former chief of staff who is charged with perjury and obstruction of justice for lying about what he knew about who revealed the identity of CIA agent Valerie Plame.

The details of the case and the background story is so extensive and convoluted, that I'd never dare to try to lay it out. But Joe Conason's recent piece does a good job of summing up what's going on in the trial and why people are beginning to wonder just how far this case will reach.

It all boils down to the Vice President, his aide, and even perhaps the President, not only leaking a covert CIA agent's identity, a serious felony, but then attempting to cover up the involvement of Karl Rove, Cheney, and possibly others.

The fact that they'd even try to "out" Valerie Plame in an attempt to discredit her husband is disturbing, as it's a goofy idea to begin with, and shows just how freaked out Cheney got over anyone showing signs of getting in the way of their peddling of false intelligence to support their rush to war.