In Libby Trial, Big Names Make Jury Picks a Tall Order

Then he noted that one of his best friends plays in an over-40 football league with Libby. And he has heard that Libby "has a great arm."

Did he mention that he went to grade school with Maureen Dowd, he asked the judge? That would be the New York Times columnist who publicly savaged colleague Judith Miller after some of Miller's reporting on the Iraq war came to light around the time of the Plame investigation. Miller is a witness for the prosecution.

One juror, a middle-aged woman, told the judge that she had worked in the "executive residence" -- that is, the White House. She was an administrative assistant in the grounds office from the Reagan administration until the inauguration of President Bush.

Another woman said she helped develop health policy in the office of the secretary of health and human services. She said she could be impartial about the administration but acknowledged she was "not particularly impressed" by how Cheney has handled certain events.

Not every potential juror knew the people in the case. A retired math teacher who moved here from North Carolina said he had no basis for judging the credibility of White House officials, including Cheney -- although he admitted that he was "not sure I would like to go bird hunting with him, either."

Walton chuckled, and Libby burst into laughter, burying his face in his hands.

Staff researcher Julie Tate contributed to this report.