High Drama -- and High Crimes?

"SPECTER: Who on his staff?

"COMEY: Mr. Addington disagreed with the conclusion."

Bush's Role

Another fascinating aspect of Comey's story is that while Card wouldn't level with Comey -- not to mention negotiate -- once Comey and FBI chief Robert Mueller were actually able to speak to Bush directly, the president apparently agreed to make some changes to the program that his top aides were unwilling to consider.

After the hospital-room stand-off, Card summoned Comey. From the transcript:

"COMEY: Mr. Card was very upset and demanded that I come to the White House immediately. I responded that, after the conduct I had just witnessed, I would not meet with him without a witness present.

"He replied, 'What conduct? We were just there to wish him well.'

"And I said again, 'After what I just witnessed, I will not meet with you without a witness. And I intend that witness to be the solicitor general of the United States.'"

That conversation eventually took place, but Comey said it resolved nothing.

"SCHUMER: OK. Can you tell us what happened the next day?

"COMEY: The program was reauthorized without us and without a signature from the Department of Justice attesting as to its legality. And I prepared a letter of resignation, intending to resign the next day, Friday, March the 12th. . . .

"I believed that I couldn't -- I couldn't stay, if the administration was going to engage in conduct that the Department of Justice had said had no legal basis. I just simply couldn't stay."

Technically speaking, Comey explained, Bush signed the presidential order himself but the signature line for the attorney general to attest to its legality was apparently left blank.