Peering Inside Bush's Head

Sticking to His Guns

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Deb Riechmann writes for the Associated Press that Bush "called Saturday for patience as U.S. forces conduct stepped-up operations in Iraq.

"'We're still at the beginning of this offensive, but we're seeing some hopeful signs,' Bush said in his weekly radio address, in which he likened U.S. troops deployed around the globe to the signers of the Declaration of Independence. . . .

"'Today, a new generation of Americans has stepped forward and volunteered to defend the ideals of our nation's founding. ... They've helped bring freedom to the Iraqi people,' he said. 'They've helped make Americans more secure. We will not forget their sacrifice.'"

Leahy's Warning

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Lyndsey Layton writes in The Washington Post: "The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said yesterday that he will attempt to cite the White House for criminal contempt of Congress if it does not turn over documents related to the firing of nine federal prosecutors.

"'If they don't cooperate, yes, I'd go that far,' Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) said on NBC's 'Meet the Press.' 'This is very important to the American people.'"

Scooter Libby Watch

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This just in: Barring action by the president, Scooter Libby will be going to prison soon.

A three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals this morning rejected Libby's request to allow Libby to remain free on appeal. "Appellant has not shown that the appeal raises a substantial question" under the applicable law, the panel wrote, explaining that "substantial question is one that is 'close' or that 'could very well be decided the other way'."

How Close Did Rove Come to Getting Indicted?

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Matt Apuzzo writes for the Associated Press: "Midway through his CIA leak investigation, Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald was pretty sure of two things: First, he wasn't going to charge White House aide I. Lewis 'Scooter' Libby with revealing a covert operative. And second, he thought Libby's testimony was a bunch of lies.

"Documents unsealed in the case Friday revealed that when Fitzgerald subpoenaed New York Times reporter Judith Miller in 2005, he was already building a perjury and obstruction case against Libby, the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney. . . .

"Information about investigative interviews with President Bush and Cheney remain blacked out, as does information about White House political adviser Karl Rove."

The newly released passages also reveal once and for all that Fitzgerald was indeed at one point in hot pursuit of Rove: "Regarding [Time reporter Matthew] Cooper, the special counsel has demonstrated that his testimony is essential to charging decisions regarding White House adviser Karl Rove," one judge wrote.

Furthermore, the words "and Rove" had previously been redacted from this sentence: "Thus, given the compelling showing of need and exhaustion, plus the sharply tilted balance between harm and news value, the special counsel may overcome the reporters' qualified privilege, even if his only purpose -- at least at this stage of his investigation -- is to shore up perjury charges against leading suspects such as Libby and Rove."

Blogger Jeralyn Merritt writes: "How close did Karl Rove come to getting indicted in PlameGate? As they say, 'this close.'"

For background, see my April 28, 2006, column.

Fourth anniversary

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Four years ago today, Bush had this to say to America's would-be attackers in Iraq: "My answer is, bring 'em on."

Bush on the Rocks

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Deb Riechmann writes for the Associated Press: "President Bush's presidency is stuck in low gear. On Sunday, his fishing boat was stuck on stop.

"Fellow Republicans may not be rushing to rescue his legislative agenda, but the Secret Service bailed Bush out of a jam when his boat anchor got wedged in rocks along the Atlantic Coast."

Cartoon Humor

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Tom Toles on wiretapping; Mike Luckovich on Bush and Congress; Garry Trudeau on Cheney.