Waiting for Godot

That's certainly what it seems like waiting for the results of the CIA leak investigation to be made public. Patrick Fitzgerald did display his net savvy by starting a website, but there's precious little information to be found there. This NY Times article has more info:

As he weighs whether to bring criminal charges in the C.I.A. leak case, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, the special counsel, is focusing on whether Karl Rove, the senior White House adviser, and I. Lewis Libby Jr., chief of staff for Vice President Dick Cheney, sought to conceal their actions and mislead prosecutors, lawyers involved in the case said Thursday.

Among the charges that Mr. Fitzgerald is considering are perjury, obstruction of justice and false statement - counts that suggest the prosecutor may believe the evidence presented in a 22-month grand jury inquiry shows that the two White House aides sought to cover up their actions, the lawyers said.

Mr. Rove and Mr. Libby have been advised that they may be in serious legal jeopardy, the lawyers said, but only this week has Mr. Fitzgerald begun to narrow the possible charges. The prosecutor has said he will not make up his mind about any charges until next week, government officials say.

That must make for a stellar weekend in the Rove and Libby households. Barbecue, anyone?

There was a lot of talk yesterday about this AP report that Rove and Libby did conspire to release information to reporters about Valerie Plame. Some have taken it as Rove stabbing Libby in the back, but since they're both implicated, I find that hard to understand. I think it's simply that there's no coordination on this. Nobody knows what one another has said to the grand jury, NOBODY, I mean NOBODY knows what Fitzgerald's thinking (his lack of leaking has been exemplary, especially giving that he's investigating a case of leaking), and it's nearly impossible for everybody to keep their stories straight. Especially when the net is cast so wide. The Times has a new piece of information in their story:

It is still not publicly known who first told the columnist Robert D. Novak the identity of the C.I.A. officer, Valerie Wilson. Mr. Novak identified her in a column on July 14, 2003, using her maiden name, Valerie Plame. Mr. Fitzgerald knows the identity of this source, a person who is not believed to work at the White House, the lawyers said.

Does "not believed to work at the White House" mean their office is no longer there (Condi)? Does it mean they've retired (Fleischer)? Does it mean they've never worked at this White House (Mary Matalin)? That's such a blind item I'd expect it on Page Six. At least they give you a hint.

So we'll have to wait another weekend, at least, for Fitzmas. The grand jury is set to expire October 28, so next week really must be it, unless Fitzgerald is granted an extension, and I see no reason why he would need it. As Tom Petty said, the waiting is the hardest part.