convenient leakiness

Let me make sure I understand this. Leaks of classified information that you know is discredited in order to slander critics of the de facto Administration who have the temerity to tell the truth are okay. But if information that is accurate and is only classified to protect wrong-doers (for example, the fact that this Administration is engaged in unconstitutional eavesdropping without a warrant) should make it to the press, then we'll call out the dogs and they'll try to nail not only the leakers but the journalists or watchdog groups that receive the leaks.

This is bad stuff. Libby's revelations don't necessarily help his legal case (he still perjured himself) but it certainly reinforces the view of this regime as out of control and convinced that it has some sort of mandate from God to do whatever the hell it likes, laws and the Constitution be damned. Very Nixonian.

And speaking of Nixonian, John Dean writes that at a minimum, Libby's revelations that Darth Cheney did NOT have the authority to declassify the information about Joe Wilson's wife that Cheney told Libby to leak to Judy Miller.

And the "declassification" of the National Intelligence Estimate which Cheney (inaccurately) said proved the Iraq/Niger uranium connection was covered up:

What is apparent, however, based on Fitzgerald's filing, is that no one other than Bush, Cheney, Libby and apparently Addington was aware of this unilateral and selective declassification - if, indeed, the NIE was declassified. The secrecy surely suggests cover-up. For example, Fitzgerald notes that Libby "consciously decided not to make [then Deputy National Security Adviser] Hadley aware of the fact that defendant [Libby] himself had already been disseminating the NIE by leaking it to reporters while Mr. Hadley sought to get it formally declassified." (Also, CIA Director George Tenet apparently was not aware of the partial declassification by Bush.)

Watergate was a scandal about domestic political intrigue, and it was bad. This Administration by contrast makes Nixon look if not quite like an angel, at least like a petty crook rather than the constitutional felon he was.

Worse than Watergate.