Did We Really Expect a Man Named Scooter To Be a Tough Nut To Crack?

I never expected indicted former Dick Cheney capo I. Lewis Libby to be a holdout with federal investigators–I figured any guy his age called "Scooter" would do anything to stay out of the pokey. But the ease with which Libby has turned state's evidence is pretty stunning. Ultra-short recap: Libby is the only guy indicted so far in the Valerie Plame case, in which a CIA agent's name was leaked to the press. He's charged with lying to a grand jury and federal investigators.

His cooperation seems like it might spell trouble for the Bush admin. Not necessarily legal trouble–as the Christian Science Monitor reports, the "leaks are probably legal but 'amount to using sensitive intelligence data for political gain.'"

No, the trouble may worse than legal–it may be political for an embattled White House that's sporting a sub-40 percent approval rating while sliding into midterm elections. The spells tough toenails for the GOP.

But who cares about them: It's nothing short of fucked-up (even if it is politics as usual) if Libby's version of events re: Plame, etc. is true. Not just libertarians but virtually all sentient Americans have gotten so used to government at all levels lying most of the time and engaging in constant scumbaggery and hypocrisy that we may well have lost that sense of moral outrage former drug czar Bill Bennett used to talk about all the time until his gambling habits became public knowledge.

More on Libby's testimony here.