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Ruh-oh.
Today we'll have another round of juror selection. I'll be live blogging the proceedings in the comments, but I just wanted to express my sympathies to the New York Times. Judy Miller hacked into their site last night and posted a big wet kiss to Scooter Libby under Scott Shane's byline. So sad. Let go, Judy, let go.
Actually, while yesterday's coverage of voir dire across the establishment media spectrum seemed to be about the frequency of potential jurors under review who have strong negative feelings about the administration or the vice president, the defense is just as intent to sort out what exposure potential jurors have had to press coverage of the case. While the stories I saw filed last night seemed to be of quite high and impressive quality, the totality of the coverage of the Libby case and the swirling currents behind it have not been well covered. That's how we bloggers, actually, developed our legitimacy to cover this story, even here in the press room.
I may do a little more on the media issues surrounding this case and its coverage later, perhaps with my nightly review. But for now, BANG! SWOOSH! GONG! It's time for live blogging.
First order of business today, and 9:00 AM EST, there's a closed courtroom session going on, though we are told to expect jury selection to resume, and closed circuit access to the preceedings to return, at 9:30 AM EST.
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Fitz!
We’re back up with potential jurors. 20’s white female up, now being queried by Judge Walton.
More draino please - the tubes are super stuck this morning. Or, maybe they are hung over after the binge following from yesterday’s excitement!
Thanks for sitting through all of this for us. I really appreciate it.
Richmond and all — Our tech geniuses are working on it. I think we’ve identified the problem and it looks like we’ll be fully running again momentarily. (Luv people who know what they are doing with a computer, don’t you?)
Thanks Christy (and FDL’s amazin techies)!
Richmond @ 3
I’m glad to hear it’s not just me. I wasn’t sure that it wasn’t my computer, but I’m thinking FDL might want to check their computers, because I can get to the site, but when I wanted to go to the comments, it didn’t work. I had to get out of my browser and back in before I could get to that page and it seemed pretty iffy at that.
The site is really slow, I would hate for it to crash and force us all to miss our fitz-fix. As much as I detest the thought, I pledge to only update comments once every 10 minutes. Hopefully this will ease the strain on the toobs.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 5
Well in that case, sorry I wrote #7. I was writing it before Christy’s #5 came up.
What I really wanted to express, though, is my sympathy for Jane. I’m so sorry that she’s going through this again, and at such an inopportune time. Jane, just keep the faith and get well soon.
Pachacutec- How is Mr. Fitz looking today?
Stop prosecuting the white black man known as Scooter! He is one of us, man!
BTW, what kind of tie is our brother wearing today?
On spying etc. Americablog has up that the DoD is gathering info on protestors even more than previously known. Couple that with C & L’s piece (via Salon) that Michael McConnell, the new Director of National Intelligence was head of a private intelligence contracting firm of the type that has some of the greatest problems with privacy concerns. Plus McConnell was a key figure in the infamous Total Information Awareness program aimed at spying on ordinary Americans.
Seems as if the administration’s outing of one of its own CIA agents (Plame) in the rush into the Iraq war, is now being addressed through other illegal spying related actions.
Black Panther Party at 11 — Man, that ought to have come with a spew alert. I just lost half my mouthful of coffee. hehehehe
As iBlack Panther Party @ 11
As in the NYT piece today from which this is quoted, the whole article is geared to make Scooter look like a nice, non-right wing guy at heart, here wrongly on trial.
Ok, I’m back. We have reviewed three jurors so far and we just had another struck who said, “I certainly can’t believe any statement by the Bush administration.” Walton: does that include Mr. Libby? “Yes.”
She was excused. The other two today are still live options, but may one has prosecutor friends, and may not survive peremptory challenge.
Matt Stoller reviews “Anatomy of Deceipt”
http://www.mydd.com/story/2007.....5#readmore
“The book is a meticulous description of the pre-war Iraq sales job, and how the administration used certain structural weaknesses within the DC governing and media class to undermine and betray America. Marcy paints a truly devastating portrait of a thoroughly corrupted New York Times (which has since scrubbed its archives to unsuccessfully remove damning evidence in its complicity in the outing of Valerie Plame and the march to war). She shows how the administration, and specifically Cheney’s cabal, used the press to launch a dishonest PR campaign selling the war, and how the press protected them, and still protects them. The book makes a larger point, too, about how we talk about politics in this country.”
Any indication of whether the closed hearing had to do with jury selection, or some other matter, like resolving possibly outstanding CIPA matters (which I doubt, if it only lasted a half hour)?
Pachacutec @ 15
What are the odds they can find 37 people who beleive anything from this Administration?
From the NYTimes article:
He was “Cheney’s Cheney,” in Ms. Matalin’s words, “an absolutely salient translator” of the ideas of the man considered perhaps the most powerful vice president in history. Mr. Libby had a role in virtually every national security initiative of the administration’s first five years.
Does Mary not realize how damning these words are?
And, thanks, Pach. Hope you got adequate sleep.
Can we put Judy Miller back in jail?
so no wingnuts yet?
Obviously in the District, that would be unlikely, but just asking.
Pach is it true that Condi will be a witness for Scooter?
And, what about the FDL blog/report a couple of days ago that someone at the NYT recently had Libby’s name removed from the archived editorial involving Judith Miller? Was that true, and if so, what are your thoughts on how and why it occured?
Jeff @ 17
Jeff I was thinking that it might have to do with jury selection. I read somewhere thus AM (maybe Boston Globe?) that PAtFitz made a bunch of objections to Team Libby’s questions yesterday saying they went beyond the scope of what Walton had approved.
It is entirely conceivable that Team Fitz did a little legal research last night and camme in this AM with a bunch of caselaw about they scope of appropriate voir dire questions. it’s what I would do in his shoes if I didn’t want Team Libby to wrest contril of the courtroom away from Walton in week one.
this next guy used to work under Woodward as a reporter years ago. Small town.
Yes I am a little worried that Wells et. al. are doing a good job of skewing the jury. They only have to get one closet wingnut in there to scuttle the case.
Pach,
If you notice a trend, I would be curious to know if Team Libby tones it down today. It would be an indication that my theory about this hearing this AM, may have some merit
May I just say with regard to the NYTimes article, that Barbara Comstock (fyi, click through on all the links in the post inside this one) is quite good with her sales pitches on the manipulative spin front. That she has been doing this for ages and ages. And that any journalists or others who are approached by her with “useful information” ought to be fully aware that they are being used like yesterday’s newspaper at the bottom of a very dirty birdcage from the get? I just needed to say that out loud.
annx @ 25
I am also worried that they, not Walton are setting the pace here. It is a slippery slope, but if Walton cannot contain them from the outset, he will lose control of his own courtroom. Once the jury realize that has happened, they begin to look to the alpha dogs in hte room for their info.
That’s what happened in the OJ trial
Good morning everyone,
Pachacutec, another vote from the peanut gallery for some color commentary on Patrick Fitzgerald this morning, if you have a moment. ;-)
-S
The thing is, there will be a number of people on this jury who have familiarity to varying degrees with the administration, the war justification, some of the coverage of this case. The key will be whether or not they can deal fairly, and only, with the evidence before them.
These juror processes are very interesting.
Pach at 24 — Well, that’s interesting, isn’t it? Small world. Wonder if he has any “bias” concerning Woodward? *g*
Fitz’s suit looks like a dark olive color. The earth toned hippie!
Will someone have an update on Jane? It is 7:30 on the West Coast
Christy Hardin Smith @ 31
Fitz is following up with precisely that line of questioning as I type this.
looseheadprop @
23
Very interesting, and sounds plausible.
FITZ y’all
holy shit, just caught up with Jane thing
you’ve got these bastards on the run Jane
Not sure how many people know about these virtual candle pages, but I set up a page for Jane.
You can light just one candle for a person or whatever intention you wish–world peace, anyone? Or you can start a “group” of candles, which allows you to put all the candles that are lit for one person to be together in one place. I like that, because for those of us who belong to caring communities on the web, in times of difficulty, it’s nice to have a visual representation of all those people gathered in support.
Pachacutec @ 30
I think we are on to something here, sending a shrink to jury selection. Could start a trend.
Thus far I think two things. The defense is going to stretch this trial out for as long as is possible, and the fair trial issue will be front and center. I can hardly wait for the continuances, the appeals, and what not.
Christy @27
Blank Rome is just about THE most nakedly politcal firm I have ever encountered. They actually regard a lawyer’s politcal involvement as part of the job performance (or so I am told by a partner there)
They work both parties, and even minor parties and are quite brazen about it.
They raise a ton of money, for all kinds of cnadiates.
Pachacutec @ 32
Thank you. I can go back to my regularly scheduled drooling now.
-S
president for life of the Patrick Fitzgerald Estrogen Brigade
Christy Hardin Smith @
27
I think we can cnsider Christy the “anti-Barbara Comstock.” Or maybe the “anti-Victoria Toensig.” Well that’s a disservice, maybe we should just say they’re not fit to wipe her shoes and be done with it.
Mornin’ Jane,
Glad you can be with us today. I was thinking about you most of last night.
Techie question here. Is there any way I can remotely get my FDL to “refresh” without my clicking the button with a key stroke? What I mean is that I had to miss yesterday’s live blogging because of a writing deadline, and today am editing on hard copy so it will be easier, but to refresh comments here I have to regularly put down my pen, interrupting things a bit too much. Any help would be appreciated!
This guy is getting some of the deepest questioning from Fitz yet. Probing his perceptions of people he has been familiar with personaly, like Pincus and Woodward. Intersting stuff he’s saying now about the internal hierarchy at the WaPo. Heh. Caste system?
Jane at 42 — Thank you. I’ll take anti-Victoria Toensing for a thousand, Alex… *g*
BTW, oughtn’t Boris and Natasha be rearing their bought and paid for heads any time now to spin the Republican line on this trial for all and sundry on every single news show that Comstock can contact? In 5…4…3…2…1…
Libby trial story on MSNBC now…
Jane Hamsher @ 38
This quote from the Times Shane story a real piece of dog doo:
…Among Mr. Libby’s friends and former colleagues, the case brought by Patrick J. Fitzgerald, the special prosecutor, is considered not only unjust, but also a terrible irony.
“He’s going to be the poster boy for the criminalization of politics, and he’s not even political,” said Mary Matalin, Mr. Cheney’s former political adviser.
I mean who began the criminalization of politics in recent times? not the GOOPer Congress on Clinton. And do we accept the Mary quote about Scooter not being political as truth or was Mary just really setting out one of the legs of the stool that the defense rests on–Scooter wasn’t political. This war was about truth and national security.
I would like to think Shane put the quote in their knowing it was horse shit so folks could just devalue Matalin, but that is a vane hope.
It’s also possible for people who light a candle to include a message. If you click on my name, you can see what I wrote.
The message is optional, though. Just lighting the candle is a nice way of letting someone know you’re thinking about them, “holding them in the light”, or praying, if that’s what you do.
One of the legacies of my Slovak-American grandma is some of her grandkids are candle-lighting junkies. ;)
We should start a betting pool. Who will testify? Does Fitz have a “smoking gun?” Under cross, willl Cheney yell, “you can’t handle the truth.” Which reporter(s) will wet him/her self on the stand? Who will spill the beans? There should be some more…
As you may have already guessed, Valerie and I are keeping a very low profile these days. We don’t want to do anything to interfere with Mr. Libby’s time in the sun.
But be sure that I am lurking here watching all the great blogging and commentary, grateful that there are so many who understand what this is all about, and who care. Cheers to you all. Joe
As each juror is being questioned are the other potential jurors present?
Are those that have been passed on present?
In my jurisdiction that is the case and sometimes a juror will blurt something out that is prejudicial to one side or the other.
“scooter” makes lewis libby sound like a benign happy guy. a real “leave it to beaver” name. who knows maybe hitler had a cute nickname like “skippy hitler.”
O.T. Raw has up that Iran just downed a U.S. drone. Will this be the excuse used to invade Iran now?
Holoscan, or whatever FDL uses, ate my comment on this quote from the NYT Libby profile.
Basically, what a load of shit to make this the lead quote.
Among Mr. Libby’s friends and former colleagues, the case brought by Patrick J. Fitzgerald, the special prosecutor, is considered not only unjust, but also a terrible irony.
“He’s going to be the poster boy for the criminalization of politics, and he’s not even political,” said Mary Matalin, Mr. Cheney’s former political adviser.
Now, remind me, who started the criminalization of politics? Not the Gooper Congress in 1998?
Now Fitz is asking him about familiarity with Judy Miller’s refusal to give up a source. He does not remember who the source was.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 5
this is Redd’s nice way of saying that the techies have once more discovered Sen. Ted Stevens has been sneaking visits to fdl. Every time he opens this page, it slows way, way, way down……..
Pach,
Your firsthand reports are invaluable. You scooped MSNBC on yesterdays responses, and your quotes were on the mark. The intertubes are defining the curve, not ahead of it.
You are blazing a new trail here, and all of us are vicariously with you for the ride. This day, neigh this moment in history is to be remembered by future generations. With no cameras in the courtroom, the catchphrase “The Revolution will not be Televised” is ironic and foretelling. VIVA FDL!!! Viva La Revolution!!!
Aside, Jane, glad to see you in good spirits. As Atrios said, “Hope is Hope”.
Hi Joe! I hope this trial goes perfectly, and therefore at least half as well as the civil trial.
O.T. Raw has up that Iran just downed a U.S. drone. Will this be the rationale used by the Bush admin to invade?
Heh. Fitz just asked him about blogs. He said, “I’m allergic to blogs.”
Heh.
Lord, what a gift Pach is today!
This is an interesting problem, what will it say of the character, curiosity, analytical ability of a potential juror to be able to sort through this case if this person has not already taken the time to have a working knowledge of the circumstances?
I’m sure it’s an age old problem of jury selection but the curiosity about one’s own govt must be different than about a corp CEO. Well, hopefully there’s a difference…
Joe
Lets hope that you see your family presents neatly wrapped up under the Fitzmas Tree.
Ambassador Wilson,
The restraint shown by you and your wife though this long journey has been remarkable.
Many a crime victim would be sitting front and center in the courtroom.
You are SO correct to let Scooter and his actions be the focus here
Sorry for the duplicate comment. Slow tubes, nothing was going through so I thought it had been lost. Moderator - please remove on. And again, Sorry!
Thanks Pach for your blogging!
Oh and Richmond–
well, if we were trespassing (which I am sure we were) seems like they had every right to do so…
Richmond @ 55
If the drone was over Iranian airspace, the Iranians have every right to shoot it down if it doesn’t respond to requests to identify itself and land. Additionally, some drones are armed. If that is the case, the US has committed an act of war.
Joe at 52 — Thanks much. Was thinking about you guys yesterday and wondering if you had plenty of popcorn… *g*
Here is the Amazon page for Scooter Libby’s book entitled “Apprentice” for anyone into a crotch grabbing thruster of a book.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obi.....ref=nosim/
Fitz really drilling down on this guys ability to be fair. Used an analogy of referreeing his son’s basketball game: would you have to work hard to be fair, or to avoid trying to push to the other side by way of being as fair as you can be? Would the struggle to be fair based on your personal potential worries about bias prevent make it difficult for you?
It was nicely done, I thought. And the guy said, in fact, he has referreed his son’s basketball games.
Christy and Jane,
Who do you think the immunized witness is?
Ed*ard Teller @
68
Iran shoots down U.S. spy drone amid growing military pressure
old gold at 53 — Most likely there is a single juror being questioned individually. The remainder of the pool will be sequestered in a jury room in some other area of the courthouse or out in the hallways. Those who have been dismissed are free to go home, to work wherever, but they do not then hang around to watch proceedings. Pach can confirm on this, but that’s the standard procedure.
Wells is now working on this guy on Russert, since they used to be neighbors.
Jane Hamsher @ 38
I got tons of gift certificates for shrink services as presents for the holidays.
;-)
I’ll check to see if I have any left to donate.
excellect work Pach
Angie and E.T. - I agree completely; And, also fear that this event will be used as an excuse for us to invade. There was something similar before the Iraq invasion as I recall -claims Saddam was trying to shoot down U.S. planes over their airspace.
looseheadprop @ 65
e looseheadprop @ 65
Whenever we feel the frustration (and it does happen) we remember that whatever they may have
done to us is mere inconvenience compared to what they have done to the country, and in particular to those who wear the uniforms of the armed services and their families. It keeps everything in perspective.
When I’ve been called to jury duty (Virginia), the judges told us that even though we may have some knowledge about cases, they were very sure most of us could set aside hearsay and make our verdicts based upon presented evidence only. FWIW.
Also there’s been some interesting discussion about courtroom dynamics. Aren’t judges aware of the various ploys and plays for influence from both sides?
dang! anyone else still having toobestrubbles???
CALL ME FRUSTRATED!!!
btw, gang, I am typing to you this morning from a brand new laptop — my prior one having fried yesterday afternoon in a fit of pique at being overworked and under-rested. So, say hello to the new workhorse. here’s hoping she works better than the last one and that i get used to this keyboard soon so that the typos won’t be so plentiful…
Renee in Ohio @ 37
I like this very much. One suggestion, however, the background for the pull-down menu is yellow and the font is white, so it’s very difficult to read. You might want to choose a darker font. Otherwise, lovely idea.
OT/EPU: The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moved the Doomsday Clock from seven to five minutes to midnight today.
Surprisingly, the Board Statement does not directly mention the Bush Administration’s decision to supply India with civilian nuclear technology as a factor, while Iran and North Korea do figure, as does the 2001 standoff between India and Pakistan.
There is also a lengthy section on the problems of Global Warming.
Amb. Wilson,
We met briefly during the DNC, summer 2004 when you were on a panel in Cambridge. We were both getting coffee and I said that I hoped that Fitzgerald would do a good job for you and your wife. Little did I know that we would all be here at this time focused on every detail of what we hope will be exposing the deeds of this evil administration to the light of justice.
I continue to hope that Fitz does well not just for your sake but for all of us and the country. I think he will.
Christy! Pach! FDL TECHIES!!!
whoa… that very special, AWFUL feeling when the toobes were clogged. egad guys. gotta sit a spell & let the ole ticker calm down… whew.
OT: Watched the WHOLE Lehrer interview w/ our favorite darling cheerleadder last night. Riveting. Honest. Biggest thrill: having Lehrer shift imperceptibly from surely pre-announced, canned questions & expected pseudoanswers - BUMP - straight to a real unanswerable !DOOZIE!, every once in awhile, but still in that same calm, soothing voice he always has. Then listening & watching that guy in t’other chair as it begins to dawn on him that Lehrer’s just gonna let him talk, & talk, & talk, without the slightest interruption.
The whole schtick’s agonizing in its subtle beauty. You can see the glib beginning, complete with the patented grunt [translation: oh yeah, yep, got-er right here, rif # such&such], then the panic slowly sets in, the speech falters, then re-starts, then clicks into & out of miscellaneous memoriziggered bits ‘n pieces of jibberjabber… and STILL Lehrer sits there & lets him grope, & pant, & sweat, f.o.r.e.v.e.r.
Ooooh it were good. and he’s our leader in chief. how proud we are… and how thankful to see him as eloquent as he can possibly be. Why, he didn’t even have to say, “Now wait. Just let me finish!” even once.
Nice job Jim, but do try ta get control over that lil’ twinkle in yer eye. ;->
Adie @
80
yeah, it’s slow going this AM. I’m sure they are furiously working on it and will have it fixed soon — as they always do.
Christy,
Have you heard the “son’s (or daughter’s) basketball (or soccer or liittle league, for that matter) game ref” analogy made in jury selection before?
Not my choice, mandrake. Unless they’ve changed something at Gratefulness.org to allow that kind of customization.
It’s not my site–just one I’ve used and like the idea.
This guy has so much tangential familiarity with so many moving parts in the near universe of this case, I can’t see him getting through. I don’t want to say more because I could identify him, but he’s answering all the fairness questions exactly right. I think he’ll survive any challenges for cause, but one side or the other won’t take a risk on him and will peremptory. He could have a great deal of influence over the rest of the jury. I think Fitz would be more likely to risk having him than Wells would.
What a long inquiry!
Pachacutec @ 15
You have to wonder if there’s a manual circulating on “How To Be Excused From The Scooter Libby Jury.” A very short manual.
Whenever we feel the frustration (and it does happen) we remember that whatever they may have
done to us is mere inconvenience compared to what they have done to the country, and in particular to those who wear the uniforms of the armed services and their families. It keeps everything in perspective.
Joe@78 - We Salute You!
Pach–
When you have time, can you say, roughly, what percentage of jurors interviewed thus far are government workers? Does that percentage hold for the number of jurors seated?
Renee,
The candle page is a great idea … a good place to focus energy on Jane’s quick recovery.
Pachacutec @
71
Question for LHP, CHS, and other legal eagles: What are the chances that Fitz knew this about the guy before he asked the question?
montag @ 92
When I have time I’ll look back at my notes.
Ed*ard at 82 — Yes. It’s actually a pretty common one around these parts, because in a small town sort of place, i’s a really good analogy to what you might be feeling when you are asked to judge the credibility of someone you likely know — or know family of, at the very least. Plus, it is a friendly way to get at an issue of bias without insulting the potential juror. It’s a good strategy from Fitz.
thanks twolf1. If you say it’s slow, it must be. heh! carry on wit yer normal programming & I’ll keep up as best I can.
FDLrocks!!!
RevDeb @ 84
I have great faith in a system of governance that is based on the rule of law, and as much confidence in the person of Pat Fitzgerald as I have in anybody outside my wife. The fact that the administration is now attempting to politicize the US attorney offices is to me a clear indication that they have come to fear the rule of law. More than anything the administration has done over the past six years, this act of firing US Attornies and replacing them without Senate confirmation is a subversion of everything we hold dear as Americans, not as Republicans or Democrats, as Americans. Our very republic is under attack.
Whew: we have a 10 minute break now. This last back and forth with this one guy took about an hour.
Ambassador Wilson
It is the abilty to not act out frustration, the self discipline that you both have shown that impresses me.
Similarly, I have been impressed by the self discipline shown by Team Fitz and imagining what has been bottled up behind their very professional refusal to give press conferences inthe driveway while taking out the household trash.
Lacking much of it myself, I always notice and admire it in others.
Our republic and our Constitution are being destroyed before our very eyes and some still believe in this administration… it is mind-boggling in the extreme.
Joe Wilson @ 98
Add to that the fact that a Pentagon official apologized for attacking lawyers who do work for Gitmo detainees - and apologized publicly! . . . yep, they are definitely afraid of the rule of law.
Peace to you and Valerie, Ambassador!
Is there a chance that the WAPO pulled strings to get this guy on the jury list, or is it merely chance?
Pachacutec, I’m curious. Does it seem like the reactions of the jurors to the two sides involved is fairly even, or are there smiles and physical reactions/body language showing to one side more than the other?
-S
Peterr at 94 — Good.
Strategerie @ 104
No pattern, really. The questioning is begun by the judge, and each side has the opportunity for follow up.