Why the Libby Verdict Is So Damning

Before the GOP spin machine kicks into high gear, shouting from the mountain tops that the Libby verdict is just about making false statements to the FBI, and that no one was ever charged with the underlying crime of outing Valerie Plame, let's make it clear that Libby was found guilty not just of perjury but of obstructing justice -- obstructing justice in order to encumber the investigation and keep secret the dark, ugly truth about how the White House sought to cover up its lies about Iraq and its efforts to intimidate and silence critics of the administration.

But the cover ups are unraveling. And they are unraveling at a speed and in a quantity that guarantee Bush's legacy will both be marked by the tragedy of the Iraq war, and soiled by corruption, indictments, and convictions.

So on the same day that the Libby jury returned its guilty verdict, we have the second day of searing and sickening testimony about the way we've been treating our wounded troops at Walter Reed, and Congressional hearings investigating the sudden firing of eight U.S. attorneys for allegedly being too zealous in their prosecution of GOP corruption. And with Democrats back in control of Congress we can expect more of the same over the next 22 months.

Following the verdict, one of the Libby jurors asked reporters, "Where's Rove? Where are these other guys?" The answer: waiting for a whole flock of chickens to come home to roost.