Not a good day for Cheney over at the Libby trial (which is being liveblogged at FDL by Marcy Wheeler aka "Emptywheel"). The prosecution blames Cheney for the Plame leak (with Libby lying to cover for his boss), while the defense blames -- the White House (I guess the vice-president works out of an office in Iowa or something). From Marcy's quick notes on the defense's opening statement:

Mr. Libby was not concerned about losing his job. He was concerned about being set up. He was concerned about being the scapegoat. Mr. Libby said to the VP, "I think the WH, people are trying to set me up, people want me to be the scapegoat. people in the WH want me to protect Karl Rove." [...] Cheney made notes of what Libby said. Notes show Libby telling VP that he was not involved in leak. [oops, Wells, accidentally said, "not involved in leak to Karl Rove." Cheney's note: "Not going to protect one staffer and sacrifice the guy that was asked to stick his neck in the meat grinder because of the incompetence of others." The person who was to be protected was Karl Rove. Karl Rove was President Bush's right hand person. Karl Rove was the person most responsible for making sure Bush stayed in office. He had to be protected.

No matter which story you choose to believe -- the prosecutors or the defense -- they both paint a bleak picture for the administration. A veritable cornucopia of incompetence. It must be tough being a winger today.

The early revelations are so explosive, in fact, that the "R" word is being thrown around regarding Cheney.

Norah O'Donnell is asking Andy Card and Leon Panetta if the president is going to have to ask Dick Cheney to resign as a result of what's being alleged at the Libby Trial. (They both punted.)

As Digby notes, this will stir the Right Wing Noise Machine into action.

If that's the beltway chatter, look for the Republican noise machine to go into high gear. I'll be expecting to hear rumors of Patrick Fitzgerald's affinity for bestiality starting tomorrow --- mostly from Mary matalin, Dick Cheney's most vicious attack dog, who will be snarling like a caged beast over this (and thus will show herself an expert on the subject.)

Emptywheel's book on the whole sordid affair, Anatomy of Deceit, ships next week. (It's the first book from Vaster Books, a joint venture between me and FDL's Jane Hamsher.)