Today's Firedoglake Libby liveblogging posts are

[ralps]

Libby Live: Cathie Martin, Four
http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/01/29/libby-live-cathie-martin-four/
Buy emptywheel's Anatomy of Deceit from Amazon.

We'll start by finishing Cathie Martin's cross today. Then Ari and his "hush hush" conversation with Libby.

While we're waiting, I just wanted to add something to Friday's liveblog that I clarified with journalists, who are much better at quotes than me. In the midst of the big squabble over whether Fitzgerald has to reveal every detail of Ari's immunity deal, Wells said something to the effect of, "We're probably going to argue this … maybe going to argue this after the trial." He slipped. While I totally understand his interest in recording an objection so he can appeal it, he should not reveal he thinks he "probably" will have to appeal his case. You see, if you win this one, Wells, you won't need to appeal.

Milling around. Fitz has a bright blue tie on this morning.

Martin's got a white button-up shirt, black jacket, maybe pearls. She came in with a big smile (looks rested), but now has her "I don't want to be here" face on. Poured herself water, glance at her lawyers (assuming they're the same place they were last week). Catches someone's eye and smiles. She's not happy to be here, but seems more relaxed than on Thursday.
snip

[ralps]

1. 9:36, 9:47, 9:51, 9:58, 10:07

9:36
Ah geez. They come out of chambers, then go into sidebar!! Not a good way to start a Monday Morning. Everyone agrees that Fitz has gotten a hair cut.
snip
9:47
W: Is it the government's understanding that he thought others would think he had committed a crime.

Bonamici is up. B: Yes, that's our understanding. The process of obtaining immunity was begun shortly after that date.
snip
9:51
Martin back–she had been out chatting with her lawyers.

Jurors in.
snip
9:58
W: page two states Ari set off a furor when he acknowledged that <16 words> should not have been included.
snip
10:07
W Knowing what we know now. From the press perspective the press is asking whether Dr. Rice and WH are attacking CIA and putting blame on CIA.
snip
:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[Tin Man]

2. Man, I love this stuff...

best theater ever.

[ralps]

5. Hi Tin Man

:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[blogslut]

3. I need to work

Curse you, Firedoglake! You are keeping me from my job!

[ralps]

6. Hi blogslut :hug:

:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo: :rofl: :hug:

[blogslut]

12. hugs back

I hope their server can take it. The lawyers are still grilling Cathie(?) Martin. I imagine traffic will double when Ari takes the stand.

[ralps]

14. Yep they're still grilling Cathie

:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[ralps]

4. 10:13, 10:22, 10:41, 10:51

10:13

IDs the Time article that mentions "part of" Libby's quote.

W A question of trust, Michael Duffy, James Carney. Also Mr. Matthew Cooper.

Martin smiles when he gets to the words, "suspicious of kings."
snip
10:22

M This looks like a version of the full web story.

W In online article Cooper wrote, "in exclusive interview." Is it correct that in the online version, Cooper included the full quote. has the Bush Administration declared war on Wilson?
snip
10:41

Wells is introducing all the talking points. July 7, July 8, July 12, July 14.

W to the respect that jurors want to understand in real time, those documents set forth what the talking points were. All those talking points respond to Joseph Wilson's claims and none of those mention Valerie Wilson. Mr Libby reviewed these talking points with you.
snip
10:51

W Is it fair to say you and Mr. Libby thought the Tenet statement was a good statement but did not go far enough? Is it correct that Tenet statement only makes one mention of what VP knew about Wilson's trip.

M It makes clear that they didn't brief VP about Wilson's trip.
snip
:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[democrank]

7. History in the making.

Very, very interesting.

[ralps]

8. Hi demorank

:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[JNelson6563]

9. Thank you a thousand times over Ralps!

I'm reading every bit you post! :toast:

K&R!

Julie

[ralps]

13. Hi JNelson6563, you're welcome & thanks

:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[Catherine Vincent]

10. Fitz got a haircut over the weekend.

:-)

[ralps]

11. Hi cat_girl25

:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[ralps]

15. 11:08, 11:34

11:08

Wells corrects the Hadley/Harlow mistake.

Jury coming in.

Fitzgerald up. Good morning Ms. Martin. I'll try to direct your attention to the questions as best as I can.
snip
11:34

Sidebar

Wells: Ms Martin did you hear what occurred at end of Cooper conversation.

M Yes, I believe so.

W Testified before GJ, at that time sworn to tell the truth. In the GJ you were asked the following question. "What happened at the end of the conversation?" Answer, "It's not memorable to me, I don't remember. They finished the quote and did whatever their back and forth was on verifying the pieces and he hung up, done." You told the GJ that wrt end of conversation.
snip
:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[mmonk]

16. Love the last part of this

M I don't have a specific recollection of what words they were doing.

W It was much closer in time during GJ. You have not been able to refresh your memory.

Fitz Is it still your testimony that you heard the end of conversation.

M Yes

F Do you remember any words?

M No

F Anthing change?

M No.

(Media room laughs. Fitz is not impressed with Wells' response.)

[ralps]

17. 11:40,

11:40

Walton–a juror question: In reference to call between Libby and Mitchell, you indicated some concerns about NIE being revealed. Can you tell us what your concerns were?

M I thought the NIE was classified, and we shouldn't talk about it.

Walton, did you do anything, inform anyone about that.

M I was still not clear what it mean when VP says, "you can say this." I was still urging them to declassify it and disclose it to the public.
snip
Thanks, Witness dismissed.

12:02, onto Ari.
:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[blogslut]

18. Ari was just on the stand

Got asked a few Qs and then they broke for lunch. :)

[H2O Man]

19. Nominated.

They are giving fantastic information on the testimony.

[ralps]

22. Thanks H2O Man, your Plame threads are what brought me to DU

:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo: :yourock:

[H2O Man]

25. This is such

a fascinating time .... I wish that there had been home computers, the internet, and places like DU and FDL during the Nixon era ....

[ralps]

20. ***New Firedoglake thread- Libby Live: Ari Fleischer One

Libby Live: Ari Fleischer One
http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/01/29/libby-live-ari-fleischer-one/
Hey, look at the exploding pig in the poke cartoon graphic I found! Or perhaps "pig in the poke to stay out of the pokey"?

If you don't know the reference, Patrick Fitzgerald described the process of offering Ari Fleischer immunity "buying a pig in a poke." We'll see whether this particular pig in the poke will be "da bomb."

A reminder of housekeeping rules: This is not a transcript. I'm getting as close as I can get. But trust me, I'm not a court reporter!
snip
:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[ralps]

21. ***12:08, 12:15, 12:24

12:08

Fl reading from Immunity order, cannot be prosecuted for underlying issues in this matter.

P Just so its clear, what your understanding, what can you and can you not be prosecuted for?

Fl, I'm not a lawyer, I cannot be prosecuted for what I did with info I was provided but I can be prosecuted for what I say.

P so if you're not truthful, you can be prosecuted for that.
snip
12:15

P Monday July 7, were you asked questions that morning regarding the charges, can you tell us about that?

Fl in that gaggle, a reporter asked "what's the WH's reaction." There's zero, nada nothing new here, other than we now know the name. I added the VP did not send this person, CIA sent on his own volition.

P further questions about 16 words?
snip
12:24

Ari looking up, not focusing on anything. Sometimes using his hands to speak.

P Did you take from the comment about the wife that there was some improper comment

Fl My thought was that there was nepotism. That was what I thought I was hearing.

P Did you feel there was any restrictions. If we can approach.
snip
lunch Break
:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[ralps]

23. *** Here's Christy's thread on what's hapening today so far

A Peek Inside The Media Circus
http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/01/29/a-peek-inside-the-media-circus/

From this morning's blogging of the Libby trial proceedings:

"…W You remember reading that Wilson's wife was employed by CIA. After Novak disclosed Mr. Wilson's wife. Is it correct that the talking points you were using WRT OVP was using did not change. At no time after it was disclosed did OVP change its position that the talking points should be on the merits and there was no need to mention Mrs. Wilson.

M We did not change our talking points.

W If you look at talking points before and after there is no mention of Mrs. Wilson. Is it fair to say that when the Novak article came out, from your personal perspective that was not viewed as a big article.

M It wasn't a huge revelation to me because I KNEW, I knew it was a big deal that he had disclosed it.… "(emphasis emptywheel)

Well, that pretty much undercuts that whole "who could have known because my busy job made me lie" defense, doesn't it? So much for the "we weren't focusing on Wilson at all and 'the wife' was an afterthought," too.

snip
:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[ralps]

24. *** New thread at Firedoglake.com- Libby Live: Ari Fleischer Two

Libby Live: Ari Fleischer Two
http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/01/29/libby-live-ari-fleischer-two/

Standard housekeeping warnings. emptywheel? Not a court reporter (in fact, she's the author of Anatomy of Deceit)–consider this a decent paraphrase, but not a transcript. And updates? Please consider the servers before you update every minute.

Quick note from Pach: It's disorienting to see Ari Fleischer answer this many qustions in a row without dodging, weaving, fogging or lying. Bizarre indeed!

Pach is off to the Court Room. He said the juror who is gone is the white 30s female who laughs a lot, a travel agent. I'm fairly certain she was one of the jurors, not an alternate. Don't know who was the first alternate, but I think all the alternates were from the last day of voir dire.

Also about Ari, I don't know whether it's the close circuit TV, but back in the day, he had a kind of evil charisma. He doesn't look so good today. But he certainly seems reasonably comfortable on the stand. He's got a striped tie on. Pours water. Sitting there turning in his seat with his mouth set.

snip
:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[ralps]

26. ***1:39, 1:48

1:39

P Did you hear someone on AF1 make another reference to Wilson's wife.

Fl Staff cabin, Dan Bartlett, Comm Dir, reading a different document. He said, "I can't believe he or they are saying that the VP sent Amb Wilson to Niger, his wife sent him, she works at CIA. He said this in front of me.

P Would you characterize this as a conversation?

Fl Dan was venting. That became the second reference I learned, I overheard. I don't recall who was there.

snip

1:48

Btw, Dickerson is upstairs in the court room, everyone wants to know why this is different than what he reported.

Now Ari has a kind of pouty face on.

Walton, In reference to the Witness' testimony about what he read in the newspaper. That testimony is only relevant as it relates to his state of mind was. It has no relevance to this case. I don't know based on what has been presented to me, what her status was. It's totally irrelevant to this case.

snip
I need to leave for a while. if this thread hasn't been updated when I get back I'll update it then
:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[ralps]

28. ***1:55, 2:06, 2:20

1:55

Jeffress up.

J You spent two and a half years answering questions twice a day. In formal and informal settings.

J You represnted President of US. Some questions were hostile.

J How many times did you meet with the prosecutors.

Fl (something like 8 times)

snip

2:06

J First questions were about Liberia

Fl This was the issue that for the first day of the trip was on the minds of the press, this was the big one at least at that time.

J If you look at page 5 of the gaggle.

Going over the zero nada new comment in the gaggle.

Still going through the stuff he said that came from Cathie Martin's talking points.

snip

2:20

Fl I believe that this is the document, with everything blacked out, I can't tell.

J this was not written by Wilson, it was written by CIA

J According to this report, former Nigerien PM Mayaki who was FM from 96 to 97, and Niger's PM 97-99, stated he was unaware of contracts being signed. Mayaki did relate that Barka Tafrigi approached him to say he should meet with Iraq delegation. Although meeting took place… .

J Is it a fact that you said Wilson's report supported claim that Iraq seeking yellowcake in Africa

snip
:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[ralps]

29. ***2:39, 2:47, 3:19

2:39

J introduces transcript of gaggle. Going through questions asked in gaggle.

J Do you recall that all of the controversy didn't have to do with Amb Wilson. His claims were only one part of the problem you were facing about the credibility of the 16 words. One of the questions consistenly being raised was who cleared the speech. People talking about Foley and Amb Joseph. Did that cause some tension that week. Tension you had to get involved in trying to solve. That didn't have anything to do with Wilson.

Fl It was hard to tell what was attributable to one problem or another. It all kind of, as it always does, meld together as one big controversy.

snip

2:47

Waiting for the jury. Ari with his game face on.

Jeffress back up, talking about gaggle, talking about IAEA discovering the documents were forgeries. IAEA reported two months after SOTU. And Condi claiming she learned about it on MTP.

Fl I recall she was on some Sunday show. I recall the conversation coming up, particularly afterwards.

J When somebody in that high a position goes on Sunday show, do you brief them, she had not been prepared on Wilson.

snip

3:19

Fl Doesn’t recall Time story until story broke in September

J reviews the authors, notes Ari spoke to Dickerson.

J There was a gaggle that morning.

Fl Had Tenet's statement, Other question was did President still have confidence in Tenet.

snip
:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[blogslut]

27. Ari divulged Plame to Dick Gregory

...by the side of the road in Uganda?!?!?!?!

P Were you in Uganda. Can you tell us if you had an occasion to talk to reporters by the side of the road.

Fl President walking toward second event. Meeting with young children who were going to sing songs. A group of reporters on the side of the road. I recall I said to these reporters, If you want to know who sent Amb Wilson to Niger, it was his wife, she works there. Tamara Lippert Newsweek, David Gregory and John Dickerson, Time Magazine.

P was this a formal interview?

Fl One of the many conversations I had with the press, the event was not one I had to be there. You sidle up to reporters and chat what was on their mind. Maybe this will address some of these issues about how people got sent. This backs up WH statement...

[ralps]

30. *** New thread at Firedoglake.com- Libby Live: Ari Fleischer Three

Libby Live: Ari Fleischer Three
By: emptywheel
http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/01/29/libby-live-ari-fleischer-three/

Pig in the Poke Part the Third.

Not a court reporter–not a transcript. Please limit updates.

J is having Ari update the filings.

Fl the only way I would know about this is when my lawyers would discuss this with me. Testified you didn't tell Pincus about that.

J entering some document. Asks if Fleischer was indicted for perjury.

J Transcript of roundtable interview. Do you recall who it was?

Fl it says Doctor Rice. I was there.

J You did some talking.

snip
:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[ralps]

31. ***3:38, 3:49

3:38

Sidebar

J One thing that is memorable about the conversation was the talk about football?

Fl Can I say one thing about this document?

J takes this away.

J You don't remember too many meetings in DC with people who like the Dolphins?

snip

3:49

Walton: Some of the questions you have submitted would call for this witness to speculate.

Walton: At the gaggle with Dr. Rice, why did you at that time on July 12, why didn't you say anuthing about Wilson?

Fl I didn't think much that I had been provided at that lunch, after I saw that CBS report, what struck me was that could be that people believed Wilson's report, if they thought the VP knew about it they might think the Pres knew it. So I thought I'd try this.

Sidebar again.

snip
Next Witness
:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[ralps]

32. ***New Firedoglake thread- Libby Live: David Addington

Libby Live: David Addington
By: emptywheel
http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/01/29/libby-live-david-addington/

Whew. No break!?!?!?! And no word whether Ari was Pincus' source?

David Addington. bearded, glasses. Has a bit of nasal voice.

A I'm an employee of the vice president. I'm his COS. (No mention of torture or other unitary executive duties.)

A Started working for VP 12 noon January 2001.

A Grad Georgetown FS and Duke Law. 1981 grad law school.

A Select committee. Iran Contra. WH during Reagan. DOS for legislative affairs. Transition for Tower when he was going to be Defense Secretary, my next job was with House Whip, Dick Cheney, selected by GHWB to become Sec Def, went with him, minority staff directory senate intell comm. Cheney's PAC, Alliance for Leadership. Law firm Baker Donaldson. Partner. Finally SVP American Trucking Assc. Counsel to VP. And now COS to VP. I left out, excuse me, (interrupts to correct one detail)

snip
:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[ralps]

33. ***4:22, 4:28

4:22

F How would you let them know what you want?

A In my case, I'd put the subpoenas on the back.

Bringing exhibits.

F 52 through 57, do you recognize the exhibits.

snip

4:28

There was an open mike for a bit during the break, where Fitz and Jeffress were talking about papers. They seem to be ones that Fitz hasn't introduced yet, they seem to have numbers in the 60s. It doesn't seem all that radical. In any case, Jeffress was alright with them.

Fitz with more identification exhibits 60-62, and 508 range.

F Can you rescribe generally 60-62.

A Letter from Swartz requesting production of list of documents. Subpoena to OVP 1/22/2004 returnable 1/30/2004. Subpoena from GJ 1/22/2004 returnable 2/4/2004. Request particular documents described in subpoena.

snip
:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[ralps]

34. ***4:50

4:50

Walton: Next witness is Judy judy judy. A few issues. Admissibility of Libby's Aspen letter, and 2 proper use of notes. Latter first. I don't understand the context. Is there a party that wants to use her notes in a way that they wouldn't normally use them.

Jeffress: They're not to be published to jury.

F: we have no intention of doing anything other than ordinary rules of evidence.

F Before openings, we said we wouldn't open with it and if we were going to seek to enter letter. It's not part of direct exam. Premature to decide on redirect.

Walton I wish someone had told me, we could have gone another 5 minutes.

Hey that was easy!! Beer thirty. See you tomorrow, folks!

:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[Annces]

35. I guess Judy is next

Wow this is moving fast.

[ralps]

36. Hi Annces, Yes it seems to be moving pretty fast! 3 witnesses in 1-2

days vs 3 witnesses in 4 days last & this week! :hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[Catherine Vincent]

37. Thanks for informing us of all the updates, ralps!

:hi:

[ralps]

38. You're welcome cat_girl25

:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[lovuian]

39. No Questioning of Ari on Air Force One

that had Condi VP and Fleischer

???guess it was tricky