*Reload* key gets workout awaiting Fitzmas

Oh, the agony! :) Although Special Pros. Fitzgerald's grand jury has adjourned for today, the word on the "street" is that we'll have to wait till tonight or Thursday for any announcements. Raw Story seems to be staking out the Washington, D.C. courthouse so I would check-in with them for any (premature?) ejaculations. Looks like indictments are coming but poss. targets still have time to cop plea deals, suicide pacts, or last-min pity "dates" with Jimmy Jeff Gannon. I kid, I kid :)

In other CIA-leak news, the WaPo's Dan Froomkin points out that the NY Times has posted a correction to their Monday night "Cheney knew" scoop. Turns out that Cheney did not testify under oath. Quelle surprise. But what about those Niger/uranium forgeries? Markos from dailykos.com points to an article by intelligence-reporter, Richard Sale (hint: the password is Michael Ledeen).

[click "Read on, MacDuff!" to continue reading]

Sale's sources indicate:

Fitzgerald is looking into such individuals as former CIA agent, Duane Claridge, military consultant to the Iraqi National Congress, Gen. Wayne Downing, another military consultant for INC [Iraqi National Congress?], and Francis Brooke, head of INC's Washingfton office in an effort to determine if they played any role in the forgeriese [sic] or their dissiemination [sic#2]. Also included in this group is long-time neoconservative Michael Ledeen, these federal sources said.

And finally: isn't it time that Bush threw a party? Catty WaPo columnist, Dana Milbank reports:

It was, perhaps, not the best possible time for the Republican Party to hold a soiree...And yet, there they were at the gilded Mellon Auditorium last night: the Republican Party's biggest donors, men in tuxedos and women in cocktail dresses, dining on Asian spoon canapes, orange carpaccio and seared mignon of beef, and listening to the soothing tones of a jazz band and a keynote address by President Bush.
[...here comes my favourite bit!...] [Republican National Committee] Chairman Ken Mehlman, who, like Bush, had the political judgment not to dress in formal attire, took an innovative view of recent days. "This has been an incredible fall!" he announced, pointing to the approval of a constitution in Iraq, elections in Afghanistan, confirmation of a new chief justice and education reforms. "Yaaaaay," a lone woman in the audience yelled."

Mr. Smithers could not be reached for comment but a 'senior staffer' offered hearty praise: "I like the way Snrub thinks!" :)