http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/2/16/104857/925

a heavily liberal slanted blog has finally put together the pieces.

The Republicans were right. Plame wasn't covert, because Bush signed a bill allowing the Vice President to declassify information the month they decided to out Plame.  So while Plame and the CIA assumed she was covert, they passed a law to allow Cheney to declassify confidental information (like he status) whenever he likes.

This allows Bush to keep on claiming he'd fire anyone involved in leaking confidental information, because Cheney could declassify it and leak it if he wants to. It keeps Bush safe politically too.

Kind of handy expanding the powers of the Vice President like that.  It allows them to pass off tasks that would normally be political suicide to someone who wouldn't have to face the electorate and gives the President plausible denial in questionably legal instances.  If the VP gets caught, well, they can replace him with whoever they want anyways.  Even if the courts rule that this interpretation over steps the boundries of the law, Bush is still untouchable since there lacks evidence of his involvement.

Truly the dirtiest administration ever.  This latest manuever even makes the Nixon administration look like an angels.

And the lock steps will think this is all so funny as they don their brown shirts and slap each others backs.  It is a wonder to me how much sheesh people will swallow before they are ready to admit that these guys are wiping their asses on the face of the USA.

I'd bet my bottom dollar Cheney weasels out of it too!
I think the Repugs will also push for legislation Mike DeWine (R-OHIO) proposed in 2002 that would exempt the illegal wiretaps from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978.  If they maintain a majority in Congress next November, their possiblities for weasling secured yet again!
http://www.growohio.org/story/2006/1/25/95851/9733