FITZGERALD'S BASEBALL ANALOGY

From the very begging of the investigation into Valerie Plame's outing it seemed to me the whole undertaking was probably a huge waste of time and money. The indictment of Scooter Libby hasn't changed my opinion on this. But I must confess I haven't really paid much attention before today.

Anyway, I eventually got around to reading a transcript of Fitzgerald's indictment press conference. He doesn't exactly come across as the no nonsense straight shooter he's made out to be. Some of his answers are evasive and his attempted baseball analogy is downright loony:

QUESTION: Mr. Fitzgerald, this began as a leak investigation but no one is charged with any leaking. Is your investigation finished? Is this another leak investigation that doesn't lead to a charge of leaking?

FITZGERALD: Let me answer the two questions you asked in one.

OK, is the investigation finished? It's not over, but I'll tell you this: Very rarely do you bring a charge in a case that's going to be tried and would you ever end a grand jury investigation.

I can tell you, the substantial bulk of the work in this investigation is concluded.

FITZGERALD: This grand jury's term has expired by statute; it could not be extended. But it's in ordinary course to keep a grand jury open to consider other matters, and that's what we will be doing.

Let me then ask your next question: Well, why is this a leak investigation that doesn't result in a charge? I've been trying to think about how to explain this, so let me try. I know baseball analogies are the fad these days. Let me try something.

Whatever he was trying to do, he didn't pull it off: he rambles all over the place and never does answer the question. Read the whole transcript and see for yourself.