Latest PlameGate Revelations - Less (Much Less) Than Meets the Eye

Hot on the heels of Frank Rich's breathless overplay of the 12 hour heads-up supposedly given as a courtesy by Alberto Gonzales to the evil Rovian conspirators comes this Washington Post article playing up the same angle. Indeed, from the SCREAMING HEADLINES at Huff'n'Puff, you might think this blows the case wide open. However, when one gets too excited about these things, it's always good practice to check in with the great Tom Maguire:

First, this referral was delivered from Justice to Gonzalez on the evening of Monday, Sept. 29. However, NBC News reported late on Friday, Sept 26 that a criminal referral was imminent, and the Sunday, Sept 28 WaPo front-paged the story that broke this case open.

Inquiring minds have wondered why the Justice Dept waited until the evening of the 28th to tell Gonzalez the obvious, but any criminal conspirators had plenty of warning.

And my second question - is forewarned forearmed in this case? Just what might an evil conspirator do with a twelve hour head start (which was really a head start going back to July?) E-mails, for example, are protected by a Federal records law; I imagine that other White House documents are similarly protected.

Well, Rich's version is certainly more exciting; but, as is so often the case, there is simply no 'there' there...