It's the Indictments, Stupid.

It's much fun to watch Delay, INC. try to squirm out of his indictment mess. Guilt or innocence is irrelevant in this case, as it will be in the Plame/CIA case. The indictment is everything, which is why Delay is fighting so hard to get his thrown out.

To discover the reason one only has to look at what the alternatives are AI (After Indictment). As far as I can see, there are two options and both seem to lead down the same rocky road.

Let's look at the Plame case AI options.

1. Hold a Big Public Messy (probably televised) Trial, with an endless stream of administration staff members and cronies marching to court to testify under oath...lugging along stacks of subpoenaed papers, emails and other odds and ends (no blue dresses, alas) for all to pour over and read...aloud. AND the testimony will tiptoe oh-so-close to fringes of the lies that led us into Iraq. Can we imagine a witness list? Powell, Rice, Hadley, Libby, Ari, Scotty, Card, etc. etc. etc.

All this broadcast over 24-hour cable news stations complete with play-by-play pundits and expert ex-lawyers looking to make a media name for themselves. Hell, I'd hire Clinton to do some sideline interviews.

In short, the administration's and GOP's WORST nightmare.

2. Cop a Plea. But I would imagine that, like any good prosecutor, Fitz won't be handing those out like cotton candy to expectant kids at a county fair. No. The pleas will be expensive for those who want one. They are going to have to cooperate and offer up bigger fish for frying. Standard Operating Procedure for any good mafia lawman.

IN short, the administration's and GOP's SECOND WORST nightmare.

That's why avoiding the indictments to begin with and fighting like hell to have them thrown out (like Delay) is all-important. That's also why the administration insiders who know the score are really, really, really, really, really, really, really, scared. They can't afford to go to trial and risk having their string of lies about Iraq exposed...and they can't cop a plea and turn in their Dear Leader(s).

Tough spot.

And, to make them feel just a bit more skittish, there's Joe Wilson's Civil Suit after the trial that will rob them of treasure and clean up any messes Fitz misses.

Sleep tight, wingnuts, and sweet dreams.