The Scooter, the Shooter and the Dream Nightmare Scenario

The jury in the Scooter Libby trial may render a verdict at any time. If Scooter is found guilty, prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald is expected to pressure Scooter to flip and say what everyone already knows, that Dick "Shooter" Cheney was behind the entire Valerie Plame leak scandal, and that Shooter instructed Scooter to lie to the FBI and the grand jury in order to cover up Shooter's wrongdoing. If Scooter names Shooter, it is possible to envision a scenario under which Shooter would then be forced to resign for "health reasons," Bush would name Condoleeza Rice as Vice President, and then Condi would be positioned to run for President in 2008, the only person who could truly carry on the Bush legacy.

It's fun to imagine all of this. But really, wouldn't Bush simply pardon Scooter, and render the grand Valerie Plame leak coverup permanent?