Lying as lifestyle--John Dean, on the White House

Armando, Billmon, Steve Gilliard, and others, seem to be taking John Dean's latest opinion seriously, trying to refute Dean's opinion that there will be no indictments.

But what he said was that there'd be no indictments unless the "targets" had been so "stupid" as to commit or to suborn perjury, obstruct justice, etc. Isn't that just what they have been doing?

Initially, Rove, Libby, et. al., appear to have denied everything to the grand jury. Then--confronted with one fact after another--they backed off their lies, albeit slowly. For them, lies are simply tactical or strategic discourse, no different from truths. Just say what needs to be said.

When it's as well practiced a political--and personal--lifestyle as it has been for these guys, over decades, then they don't even know how to avoid it, least of all when testifying to a grand jury for whose personal and financial characteristics they have the contempt that fully matches that of Marie Antoinette for the starving masses. But as in her day, these masses may get their day in court.

Is that really a dismissive frown on John Dean's face--or an ironic smirk?