The Obama administration continued to defend the position that Vice President Cheney's interviews with Patrick Fitzgerald should not be made available to CREW.  We've been seeking those portions of the interviews relating to the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson.  The "Daily Show" defense, first proferred by the Bush administration, didn't seem to impress the judge according to the Washington Post:

A federal judge yesterday sharply questioned an assertion by the Obama administration that former Vice President Richard B. Cheney's statements to a special prosecutor about the Valerie Plame case must be kept secret, partly so they do not become fodder for Cheney's political enemies or late-night commentary on "The Daily Show."

U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan expressed surprise during a hearing here that the Justice Department, in asserting that Cheney's voluntary statements to U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald were exempt from disclosure, relied on legal claims put forward last October by a Bush administration political appointee, Stephen Bradbury. The department asserted then that the disclosure would make presidents and vice presidents reluctant to cooperate voluntarily with future criminal investigations.

At the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Jamie Riley wrote the Obama administration siding against out CIA spy Valerie Wilson in her lawsuit against top Bush administration officials:

And now comes this word from CREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington):

CREW learned today that the Obama administration is opposing our request that the Supreme Court reconsider the dismissal of the lawsuit, Wilson v. Libby, et al. In that case, the district court had dismissed the claims of Joe and Valerie Wilson against former Vice President Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, Scooter Libby and Richard Armitage for their gross violations of the Wilsons’ constitutional rights.

So, President Barack Obama is on the side of the patriotic folks who outed a CIA agent working to keep weapons of mass destruction out of the hands of an intemperate leader of a Middle East nation hostile to the United States.

Well, not likely. But the Obama administration apparently understood the “exemption” of the offices of the president and vice president from a federal law on privacy. And apparently it also understood that even with jurisdiction,  Plame would have to prove that she was harmed directly by the actions of those named in the suit.

Go figure.  Cheney’s scheme worked. At least it worked long enough for him to get the war he wanted and how he wanted it. If he had to ruin the career of a CIA agent in the process, well, that’s just collateral damage.

Plame understood the standard of proof and was prepared to meet it -- because this wasn't just "collateral damage."  This was her life.

CREW learned today that the Obama administration is opposing our request that the Supreme Court reconsider the dismissal of the lawsuit, Wilson v. Libby, et al. In that case, the district court had dismissed the claims of Joe and Valerie Wilson against former Vice President Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, Scooter Libby and Richard Armitage for their gross violations of the Wilsons’ constitutional rights.

Agreeing with the Bush administration, the Obama Justice Department argues the Wilsons have no legitimate grounds to sue. It is surprising that the first time the Obama administration has been required to take a public position on this matter, the administration is so closely aligning itself with the Bush administration’s views.

In fact, the Obama administration has gone one step further, suggesting Mr. Wilson failed to provide any evidence that Mr. Cheney, Mr. Rove or Mr. Libby harmed him. This is particularly ironic because the government had moved to have the case dismissed before the Wilsons had the opportunity to uncover the details of how Ms. Wilson’s covert identity was revealed.

Melanie Sloan, the executive director of CREW and one of the Wilsons’ attorneys, said:

We are deeply disappointed that the Obama administration has failed to recognize the grievous harm top Bush White House officials inflicted on Joe and Valerie Wilson. The government’s position cannot be reconciled with President Obama’s oft-stated commitment to once again make government officials accountable for their actions.