even if cheney is not deposed (pre-trial), he may yet be called, at trial -- as a witness. . .

as mr. howard's appeal from the denial
of his request to depose the vice president
(about the circumstances of their conversation,
in the moments before he was arrested) wends its
way through the courts, the parties continue to
prepare for trial on the merits. to that end, page
12 of a proposed agreed final pre-trial order is
rather illuminating -- as it makes plain that mr.
howard's lawyers intend to call mr. cheney, as
a witness, at trial. by then, he will be a private
citizen -- and no longer able to assert that he
is too busy with "affairs of state" -- to appear.

in fact, he'll likely be just up the road (north
a few hundred miles, on i-25), in wyoming --
jackson hole, or casper, actually. cool.

in retirement -- but still in league with evil.

do take a look -- 2009 could provide this goofy gift:



namaste.