I have to wonder if perhaps Mr. Libby has agreed to take one for the team. Perhaps he feels that some of the sworn testimony that could come out during the trial will make up for the problems this whole unfortunate incident has caused him and his family.
I sincerely hope that is the case. Although a big part of me fears this is just another example of the Right being unable to defend themselves when attacked.
Bump
"Libby has agreed" is a bit strong for a conclusion, more like he had no choice in the matter as he was one of the Fitz's targets from the very beginning. From this article it looks obvious that Fitz was not only on political witchhunt but also was abusing his power trying to settle personal score with people (Libby, Miller) that he felt had caused him professional grief in the past. As long as media could spin the story and use it to damage Bush administration, many of them didn't even mind too much becoming victims of collateral damage of his "investigation". Since Armitage forced "confession" they don't even want to talk about it if they can't put an old spin on it.
BTW, on the bright side, had Fitz not been waiting for almost a year for the court to dismiss New York Times and other press lawsuits to keep Judith Miller out of jail, he would have indicted Libby not in 2005, but just before election of 2004, so inadvertantly that particular coup attempt failed, unlike Lawrence Walsh's 1992 indictment of Caspar Weinberger just days before election.
Also on the bright side, as you mentioned, will be the sworn testimony of squirming members of the media who stoked the fire on this matter when they were in reality the main participant and guilty party in this political charade, possibly Wilson, Armitage, Grossman and other people who either really leaked information to the media or misrepresented information to the public.
So, the trial is a good thing, for the record, but maybe not for the self-described "paper of record". The ONLY hope Fitz has now to try and acquit himself is in DC jury, but most of the real record will be clear to anyone at the end of the trial. Even to the media, who don't like looking like foos, as they no doubt are now and will be even more then. And if jury follows their obvious bias then the verdict will be overturned on appeal, and/or Libby will get a pardon (in which case he will not be eligible to recover the legal expenses).
I do hope that after testimonies are recorded it will be so obvious to anyone in the country what Fitz and media have done that there will be a rising clamour (not just by WSJ and IBD editorials and blogosphere) to acquit Libby or summarily dismiss the case - that will be a bigger blow against media, Dems, Wilsons, Armitage/Powell and the rest of the political cabal.
This charade will eventually be over, but hopefully not until it's done the maximum damage to the very people who perpetrated it on American people.