Bush White House Circling Wagons for a Long Siege.

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November 1, 2005 -- Bush White House Circling Wagons for a Long Siege. After being identified in the Patrick Fitzgerald indictment of Vice President Cheney's Chief of Staff Lewis Libby, Cheney's counsel David Addington has been named as the replacement for Libby as Chief of Staff. Also, John Hannah, who is said to have been "flipped" as a cooperating witness early on by Fitzgerald, has been named as Libby's replacement as Assistant National Security Adviser to the Vice President. This "in your face" reaction to the Libby indictment indicates the White House is preparing for a continued investigation and are preparing a strategy to stonewall the prosecutor and the court that will deliberate the charges against Libby.

Addington was cited in the Fitzgerald indictment as follows:

"Also on or about July 8, 2003, LIBBY met with the Counsel to the Vice President in an anteroom outside the Vice President’s Office. During their brief conversation, LIBBY asked the Counsel to the Vice President, in sum and substance, what paperwork there would be at the CIA if an employee’s spouse undertook an overseas trip."

Hannah was likely one of the two "other officials" who accompanied Cheney and Libby on a trip to Norfolk:

On or about July 12, 2003, LIBBY flew with the Vice President and others to and from Norfolk, Virginia, on Air Force Two. On his return trip, LIBBY discussed with other officials aboard the plane what LIBBY should say in response to certain pending media inquiries, including questions from Time reporter Matthew Cooper.