corrente

There's no constitutional reason for it. In the midst of the furor over Condi-lie-zza, Josh Marshall asks the key questions:

[1] The first -- and most generous -- explanation is that this is simply another way to further dilute the Commission's ability to ask questions.

[2] Explanation number two would be that this is a fairly elementary -- and, one imagines, pretty effective -- way to keep the two of them from giving contradictory answers to the Commission's questions. It helps them keep their stories straight.

(It's a basic part of any criminal investigation -- which, of course, this isn't -- to interview everyone separately, precisely so that people can't jigger their stories into consistency on the fly.)

[3] The third explanation is that the White House does not trust the president to be alone with the Commission members for any great length of time without getting himself into trouble, either by contradicting what his staff says, or getting some key point wrong, or letting some key fact slip. And Cheney's there to make sure nothing goes wrong.

Gee, is the WhiteWash House scared that Bush's earpiece will get jammed?

Readers, what do you think? 1, 2, 3—or some other explanation? Tinfoil hats optional....

UPDATE Alert reader Brad points out:

Hey, when he went on Russert he screwed up and promised to release all his Guard records. They can't trust him alone and unscripted.