And here, I was being flippant

When I suggested, "Give Cheney some credit, for at least asking some lawyers what he might be able to get away with."

As for others, not at all flippant:

[David Margolis] approvingly quotes Jack Goldsmith's testimony that it's an unsettled question whether [the USDOJ Office of Legal Counsel] should offer "neutral, independent, court-like advice" or something "more like ... an attorney's advice to a client about what you can get away with. ..." Wow. What about the president's constitutional obligation to faithfully execute the law, which OLC is supposed to help the president discharge? Whatever you think "faithful execution" means, it surely isn't "what you can get away with."

David Margolis is wrong