I can't help but wonder if this executive branch strategy isn't designed to simply stall any potentailly big revelations until sometime next fall. Say, after the elections. The current administration is probably perfectly happy to see a "very thorough" investigation as long as it is out of office before the proverbial sh*t hits the fan. There is always hope that a new administration, Republican or Democrat, will decide that fighting an "old battle" over the tapes isn't worth the effort. After all, a new Democratic president will need to "win over" the DOJ and CIA, and might decide it isn't worth aggravating them for nil political capital. As for a Republican president, well, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for them to jump on the issue either.

Delay and obfuscate. The voters have a relatively short attention span, and if they get POd the day *after* the election it is too late. Plenty of time for them to forget before the next election. A very thorough, and long, investigation indeed.