Posted on 7/3/2007, 4:18:21 AM by gpapa
President Bush's commutation late yesterday afternoon of the prison sentence of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby will at least spare his former aide from 2 1/2 years in prison. But by failing to issue a full pardon, Mr. Bush is evading responsibility for the role his Administration played in letting the Plame affair build into fiasco and, ultimately, this personal tragedy.
(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...
I’m really hopeful this is the plan from the White House. Then again, I’ve been disappointed before.
This is a great message for the judge. This was his first lesson. Now Libby should be able to concentrate on his appeal. That judge was trying to make it hard to work on an appeal by having Libby in jail.
When you listen to what Bush said, it does not appear to be the plan to issue a pardon. That’s because he said that he was doing this only because it was excessive, thus he commuted the sentence. Other than that, Bush indicated the rest was justified and okay. Since he said that — now — how can he issue a pardon, when he’s saying now that it’s justified? Bush has set himself up for not issuing a pardon in the future...
Wow. This is a total smackdown of President Bush, Sec. Rice, Sec. Powell and others. Profiles in non-courage.
What outfit? The Bush admin?
bull hockey.....you read the front, middle, and end, and miss the squishy middle. A lotta squishy middle.
1st.Bush never says yea or nay to a pardon,in fact he speaks above it.
2nd Commuted yet deserving, you said that, the President did not. The President on purpose avoided mention of the process the processor and the jury or her verdict. He left the final of that to the final of the process.He,(the President ) has no part in that.And said so.
3td. What happened is the ability for Scooter to expose fitzgerald as a Nifong and for the same reasons.
Tim Russert and Andrea Mitchell has gas so bad right now that excuse it to guests as bad butterbeans. russert
and Mitchell lied to a grand jury and on air to America
Bush said —
“My decision to commute his prison sentence leaves in place a harsh punishment for Mr. Libby. The reputation he gained through his years of public service and professional work in the legal community is forever damaged. His wife and young children have also suffered immensely. He will remain on probation. The significant fines imposed by the judge will remain in effect. The consequences of his felony conviction on his former life as a lawyer, public servant, and private citizen will be long-lasting.”
Only the jail time was excessive, which indicates the rest is appropriate.
Fines will remain in effect. Consequences of felony conviction will be “long-lasting”. If Bush intends to pardon — these statements would not be true. Bush has indicated, by these statements that he has no intentionn of issuing a pardon later on.
You can see post #10
Hooray President Bush!
pardon him......end it
sorry, I remember you, play with others...bye bye
Excellent editorial. Mega-dittoes.
Bush should have gone all out and issued a pardon. Does he think this half-assed measure is going to make his enemies hate him less? How can he say he respects the jury verdict when all DC juries spring from the most beknighted and lock-step-liberal jury pool in the nation, the judge is a Clinton appointee and no doubt racist and the prosecutor is an intention craving megalomaniac?
thx, I think........:)
The President should have come out at the beginning and nailed Plame for allowing her position at the CIA to be used as a platform by her husband to lie about his trip to Niger in the NYT. Instead, the administration played games and threw Libby to the wolves.
I agree. Bush is trying to split the baby in two. Obviously this helps Libby, but Libby is still royally hosed and Bush seems to be done with him. For Bush loyalty appears to be a one way street.
The non-pardon/commutation is another nail in W’s coffin/legacy.
Played defense, and barely even that. Seems to be all they know.
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