If you’re one of those who were outraged by Bush’s commuting Scooter Libby’s sentence, be forewarned that it’s clear you will need to brace yourself for more outrage:
The White House on Tuesday declined to rule out the possibility of an eventual pardon for former vice presidential aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby. But spokesman Tony Snow said, for now, President Bush is satisfied with his decision to commute Libby’s 2 1/2-year prison sentence.
It’s pretty clear what’s going to happen. MORE:
Snow was pressed several times on whether the president might eventually grant a full pardon to Libby, who had been convicted of lying and conspiracy in the CIA leak investigation. The press secretary declined to say anything categorically.
“The reason I’m not going to say I’m not going to close a door on a pardon,” Snow said, “Scooter Libby may petition for one.”
“The president thinks that he has dealt with the situation properly,” he added. “There is always a possibility or there’s an avenue open for anybody to petition for consideration of a pardon.”
Bush’s decision was sharply criticized by Democrats. Republicans were more subdued, with some welcoming the decision and some conservatives saying Bush should have gone further.
Likely scenario:
–Sentence commute puts band aid on clamor from conservatives to pardon Libby. For now.
–After the 2008 elections, Bush pardons Libby totally since he and his party have absolutely nothing to lose.
–All the statements the White House and Bush issued recently suggesting that Libby needed to pay his fine and do his probation will be brushed aside as if they were never made, or weakly spun.
The bottom line as our earlier posts note: this administration considers itself elected to govern the entire United States but seemingly feels it only needs to serve and please its hard-core party base. American history has never seen the likes of it.
There is little reason for the bulk of independent and moderate voters to support Bush and those that enable him and cheer him on in what is increasingly taking on the tone of an almost radical, no-consequences administration. And there’s little logic now in giving this administration the benefit of the doubt on most controversial matters, since its track record on the credibility front is so poor.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.