Really?! Is anyone really surprised at this. That Bush helped out Libby. Here’s the link for the story in the Post.
What I was surprised at was that Libby didn't get a full pardon. But he is still paying a heavy price. After all his fine and legal fees will be paid by his right wing supporters. And the same right wing supporters will make sure he gets some high six figure job. His family has suffered.
I think the Post editorial page sums it up very well:
Mr. Libby’s long and distinguished record of public service, and we sympathize with Mr. Bush’s conclusion “that the prison sentence given to Mr. Libby is excessive.” The probation office, as the president noted, recommended less time -- 15 to 21 months. But Mr. Bush, while claiming to “respect the jury’s verdict,” failed to explain why he moved from “excessive” to zero. It’s true that the felony conviction that remains in place, the $250,000 fine and the reputational damage are far from trivial. But so is lying to a grand jury. To commute the entire prison sentence sends the wrong message about the seriousness of that offense.
But the best take on this come from Senator Dick Durbin from Illinois:
“When it comes to the law, there should not be two sets of rules _ one for President Bush and Vice President Cheney and another for the rest of America. Even Paris Hilton had to go to jail. No one in this administration should be above the law.”
The even Paris Hilton had to go to jail line should be used by the Democrats every single time this case is mentioned. Nothing will drive home to the American how unfair this decision is then that statement.
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