Here's a little thread to track the reactions to the president's commutation of Scooter Libby. While W. applauds the hard work of the jury, he found that the punishment that the judge (who Bush himself appointed, mind you) handed down was much too excessive. Never mind that the conservative Supreme Court most certainly does not agree, having recently upheld an even longer sentence in a nearly identical case. So here's the partisan rub. Repubs (those who are talking, anyway) are happy as clams. Dems, on the other hand, are fighting mad. Here then, a sampling:
Barack Obama:
"This decision to commute the sentence of a man who compromised our national security cements the legacy of an Administration characterized by a politics of cynicism and division, one that has consistently placed itself and its ideology above the law. This is exactly the kind of politics we must change so we can begin restoring the American people's faith in a government that puts the country's progress ahead of the bitter partisanship of recent years."
Rudy Giuliani:
"After evaluating the facts, the president came to a reasonable decision and I believe the decision was correct."
Joe Biden:
"I call for all Americans to flood the White House with phone calls tomorrow expressing their outrage over this blatant disregard for the rule of law." (202) 456-1111
Fred Thompson:
"I'm happy for Scooter Libby. I know that this is a great relief to him, his wife and children. While for a long time I have urged a pardon for Scooter, I respect the President's decision. This will allow a good American, who has done a lot for his country, to resume his life."
Bill Richardson:
"It's a sad day when the President commutes the sentence of a public official who deliberately and blatantly betrayed the public trust and obstructed an important federal investigation. This administration believes its officials are above the law..."
John McCain:
No comment.
Hillary Clinton:
"Today's decision is yet another example that this Administration simply considers itself above the law. This case arose from the Administration's politicization of national security intelligence and its efforts to punish those who spoke out against its policies. Four years into the Iraq war, Americans are still living with the consequences of this White House's efforts to quell dissent. This commutation sends the clear signal that in this Administration, cronyism and ideology trump competence and justice."
Mitt Romney:
"I believe that the circumstances of the case, where the prosecutor knew that there had not been a crime committed, created a setting where a decision if this nature was reasonable."
John Edwards:
"Only a president clinically incapable of understanding that mistakes have consequences could take the action he did today. President Bush has just sent exactly the wrong message to the country and the world. In George Bush's America, it is apparently okay to misuse intelligence for political gain, mislead prosecutors and lie to the FBI. George Bush's cronies think they are above the law and the rest of us live with the consequences. The cause of equal justice in America took a serious blow today."
And as for the American public. Survey USA finds that 60% of us think that the sentence should not have been commuted, while 21% agree with Bush's decision, and 17% think Libby should have awarded an outright pardon. So, basically a 60-40 split against Republicans. Just one more issue playing against them for the 2008 elections.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 2)
1. Scooter Libby was the scapegoat for all the real and perceived sins of the Bush white house years. The fine and public disgrace should be enough punishment.
Steve Bonomo at 10:41PM on Jul 2nd 2007
2. Scooter was a victim of nothing more than a DUMOCRAT WITCHHUNT. They want Bush so bad tey cannot stand it. However they cannot get to him so they will attack everyone below him hoping the dirt will rub off on Bush too. The Republicans should have attacked Clinton the same way. But then we all KNOW that the Republicans will not get down in the dirt wit the dumocrats, that is why they loose so much in America. You cannot fight a fight with one hand tied behind your back and hope to win aganst mudslingers like the Democrats. That is why we have a do nothing Congress, the Dumocrats are too busy attacking Bush instead of taking care of the peoples buisness as they promised to do. Instead it is take care of the far lefts buisness and te heck with the peoples buisness. Throw all of the bums out and start over (BOTH PARTIES)!
Bill at 11:34PM on Jul 2nd 2007
3. I would like to know what RON PAUL thinks on this subject.
lynda at 11:57PM on Jul 2nd 2007
4. None of us should be surprised that this happened. The Bush-Cheney administration has been covering up everything under the sun; this has been the most secretive, most underhanded, and most dirty of all governments we have had in the entire history of our democracy. So it clearly is that they, (getting down to brass tacks, specifically Bush/Cheney) were not going to let the guy who became the scapegoat for Rove's criminal transgresions take the fall by allowing a lawfully imposed prison sentence to take place. The blogger that wrote about this being a witch-hunt must be from another planet, and certainly, not of this country. Republicans do not get down in the dirt say you? Clinton endured unflailing venomous persecution by the Republicans who sought to dig deep in dirt for his two entire terms; right from the very beginning of his tenure in the White House. Frankly while his personal actions with one woman in the Oval Office were reprehensible, we should not overlook that the Bush/Cheney combo have done the same thing to an entire country and right out of the same place. The laws of this country have once again been not only circumvented, but disdainfully thrown aside, almost with royally contemptuousness and condescending scorn. Really, who died and gave Bush the scales of justice? Despite the fact that a twelve jury panel of his peers found Libby guilty, now the man who repeatedly refused to commute death sentences while Governor in Texas has apparently set himself as the all omniscient all powerful being who can in the stroke of a pen, use his office to clear his conscience. If this is not evidence of corruption, immorality and unethical behavior nothing is.
Mercedes at 12:59AM on Jul 3rd 2007
5. MR. BUSH NEEDS TO SPEND AWHILE
AMONG THE PEOPLE IN THE REAL WORLD AND JUST MAYBE, MAYBE HE WILL BE ENLIGHTENED WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF HIS DECISIONS. THIS MAN NEEDS TO BE LET GO FROM THE PRESIDENCY NOW. SINCE HE AND HIS PLAYMATES IN D.C. THINK THEY ARE ABOVE THE LAW, WE NEED AN IMPEACHMENT AND SOON.
MARGARET CARDY at 1:04AM on Jul 3rd 2007
6.
It is amusing that many of the candidates who see nothing wrong with rewarding illegal immigrants, and their employers for breaking the law, decide when it is one of their own, that NO ONE SHOULD BE ABOVE THE LAW.
cdnbirch at 1:45AM on Jul 3rd 2007
7. While Mr. Bush's action in commuting the prison sentence of Scooter Libby is reprehensible, it actually was the only "save face" gesture he could reasonably make to Mr. Cheney who, no doubt, insisted that his junior partner, the President, take some action to get Scooter off the hook for being Cheney's "fall guy".
Paul Bot at 2:19AM on Jul 3rd 2007
8. Why doesn't everyone look back at all those PARDONED by Clinton.
PKA at 3:02AM on Jul 3rd 2007
9. "Congress ought to conduct an investigation
of whether or not the president himself is a
participant in the obstruction of justice."
- Joseph Wilson
I agree.
The President’s personal will has been poisoned and this July the country's citizens celebrate their Independence? Well, for Independence, it seems that depends on who you know.
Congress must act immediately to constitutionally impeach the current dictator on behalf of the future safety of our children and our communities.
How is it the office that is said to be tough on the war on terror, outing one of our CIA agents, anyway?
Politics is playing with our public safety.
I have absolutely no trust in our institutions anymore, and look to the communal wisdom of intelligent, resourceful citizens to step-up and raise the accountability standards of our publicly elected officials.
You don't get what you expect, you get what you inspect. If the leaders won't the citizens will.
-Emerson
Emerson at 5:42AM on Jul 3rd 2007
10. It appears once again, that the president and his white house cronies. Have once again decided that they are above the law. He had no problem railroadint the two border patrol agents into prison for 10 years for shooting an illegal alien drug pusher. but allowing another lying fall guy of cheneys goons to be free. Worst president in american history..........his legacy is and should be,Bush has never done anything right in his adult life ,except be a drunk.
bigmick at 5:53AM on Jul 3rd 2007
11. well im not sure why he took the rap for the vice president, but the president did the correct thing.... only he should of gone further and let him off that probation thing. as for the money im sure his friends can raise it since they raised lot's of money for his defence. also im a not a republican but tell the demecrats to get off there high horse look what hillary's husband let go so she should keep her trap shut. and the all the radio people, get a life and drop it it's over
mark at 6:14AM on Jul 3rd 2007
12. Hilary Clinton objecting to a President pardoning someone?
That is funny.
mae at 6:23AM on Jul 3rd 2007
13. I am amazed at how the Bush conservatives always bring up President Clinton in order to justify their party's behavior.President Clinto did grant pardons as did President Reagan,Nixon etc. This Scooter Libby business had nothing to do with Bill Clinton. Maybe the American people will pardon President Bush and Vice President Cheney and perhaps the entire GOP for politics well below the dignity of most people in our country.
sandy at 8:17AM on Jul 3rd 2007
14. This comes as no surprise - after all the man who chose to commute a cronies jail term sent our heroic troops into what has devolved into the debacle of an unwinnable sectarian/cultural civil war on Libby like lies and obfuscation of fact.
Libby obstructed justice, his commutation bring to an end that path for gaining any future evidence in an ongoing investigation.
geoWge has in his junta an Attny. Genl. whose main job is to "adjust' existing laws whenever they are found an inconvenience to their current agenda.
This insult becomes extraordinarily apparent when true Americans wake up and realize, not one of us would receive even a second glance by geoWge were we faced with similar circumstance.
Secp at 8:25AM on Jul 3rd 2007
15. American cut the rubbish and think clearly. This President just displayed the human side to his adopted Texan hide. Every single individual would have done the same given the same position as the Pres. Its just plain dumb not to anticipate this relief. It was well measured and thought out. The Vice Pres. is behind all of this, and frankly its all about nothing. Just a spy given another lease on life, and her Hubby was correct about his findings. Thats all Americans, look for something else to gripe about. there's plenty. Ta ta
onelink at 9:32AM on Jul 3rd 2007