I’d really hate to see you logic through some of the past commutations (of both sides) and keep a straight face while re-reading that.

It is easy to say if the President was going to do something, why didn’t he just pardon Libby? But that doesn’t clear his name.

Libby is in the middle of an appeals process where he could possibly win. If granted a pardon, that process would end. By issuing clemency, the President kept Libby out of prison. The conviction is still there. It hasn’t been erased. Therefore he can still go forward with the appeal.

Let’s make sure we have something in context. Libby has been convicted for lying to investigators investigating a crime which the investigators knew never took place. Fitzgerald knew that no crime was committed before interviewing Libby but he needed something to justify his investigation. The jury convicted him of a crime which wasn’t really a crime. Not recalling a telephone conversation after a couple of years in the same manner as the other person in the conversation isn’t a crime. Because if it is, we all need to start taping our conversations so that if we are ever called to court about them, we can refresh our memories as to the facts of the conversation before we go.

Today’s decision by the President is the right one. The judges’ decisions to not allow Libby to stay out of prison pending exhaustion of his appeals was vindictive and petty. And it was those decisions which prompted the clemency.

That the Circuit Court refused to allow Scooter Libby out on bond during his appeal was an incorrect decision, but I also believe that President Bush made an incorrect move with his commutation of Libby’s sentence today. President Bush spared…

You don’t get to that kind of position without having some serious connections. Even with a conviction hanging around his neck, he’s not going to be faxing resumes to anyone. I’m willing to bet they let the fine ride because it sounds a lot tougher than it actually is.