Everybody's talking Libby
The commutation (and possible later pardon) of Scooter Libby is understandably dominating all the news. I don't really have anything to add except to offer that this might allow a White House "reset" for the news cycle.
In the last few weeks the news has been careening out of the White House's control, immigration, Cheney, Iraq, shutting down Guantanamo, Dick Lugar, etc.
Commutation has a long term cost to the administration, but it's also politically useful. They will try to come out of this hiatus with a tone shift. I'm watching for another round of Iraq success talk.
In the last few weeks the news has been careening out of the White House's control, immigration, Cheney, Iraq, shutting down Guantanamo, Dick Lugar, etc.
Commutation has a long term cost to the administration, but it's also politically useful. They will try to come out of this hiatus with a tone shift. I'm watching for another round of Iraq success talk.
posted by mikevotes at
2:18 PM
2 Comments:
(NYT) "President Bush drew on the same array of arguments about the federal sentencing system often made by defense lawyers — and routinely and strenuously opposed by his own Justice Department."
It remains to be seen, of course, but I wonder if the bald faced hypocrisy and Bush's action, and the rank stench of an justice-by-privilege will have legs. The more one analyzes Bush's premature and self-serving actions the more "unAmerican" they appear. This may be just another rotten log to pile on the compost heap of the Bush legacy.
Bush's actions here may help cast the all the corrupted schemes of the Administration -- DoJ, Guantanamo, CIA rendition, Cheney -- in an even more abject and unquestioningly perverted light.
By
-epm, at 7:17 PM
When I wrote this, I thought they were just going to take the hit and let it die, but watching Bush's ridiculous statement that a pardon is still on the table and Tony Snow's inability to douse the flames, I think it's gonna go on for awhile.
It's the combativeness that will keep it alive. If they would just accept the loss, I think it would pass, but as long as they fight, the media will cover the controversy.
And the Dems are now trying to figure out what hearings they can hold to keep it up as long as they can.
By
mikevotes, at 9:12 PM
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