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Holiday Eve Scooter Libby Reaction

By Jeralyn, Section Lewis Libby Trial Coverage
Posted on Tue Jul 03, 2007 at 08:00:56 PM EST
Tags: Libby Trial (all tags)
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If President Bush thought announcing Scooter Libby's commutation just before the 4th of July would decrease media attention or criticism, he was wrong. It's a firestorm out there, and it keeps on growing.

Check out Dan Froomkin in the Washington Post, his column is filled with unanswered questions about Libby and Cheney and has scores of links to news articles, blog posts and editorial page criticism.

Arianna educates the media that this is not a left or right issue, it's a right or wrong issue, and there's plenty of conservative criticism of Bush's action.

Sentencing Law and Policy has a roundup of legal commentary.

Rep. John Conyers promises to hold hearings on the commutation. The first will be Wednesday, July 11, at 10:15 am in room 2141 of the Rayburn House Office Building.

Jane and Marcy will be there live-blogging for Firedoglake. They need donations. Please, give what you can.

More...

As outraged as I was when I heard the news 24 hours ago, my anger has just continued to build. So, it seems, has everyone else's, from the media who told Tony Snow today, "Don't Insult Our Intelligence" to talk radio to the blogs and the editorial pages of the nation's newspapers.

A few hours ago I was on Rachel Maddow's Air America radio show. I could hear my voice, filled with anger, rising in pitch as I spoke. My blood pressure was soaring after the show -- and it wasn't even a debate, just Rachel and I agreeing with one another.

Then I wrote an overly long screed about how the commutation trivializes and demeans the work of everyone involved in the criminal justice process, from judges to prosecutors, defense lawyers, probation officers and defendants. I'll post it after I've had time to calm down and edit it.

Update: David Corn posts a memo to David Brooks on the commutation. Also don't miss Sasha Abramsky's L'Etat, C'Est Moi.

My new post, Libby Commutation: A Total Disrespect for the Rule of Law, is here.

Update: Perhaps for the first time ever, I agree with conservative blogger Patterico.

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    Holiday Eve Scooter Libby Reaction | 13 comments (13 topical)

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    Holiday Eve Scooter Libby Reaction (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by Angie Hartford on Tue Jul 03, 2007 at 08:18:10 PM EST
    I've just found out that Bush won't rule out giving Libby a full pardon. I was so mad, I think smoke actually came out of my ears, just like a cartoon character. Too bad these guys are real.

    There is one nice thing about (none / 0) (#2)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Jul 03, 2007 at 08:48:10 PM EST
    living in Alabama vs Colorado tonight.  You wouldn't believe what sort of fireworks are legal in Alabama. We dumped $150 at the fireworks stand and I suppose tomorrow night we'll remember or founding fathers and blow the snot out of the silence.

    I gave up fireworks years ago (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by scribe on Tue Jul 03, 2007 at 10:07:59 PM EST
    after one too many assignments as safety officer on the heavy demo range.  I kept all my parts, but left behind my desire to make things go boom.

    I'll let the pros handle them.

    If you and yours want to fool around with them, please be safe.  

    Parent

    We will scribe (none / 0) (#9)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Jul 03, 2007 at 11:41:57 PM EST
    My husband tends to be very safety conscious, he is a past safety officer too ;)  It is odd for us to celebrate with anything more than snakes and sparklers but maybe it'll make us feel more festive.  I miss the fireworks shows that we had in Colorado Springs.  My grandparents lived a block from Memorial Park so the whole family had a picnic there that afternoon and walked to the park and they always set them off on Pike's Peak too along with many other shows in the area.  If you got in a good spot you could see them going off simultaneously.

    Parent
    What'll it take? (none / 0) (#3)
    by Marky5000 on Tue Jul 03, 2007 at 09:21:38 PM EST
    The Tony Snow show?  Injustice?  This will keep happening until we put a stop to it.

    Firestorm? (none / 0) (#4)
    by jarober on Tue Jul 03, 2007 at 09:28:38 PM EST
    The immigration bill was a firestorm.  This is a tempest in a teabag, with outrage only from the predictable corners.  

    Sure (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by Edger on Tue Jul 03, 2007 at 09:47:57 PM EST
    it is.

    Parent
    I agree (1.00 / 0) (#7)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Jul 03, 2007 at 10:38:23 PM EST
    Huffington...Pearlstine...Conyer....Hillary

    hahahahahahahahahahaha

    Parent

    Umm, Yeah (1.00 / 1) (#8)
    by jarober on Tue Jul 03, 2007 at 11:31:08 PM EST
    As noted by jimakaPPJ, the "outrage" is all from the usual suspects.  Contrast that with the reaction over the immigration bill, and you'll see what I mean.  Outside the left, few care about this one way or the other.

    Parent
    According to recent polls... (5.00 / 2) (#12)
    by TomStewart on Wed Jul 04, 2007 at 04:05:47 AM EST
    60% of American polled say Scooter should have served his served his time and Bush should have butted out. 40% of Republicans agreed.

    Yep, just the usual suspects. Nothing to see here...

    Parent

    Outside the left? (none / 0) (#13)
    by Edger on Wed Jul 04, 2007 at 01:24:25 PM EST
    Who woulda thunk it..

    I never knew Fox News and Brit Hume, and Fred Barnes and The Weekly Standard were part of the 'biased' liberal media.

    Must be a conspiracy: Bush Consigns GOP To Political Oblivion

    Parent

    The timing (none / 0) (#10)
    by chemoelectric on Tue Jul 03, 2007 at 11:48:30 PM EST
    Whether July 4 would hush it up or not was immaterial; Bush had to commute the sentence as soon as it was certain Libby was going to prison, or else Libby might repent and start talking. But Bush could not pardon, because then Congress could subpoena Libby and threaten him with jail again should he refuse to talk about the crimes for which he had been pardoned.

    BTW (none / 0) (#11)
    by chemoelectric on Tue Jul 03, 2007 at 11:51:18 PM EST
    BTW always love to hear you, Jeralyn, whether on Rachel Maddow or any other AAR program.

    Holiday Eve Scooter Libby Reaction | 13 comments (13 topical)

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