Yesterday GW Bush issued a grant of Executive Clemency for the Scooter Libby. Many commentators, news agencies and pundits seem to have missed the punch on this story in more than a couple of ways. The most glaring omission to the so called "analysis" was why Bush would issue Executive Clemency instead of a pardon. With Scooter poised to do some real time, the whole suit of armor was about to come off at the Bush Whitehouse had Scooter gone up the river. This type of clemency is rare in the presidency; usually the guilty parties spend some time in jail or at least fully sentenced, then get a pardon. This move by Bush deserves further scrutiny.
As this author has said in past posts, Scooter could have very well turned if faced with a two and a half year prison term. Many Washington insiders cave under the direst of knowing they may go to the can. Country club or not this prospect scares many of the chicken hawk ilk such as Scooter. Pounding a blood curtailing scream for war before this mess Scooter wouldn't last a day in a minimum security jail much less Abu Ghraib or any of the other prisons created by the policies that he supported and disseminated.
In essence Bush had no choice, because in the end he's culpable somewhere along the line, as is his administration. If Scooter had to serve that sentence he was vulnerable to capitulation to the demands of those who would like to see justice be done on the ramp up to the Iraq war. This is what Bush had to protect, and hence why the clemency. He could not allow a sentencing, he needed to show Scooter he had his back and clemency was the only alternative. If he allowed Scooter to even think that he would have to walk the plank, Scooter might have turned to make a deal. Many may say this preposterous, but Bush's father even waited longer to get Cap Weinberger out of trouble. Something doesn't sit right here.
The immediate and swift nature of this Executive action should have folks asking questions and looking for answers. This was to be the only member of the failed Iraq war policy and the deceptive PR campaign to wage that war to be brought to bear on these issues. This should be a red flag to everybody that this gesture proves Bush's complicity in the events, and even direct participation. He was protecting what remains of his administration with this action. Like other actions of this administration it will be glossed over and any criticism framed as partisan attacks on one of his buddies, who was just trying to help.
In the end members of the media and pundits that are inquisitive of this move due to Bush's approval rating are noting a superfluous issue. Bush is in the last throes of his second term and all he has to do is hold on and this is what this clemency represents. Why should he care about his approval rating, he's gone in a year and half anyway. He'll take a hit on approval to save his ass and people should realize that this is what the clemency move is really all about.
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