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Calling Clemency By Its Name

7/3/07, 1:20 am EST

Language is important in moments like this.

The White House has done a great job of framing this as a commutation of Libby’s sentence. To commute is a cold, technocratic, emotionless verb.

But look at the actual order Bush signed and it calls the presidential quasi-pardon by its real name: Clemency.

Clemency is an emotive word. It appeals to our sense of mercy. Clemency is something we should give to the Georgia teenager whose girlfriend gave him head at a party and now is in prison for aggravated child molestation. It’s reserved for those instances where following the letter of the law creates a greater injustice than the crime.

Scooter covered up illicit actions at the highest levels of our government. Libby lied. Intentionally. To the F-B-fucking-I.

If you or I did that we’d be flirting with Gitmo.

The clemency a rogue sheriff tried to give Paris Hilton provoked nationwide outrage. Clemency for a Bush crony should rile us no less.


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Comments

gappytoofcondi | 7/3/2007, 8:26 am EST

Let’s face it…this administration has a LOT to hide! The support for this comes as Bushco is sooooo frightened that Scooda will rat they pardon him the DAY after the appeal. Bush did this without any discussion with Fitzgerald, the DOJ, and any other source in clear violation of protocol for a White House.

They have no concern for law, or Democracy. All they care about now is covering their tracks. Too bad. Time has a way of revealing the truth. When we learn of the facts, don’t be too suprised to see what will detail an administration that has committed more crimes together than in all previous administrations COMBINED!

Meanwhile, at the House and Senate, the sounds of crickets. Ho hum. Just another raping of our constitution.

Stephen Smoliar | 7/3/2007, 11:50 am EST

In at least SOME fairness to the President, the BBC report had Bush describing Libby’s 30-month prison sentence as “excessive;” so, in Bush’s opinion at least, this was a case where following the letter of the law DID create a greater injustice than the crime. On the other hand, as one reads further into the BBC account, one encounters considerable disagreement with Bush’s opinion. Unfortunately, these are not times in which we can hold reasoned argumentation over differences of opinion. They are not even times in which Harry Reid’s rhetoric on the harsh judgment of history will carry much weight. They may not even be times in which decisions are based on the convictions of faith, rather than the disciplines of reason championed by Enlightenment thinking. These may just be times in which power is all that matters, whether in government, business, or even leisure time. In such times power may be exercised for no reason other than the plain fact that it CAN be exercised, and no amount of rationality can put a crack in the soundness of that harsh proposition.

if I recall | 7/3/2007, 2:14 pm EST

In regards to the teen being jailed for engaging in willing sexual acts with that girl, I think his 10 year sentence has been overturned 2 years into it. So, instead of taking away 10 years of his life for doing nothing wrong, they only took two years. Those sick abominations that were responsible for doing that to him should be jailed at least the same duration. If it were me in his position, god help them. I would make sure they didn’t ever get the chance to ruin anyone else’s life again.

DAVID | 7/3/2007, 3:55 pm EST

Before Scooter even saw the inside of a courtroom he was promised that if he took the fall, da boyz would make sure he never spent any time in jail, and he’d be well compensated for this effort…
Good lord! If Cheney can tell the Congress to f*ck off, Scooter’s “problem” is a piece of cake to the Bushboys.

Sad.

Fride at the Steak | 7/4/2007, 11:46 pm EST

And another thing. With all this power that the President yields, isn’t it about time he stopped fucking lying to us all the damn time. I mean, every single time this dude opens his mouth, he’s in full contradiction. The truth may, actually, be fairly acceptable to most people. The truth being this cabinet’s intentions to invade Iraq and firmly entrench western oil for years to come. Just a thought Prez….

boil | 7/5/2007, 12:07 am EST

Thanks, Ralph. Al Gore III, aka Strawman, would wind up in Gitmo for peeing on a tree.

Capitalist Pig | 7/5/2007, 2:44 pm EST

I did not know a Prius would go 100mph.

Let Them Eat Cake | 7/6/2007, 3:48 am EST

Ralphed

“Think Gore will do any time?”
If High Crimes of the Federal/ Felony Nature don’t do it for Libby, doubt “high crimes” of a misdemenor would or should for Gore…

And we know, “What will the children think?Ummmm-Look at all the high standards Bushdum is setting for us all…

GoreJr. is only trying to rival the Bush twits and Daddy Bushdum…

Hallzee | 7/6/2007, 10:51 am EST

Marc Rich, Roger Clinton, Hugh Rodham
………….etc.

Two wrongs don’t make a right, or should I say 141 wrongs to 1 wrong don’t make a right, but a blind eye to your side is also not right.

Fride at the Steak | 7/6/2007, 11:44 am EST

Hallzee, while I understand your angle, those pardons don’t even compare. First, they were done within the framework of the constitution. Libby’s ‘clemency’ was done through back channels, just like everything this administration does. Also, none of Clinton’s pardons were involved in activities that benefited the President. Libby was. Also, none of Clinton’s pardons were involved in lying about the reasons for bombing another country. Libby’s was. There are differing degrees of deceit, fraud and corruption. Bush’s whole presidency has been about the war in Iraq. The outing of Plame, the spying on citizens, the stripping of habeus corpus for ‘enemy combatants’. We all know this war isn’t going to end well. We’re either going to leave, or keep dying. So, isn’t it quite obvious what Bush’s legacy is going to be now? There is NOTHING positive to write about this guy. NOTHING.

Dr. Ralph | 7/6/2007, 8:55 pm EST

Last time Gore III got busted he was in a caddy going 94 with pot. This time he was going faster in a Prius hybrid with pot and Xanax. Far out man! Think maybe the powers that be would look at this innocent little weed and perhaps rethink the laws? HELL NO!!! We got other people’s kids to send to war!!!

Word | 7/10/2007, 11:11 pm EST

Hey Hallzee,

Libby was Marc Rich’s LAWYER! Clinton helps him out and Libby goes on to defraud the entire country, bearing responsibility for the deaths of over 3000 United States soldiers. 141 wrongs to 1? How bout 3,545 to NONE. You lose. Marc Rich was Jesus Christ himself compared to Scooter Libby.

Unfortunately the cons have nothing to do with Jesus Christ…

ruiylgkhn mhvdirwl | 9/19/2007, 11:12 pm EST

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ruiylgkhn mhvdirwl | 9/19/2007, 11:13 pm EST

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