To pardon or not to pardon

I've been conflicted on whether Scooter Libby should be pardoned sooner or later or ever. While on purely legal level he committed a crime and he should do the time, Ezra Klein convinced me that an early pardon would be tacticly wise in returning the focus of the greater crime on the White House. Ezra has since changed his timeline and I've also seen some compelling arguments since then for not pardoning him at all.

I admit, do feel a little sorry for the hapless Mr. Libby. Even though I'm not of the mind that he is a nice man, he was just being a good little soldier and carrying out his overlord Cheney's orders. On some level I see Libby's conviction as being the same as convicting an addict while allowing the kingpin of the drug cartel to buy his way out. That's not to say I didn't see his prosecution as having been necessary to unveil the greater crimes but I'm not sure justice is so well served by allowing him to take the fall and thus allowing those above to skate.

Meanwhile, the press continues making excuses for those most culpable.

"What you saw was a vice president's office that was out of control," says a former White House staffer who asked not to be named talking about internal discussions. According to trial testimony, White House aides Karl Rove and Ari Fleischer both disclosed the identity of Wilson's wife to reporters. But the way the White House sees it, Rove and Fleischer "went up to the line," the staffer says, "but they didn't cross it. The vice president's office crossed it." Now Bush has to decide how long he'll make Libby wait on the other side.

I've seen this repeated in various forms. Libby shouldn't have been pursued because Armitage was the first to out Plame, and Rove and Fleischer did it too. What kind of bullshit is that? All that means is that they were all guilty of outing Plame and that most certainly includes Cheney. I can't fathom why this is seen as exculpatory to Libby rather than an indictment of the whole White House.

In any event, one feels certain he will eventually be pardoned, so the question becomes a matter of timing. At the moment, I'm still thinking an earlier pardon would force Bush to confront the lies he told when the investigation opened and he clearly stated neither Rove or Libby were involved in the leak. Bush still hasn't clarified that statement and no one in a position to do so, namely the media, is asking him the question.

Clearly, the best position for the White House is to wait until after the 08 elections. But I'm still thinking it would be better for all concerned, except the White House and by extension the GOP, that a pardon be issued sooner so that the questions will finally be put on the table.