GWB were not a classic sociopath....If he were capable of feeling shame, of believing he could make a mistake or be wrong, of genuinely caring about the feelings of others- then Senator Feingold's points might actually have some impact. I'm offering 3-1 odds he'll do blanket pardons. Any takers?

Senator Feingold, I wish it were possible to do ethics transplants- I would have you be a donor for just about everyone else inside the beltway. Thanks for standing up for the Constitution- it must be lonely indeed at times...

If Bush pardons his co-conspirators, no one is going to care. Those Americans who aren't too distracted by "Dancing With The Stars," are suffering from corruption fatigue. There's nothing left he could do that would surprise anyone.

I'm disappointed however that the Hon. Sen. Feingold has ignored the most egregious abuse of the power to grant pardons - namely, George H.W. Bush's pardon of his fellow Iran-Contra co-conspirators. Thanks to Bush, Sr., we'll never get to the bottom of one of the worst acts of treason of the 20th Century. Those criminals who sold weapons to a terrorist state like Khomeini's Iran to fund terrorists in Nicaragua have all gotten away with murder.

No, Bush will issue his pardons. The American people are too distracted and too wore out to care. And worst of all, the Democrats will remain silent on the whole matter, fearful of endangering state of appeasement they call "bipartisanship" with the Republicans.

George W. Bush will not only pardon his co-conspirators, named and un-named, he will also pardon himself.

Any pardons will be confessions. Those who are pardoned for important crimes such as torture probably still will have to flee the USA, just in case.

I sort-of believe the rumor that G.W. Bush himself has prepared a finca in Paraguay for his life after his presidency. We will see. His pardons will not pass unremarked. And they are coming soon. Pay attention.

And this is pure chutzpah:

"If President Bush were to pardon key individuals involved in the misdeeds of his administration, from warrantless wiretapping to torture to the firing of U.S. attorneys for political reasons, the courts would be unable to address criminality, or pass judgment on the legality of some of the president's worst abuses. Issuing such pardons now would be particularly egregious, since voters just issued such a strong condemnation of the Bush administration at the ballot box."

There's no need to pardon anyone who hasn't been charged with a crime, who committed no crime, and whose only guilt exists in the minds of the fringe wackadoodle left.

Since Vice President Cheney might not be in the Senate chamber this week, and Pat Leahy might be feeling lonely, it falls to me to say, "Go fuck yourself." Senator.

...and damned if he doesn't I say regarding the possibility of blanket pardons. Either way Dubya goes will expose him as a liar with something to hide. If he doesn't blanket pardon half of the justice department, etc. then investigative committee's will uncover the truth and run with it. If he does do it then history will judge him guilty of everything he has been accused of simply from the pardons themselves. Once people are pardoned they will be free to talk about it to the press, write books, etc. Its a no-win situation for him.

However, I would caution Democrats from turning the next four years into a blood bath of investigations and criminal court cases as this will only galvanize an already demoralised Republican base. They should spend the next four years working on the country's problems and rolling back the past eight years of abuse while gathering evidence and testimony under the radar...then unleash the hounds when and if an Obama second term begins.

Georgie boy hasn’t given a hoot about public opinion before so I doubt that he’s going to start worrying about it now. Just take a look at the 11th hour move against endangered species that he and Dickie are shoving through. It’s a piece of legislation that goes completely against both public opinion and the administration’s own science advisors—but they don’t care. The neocon pathology doesn’t take public or expert opinion into consideration when making decisions for the simple reason that to them, democracy, reason and science are completely subordinate to their dogmatic political philosophy. Even sicker, these nabobs think that history will vindicate them.

|| "...that call his judgment, and the integrity of the rule of law, into question."

Y'all have had 6 years to have justifiable umbrage on which to act. With a month and a half to go seems like you've missed your window of opportunity to actually make a difference when it mattered.

Meh.

This is a man who has been shielded from the consquences of his actions his entire life. To expect him to apply forsight now is a little niave. This man values loyalty above all else and the public isn't likely to notice as they have been sick of him for over a year. What better time to do this then when no ones looking.

You said: "There's no need to pardon anyone who hasn't been charged with a crime, who committed no crime, and whose only guilt exists in the minds of the fringe wackadoodle left."

That’s right Elephantman, there was no torture, manufacturing evidence to go to war, wiretapping abuse or outing of CIA agents. It’s all just a figment of the left’s “wackadoodle” imagination.

Seriously, what are you smoking and where I can get some!

Remember Clinton's pardons? Probably not. You liberals have such short memories. His were so bad it was called "Pardongate". Carlos Vignali, Almon Braswell, Marc Rich, Susan Mcdougal, ROGER CLINTON! on and on.

Go here to continue you're shame.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Clinton_pardons_controversy

he implies that politicians not merely know what honor is, but actually practice it. not often, and less often.

but politicians are merely taking advantage of the social niche created by the writers of the constitution. they are what they are for the same reasons hyenas and pimps are what they are: evolution, social and natural. if you don't want to be ruled by politicians, get off your knees. but don't imagine dubya is going to find honor suddenly.