http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2007/06/19/DI2007061901259.html?hpid=discussions?hpid=discussions

Sorry. Snagged by Salon's policy of not providing hot links, and its line length limitations.

Let's try this again, but with the URL in two pieces:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2007/06

/19/DI2007061901259.html?hpid=discussions?hpid=discussions

But it did contain this delicious morsel: "{Scooter Libby has] spent every cent he's had on legal fees and not slept for eight months..."

Gee, what happened to all his multi-millionaire friends raising all those multi-millions for his defense fund? Did they spend it all on cocktail weenies? And does Cohen know the man hasn't slept for eight months because he shares his bed? I submitted that thanks to the Bush Administratoion for whom Scooter lied and obstructed justice, many of us haven't slept in over six years and more than 3000 American troops are sleeping permanently, but somehow this was passed over by the chat moderators.

Overall, Cohen's obdurate self-justification reminded me of my father's favorite domestic argument-stopper. To paraphrase: when he's right, he's right, and when he's wrong, he's right.

Thanks for putting up that link. Pretty fascinating responses (and not in a good way) from Mr. Cohen. He fails to answer the underlying point that because Scooty impeded the investigation it's not known what all was covered up, but clearly there was a cover-up or else why would Scooty risk so much to lie?

I also love how thin-skinned Cohen was, down-right insulting and condescending to the people who dared question his judgment from on high.

--Ron Robertson

My cynicism about the internet in general and chat rooms in particular leads me to the conclusion that Tony Snow was the man behind the keyboard here.

I particularly liked the part where he blamed us (the great unwashed, jail loving, vengeance seeking American public) and liberals as a whole for criminalizing politics rather than the politicians who are commiting criminal acts.

Ignoring the fact that there was no prosecution for the underlying crimes because Libby obstructed justice and completely dismissing the fact that he was found guilty by a jury of his peers.

Forthrightly proclaiming that our dislike for criminal acts on the part of our employees is just a symptom of our dislike for the war, implying that if we were kicking ass in the Middle East we would only love these guys all the more for their acts of treason.

Towing the party line by claiming Libby is a scapegoat because there was no prosecution for the underlying crime, ignoring the fact that the judge and prosecutor discussed that on the record (for the record, since it was an obvious point of law) and concluded that obstruction can't require an underlying crime - something Cohen could also ask Martha Stewart about if he ever got it in his head to actually talk about facts - due to the nature of obstruction and because it's a crime all on its own.

And topping it all off by not only minimizing the responsibilities of the Fourth Estate, flying in the face of every documented statement on the subject of the First Amendment by the likes of Jefferson, Franklin, and Payne (perhaps he thinks they are quaint), but then stating that the symbiotic, enabling relationship between the press and the government actually makes America a better place than an adversarial one would. Did the WP get this guy from Pravda?

Excellent article, Glenn.

Glenn writes:

"That has been the real point here all along. The real injustice is that prison is simply not the place for the most powerful and entrenched members of the Beltway royal court, no matter how many crimes they commit. (Emphasis added) There is a grave indignity to watching our brave Republican elite be dragged before such lowly venues as a criminal court and be threatened with prison, as though they are common criminals or something. How disruptive and disrespectful and demeaning it all is."

Glenn is at his best (and his most relevant) when he's excoriating the stupidity and the perfidy of the stenographer/pundit class, whose major function is to apologize for and to enable the Ruling Class.

Attacking the machinations of the Corporate Media is to strike at the root of the overall public relations program of the Ruling Class. It is how they, the Few, control the Many.

When prioritizing one's political actions on behalf of

the commonweal, one does well to bear constantly in mind the enormous role played by the Corporate Media in molding public opinion for the benefit of the Ruling Class.

Exposing the functioning of the Corporate Media as the PR firm of America's Ruling Class is work of the highest priority.

PR = Public Opinion Control = Electoral Control = Legitimized Augmented Power

Ken Rogers

Tax payers should just turn their head and cough?

Voters should simpy lay back and Think of England?

I'd love to see what Moliere would do with these clowns and zanies.