Letters to the Editor
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Apparently the time for objective discussion has passed
Yeah, yeah, we all hate Bush -- that's pretty much a given. And yes, it's very hard to give the benefit of the doubt to someone that we hate. I get that.
And while the merits of commuting Libby's pardon certainly deserve discussion, are there not greater issues at play here than to gnaw at the breaking of guidelines?
Guidelines are just that -- guidelines. They do not have the force of law, especially for the President under the Constitution (I remember that document, even if the President doesn't). It is not difficult to imagine that these guidelines are in place so that there is a procedure for those lesser lights who have not worked with the President and whose trial has not been front page news, and you can consider that it is cronyism at best and corruption at worst. But the fact is, the President doesn't have to follow the guidelines and in this one crazy instance, he doesn't have to.
In commutations and pardons, guidelines are handy for the President and the Justice Department to shuffle all the supplicants through. Ever had favors to impart? Then you needed guidelines, didn't you? "So sorry, I'd love to help you, but first fill out these forms and it will go into the review process."
Instead of getting down in the weeds about the guidelines, consider that as I watched this morning's press conference with Tony Snow, as soon as they moved on to another issue (immigration), all the newscasts broke away.
Discuss that!