There is no defense to either. Both were personally or politically motivated. As to the 140 pardoned by Clinton, the problem is that quite often some poor sod takes the fall for our administration for some illegal act performed 'for the good of the whole.' Then there is the 'good of the one.' I don't know if any of those fall into either category or not so I really cannot take a stand either way. The whole thing does concern me though. The real issue is what or who is overwatching the powers the President uses to do this? (among other Presidential acts) We will never know if a commute or pardon is completely personal, political, or morally based (or a combination thereof).


>This is clearly the Republican talking point. Not much choice, I suppose. You notice there aren't many defending the commutation of Libby's sentence. The best they can come up with is to point fingers at the Clintons.
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>>I agree. Bush should have waited until the final day of his presidency and pardoned 140 criminals like President Clinton did.
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>>>Great post. And good for you for not letting Charles lead you off the topic of THIS trial and THIS pardon. Just because something worse might have happened doesn't make it all right.
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>>>Bush doesn't have to run again but I bet there are some Republican candidates who are peeved at him for handing this issue to the Democrats.