This is checks and balances in action for you.

The Judicial branch went off the deep end with their investigation that should have ended when Richard Armitage was discovered as the leak. The Executive branch overrode a very bad move the Judicial branch made in continuing their witch hunt is all this really amounts to.

Sure it leaves a very bad taste in the mouths of many, especially those lusting for Republican blood, but that's just the way it is and the way it goes.

shpxjvg, Pinellas Park, FL. USA

Fitzgerald the prosecutor has shown, that we now criminalize political differences. It is not enough to defeat your rival in the ballot box, you must also contrive an offense to put your opponent in jail.

Libby was not guilty of leaking Plame, as Richard Armitage came forward and was not even charged with a crime.

So much for national security being at stake. But it sure helped sell some books for Joseph Wilson.

He was guilty of helping plan the Iraq invasion, which was popular before it wasn't, and of being too proud to say "I don't recall", or "I don't know", about conversations that took place months before.

So long as Congress can appoint a prosecutor, with enormous resources, and comb every word and phrase to find an inconsistency, and be driven by feckless slavery to opinion polls, then the president should have the power of pardon. That is a check and a balance.

Peter, San Diego, CA USA

I am very concerned with the interests of national security. I have serious doubts that the people running the presidential administration have the same level of concern that would be befitting of such an office. To see each and every one of them lie on national television brings enough doubt to my mind to establish that we as a country should question the intent of our leaders. We need leaders that will recognize the mistakes made by our previous leaders that have cause the blowback that we now call terrorism. We also need leaders that have the courage to try to change our country's economic imperialist stance so that we an our progeny may live within the world not as its self proclaimed police force, but as participants.

Nate, Orlando, Florida,

Interesting, the person who actually release the name of Valerie Plame - Richard Armitage ,Deputy Secretary of State at that time - wasn’t even convicted. Nobody claims that Armitage released it to harm Plame, since Armitage wasn’t for the Iraq war in first place. And the prosecutor knew this in the early stages of the investigation. The only reason he did go after Libby (who wasn’t even convicted for that crime in the end) was to embarrass this Administration and Bush did the right thing to get Libby out of this ridicules sentence.

sam, New York, NY

This is the very definition of arrogance. Libby goes afoul of the law promoting the Administration's agenda, then when he gets caught lying under oath, gets pardoned.

It doesn't get any more self serving than that.

Scott Kim, Kaneohe, Hawaii

So Paris Hilton is a worse criminal in the eyes of the Amercan President?

Alan, Birmingham,

Amazing, just last week all of those expressing outrage over the Libby commutation were lobbying to give an even sweeter, tax payer funded deal to illegal immigrants. Anyone who's ever read the small print on a job application, an apartment lease, when enrolling children in schools, taking out a loan or mortgage, getting the phone or gas turned on, filling out forms for hospital or health care, etc... recognizes the penalty of perjury. This President and Liberals and Dem's in the Senate were only last week forcing immigration reforms that absolved 12 to 20 million illegal aliens of the perjury they committed to enter and remain in our nation. President Bush even sweetened that deal by demanding that they not be held accountable for back taxes, and the fines and fees they pay are a pittance. Most illegal aliens are serial perjury offenders!

Ed Weirdness, Dallas, Tx

Isn't this what dictators do?

Anyone still believe we have a real democracy in the US ( or the UK)

We vote them in, we lose total control, and they do what they like.
Thats not government by the people.

K. Urban, London, UK

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19588942/page/3/

Read the above link from MSNBC online. It is a copy of Keith Olberman's "Comment" from his July 3 show.

If you want to know how Americans are reeling from the presidents recent decision, now you will know.

Annie Sullivan, Baltimore, MD/USA

By reading the majority of these comments I find that the 'dumbing down' of the American public has finally been achieved.

Ron Moody, Daleville, IN

So Bill Clinton was hounded mercilessly over what was regarded as the heinous and unforgiveable sin of perjury during the Monica Lewinsky scandal but when the perjury is on the Republican side of the fence, the person gets a Presidential commutation and possibly a pardon? Talk about double standards!

I'm amazed that Americans are standing by while this is happening. How can the USA lecture countries like Iran, Russia and China about democracy and judicial fairness when their own country is like a banana republic? I even read a column in the New York Times that supported the President's decision. It's just shocking that no-one seems to be speaking out against the Bush administration and their utter moral corruption.

Americans can say it's none of our business but if they insist on invading other countries to preach democracy then scrutiny of their political system becomes our business.

MB, Edinburgh,

The ignorance here is staggering. Commutation and Pardon are not interchangeable terms. A "pardon" is like it never happened, the accused walks away without consequence.

Commuting a sentence just means they don't serve the jail time. They still have to pay the fine, abide by probation terms, and are still a Convicted Felon for LIFE - You can't vote, hold state or local office, own a firearm, you lose any professional licenses for life, and may face lifetime restrictions on where you can live, travel (some countries won't let you even visit, etc.).

The presidential pardon was intended by the founding fathers for this exact scenario - someone convicted for partisan political reasons.

Impeach Bush? Sure! I think it would be great. Then PRESIDENT Cheney can give the lefties something to really cry about for the next two years.....

marco, Miami, USA

hey right-ies and left-ies; unethical presidential pardons are downright unethical regardless of who does it... Shame on them. Right now the muck is on Georgie, who is doing a heck of a job..... Dismiss him....

ZOMBIE, CVILLE, USA / VA

Sir,
America the great, what a New world example to the rest of the world? The rise of the American Empire, the new Rome, ever bound to repeat the mistakes of the past.
PB, political barbarism - an atavist reversion to the unrestrained neo-Darwinian laws of the jungle. In the struggle for shameless naked power, opportunism and expediency engulf any sense of ethics and values.

SC, London, United Kingdom

Once again the Executive branch of government has shown total disregard for whats fair and just. Libby should have been tried for Treason for what he did. I'm sure if Libby were to have gone to prison, he'd would have told things that would hurt George Bush and his President of Vice, Dick Cheaney.

ron bass, sacramento, ca

> "Bill Clinton pardoned someone who violated a trade embargo with Iran. That embargo was in place for a reason, whether Iran was an enemy at the time or not."

I was not aware that Clinton pardoned Ollie North and Ron Reagan! They both sold Hawk missles to Iran to fund the illegal war in Central America.

Jeff, Fairfax Station, VA

Lying to a Grand Jury, and Obstructing Justice are felonies.
Are all of you saying that what he did is ok? Can we all do it without fear of prosecution?
It is still Justice for All isn't it?

Mike Harrington, Hampton, VA

Produce something good like the Republicans have in the past 7 years? That should be easy given how low the bar has been set by George Bush and the Republicans in Congress.

Bill Ferry, Cuyahoga Falls, OH

What is wrong with our Republican party? The philosophy seems to be that if Clinton did it, we can do it. That's not right. We were promised and expected much better when we voted but things only got worse. I am so ashamed of the Republican party and those who blindly follow along refusing to say that wrong is wrong, regardless. This Presidency and this administration, and those who apologize for it, are a global embarassment to the United States of America.

Don H. , Chicago, IL

I love watching all the lefties in a tizzy!

when people like you are angry and pontificating, people like me know the right decisions are being made...

Looking forward to the next Republican president, pity he won't be quite as good, moral and strongly right-wing as George W. Bush!

Michael, London,

If Bush was trying to shore up his base he might want to read the pole on The Question of the Day at The Wall Street Journal Online.

The question was
"Do you agree with President Bush's decision to spare "Scooter" Libby prison time?"

As of 2:50 p.m. EST the results were 76% NO!! and only 24% Yes, and has been at these levels most of the day.

The WSJ is hardly a liberal bastion.

D Stilphen, Cape Elizabeth, USA/Maine

Good for George Bush. The Libby trial was a good old witch hunt. He should be granted a full pardon. Let's hear how much you remember of every conversation you have had years after the fact. Democrats get a life! Produce something good for America or shut up!!!

Sharon Judd, Boise, Idaho

It's not a law. It is the constitution. For good or for bad, it is here to stay. If you studied the case you would see that Libby's conviction was only indirectly related to outing Plame. It was a political witch hunt.

What kills me is no one still follows the Marc Rich pardon (Clinton) where large sums of money were donated to buy the pardon, nothing else. You won't see that printed--even this article misses that most important point.

It's one thing to misuse presidential authority for the wrong reasons, but Bush is at least convinced he is right. Clinton, had no such issues, Marc Rich simply paid him off. Disgusting!

Tom Malone, Columbia, MO,

Mr. Baldwin's otherwise fine article fails to mention that Mr. I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby was the very attorney who helped secured a full presidential pardon for his client, Marc Rich, from the "opposition" Democrat president Bill Clinton.

In reality, none of these arrogant, ultra-elites stand for anything except self-preservation and mutual protection of their own power, wealth and Access to same.

What fools these mortals be actually who think this about Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives.

Perfidious Albion, New York, NY

One can only presume that Bush was behind the disclosure made by Libby and for which Libby was convicted. Perhaps Bush put Libby up to it in revenge for the anti war stance of the CIA agents husband.

Simon, London, UK

I can't believe the Americans let this guy rule. All Americans should be out on the street protesting. Bush has set America back at least 30 years.

Mark, Edinburgh,

Bryna, you obviously don't have your facts straight. Bill Clinton pardoned over 400 people, many of them endangered the American people. As for Scooter Libby, he was never convicted for exposing the agent. I would hardly call Libby's acts (of true) a betrayal. Libby was convicted of lying. Period. Now this lie (if true) endangered no one. Only the person who actually leaked this could be said to have endangered anyone. That is even a stretch if you know the facts here. Moreover, Bush did not pardon Libby--he commuted his sentence. This man is a scapegoat and he will lose his law license, face heavy fines, etc. Compare this to Marc Rich who bilked this country out of untold Millions and was on the run when Clinton pardoned him. Hillary should be ashamed of herself for even opening her mouth.

Tim , O' Fallon / MO, USA

Ah yes, the master ventriloquist Dick cheney and his pathetic dummy, "Dubya". We need a regime change now!!

Bruce Northwood, Washington, D.C., USA

Hillary Clinton said that the commuting of Libby’s sentence sent “the clear signal that in this Administration, cronyism and ideology trump competence and justice”, while her husband's pardoning of his brother for drug trafficking is aclear signal that Democrats commit, pardon and condone even greater offences.

Cynosarges, London, UK

I know you will not print what I have to say since I disagree with all of the comments. Only people that agree with the punishing Libby will get on this list. Shame on you!!!!!!

Flo, Grasonville, MD

I guess its okay for Democrat presidents to pardon people but heaven help the Repulicians that do the same thing. President Bush definitely should not be impeached. Get REAL people! Get on to more issues that need to be addressed and stop complaining!

Flo, Grasonville, MD

Please remember that in all but one of the cases listed in the article we the little people are not in a position to actually know all of the facts; for the government to be effective at its job it must be this way; there are certain things that can not become public knowledge in the interests of national security (regardless of who is in office). So, that said, what is the one exception to this comment? Clinton's half brother; talk about an abuse of power.

Mark Gentry, Lubbock, Texas

So this is Bush's idea of justice! Libby is convicted and sentenced in a US Court but Bush thinks it is OK to set him free. However, hundreds of foreigners are rounded up (kidnapped?) under all sorts of dubious circumstances in various countries and shipped to Guantanamo Bay, where they are held for years without trial - even though many are clearly not guilty of anything other than, perhaps, being in the wrong place at the wrong time. And Bush thinks that is perfectly OK!
Does he not realise that the more he undermines the rule of law by doing what he ‘thinks’ is right rather than following due legal process, the more ammunition it gives his enemies to do what they ‘think’ is right. Bush has proved over and over again that he is a political and moral halfwit.

Kevin, Kent,

"Bill Clinton didn't pardon people who had betrayed and endangered the American people." - this statement must be from someone who only reads the NY Times and watch CNN. Please look into Clinton's FALN pardons (the violent group who set off over 120 bombs across the US). Oh by the way, Clinton does have a fond way of pardoning drug traffickers and those who committed frauds.. Also, wasn't he the one who set the precedent that lying to the grand jury is not a crime? some people just have their face buried up where the sun don't shine..

Larry, Germantown, MD

Perhaps we should sing this song on the 4th of July:

"I beg your pardon, I did promise you a rose garden..."

Rose, Hickville,

How quickly we Americans forget that Clinton, a U.S. President, lied to the people on national TV, saying "I did not have sex with that woman" and also committed perjury, yet withall, the democrats overlook those shameful acts, including the ones he comitted right in OUR Whitehouse. Shame on you democrats.

W. G. Burrell, Wilmington , NC, USA

I think Presidential pardons should be abandoned. There should be an Amendment to the Constitution. Bush has proven that if you lie, cheat, and steal for the White House all will be well as long as you get caught while the President is still in office. This removes any sense of accountability from the executive branch.

I think it is time to impeach the President.
BTW, I wonder if I am being "wire tapped" for saying it.

Brian R, Metairie, LA

George Bush did the very best that he could.
He was a total failure.

Indy, Georgetown, MA

It's all about money and greed. The "haves" want to HAVE MORE!!!
They have to keep their "servants" who wish to be "haves" happy and quiet in order to keep out of jail and make a few more billion before end of 2008. When will the American people stand up to these crooks? Impeachment won't happen but should. Hopefully a democrat candidate will come to the front and lead us out of this mess.

Richard Duffy , Purcell, ok

Checks and balances...

Jonas Fossli, Oslo, Norway

Bush pardoned (commuted) Libby's sentence to KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT!
So Libby would not go back to Fitzgerald and start spilling about the criminal activity in the White House. What more do you need to know?

Jack Tabor, FLAGSTAFF, AZ, USA

The in-effect pardon of Scooter Libby by George W. Bush is unconscionable. I want you to know I will do everything in my power to see that you and the corrupt Bush/Cheney Administration are held accountable for the illegal and corrupt acts that have brought our country down.

Politicians no longer represent the hardworking citizens of the United States, rather the vested interests of big energy, pharmaceuticals, bankers, and corporate greed.

Shame on them all for their silence, greed, indifference, collusion, and incompetence.

Robert M. Thacker, Atlanta, GA

Easily the most comprehensively corrupt administration since Taft's, and possibly more corrupt even than that. The principal enemy of all civilized states at the present time -- Iran -- steadily waxes while this criminal thickie pursues his private obsessions in Iraq at public (and much more than American public) expense, all whilst draining the public fisc off to his cronies and routinely violating constitutional and statutory law. Unless the nation is well blessed indeed, he'll be remembered as America's Nero or Philip II.

Alexander Hamilton, NYC, US

Did any of the Iraq cabal--Libby (aka Mark Leibovitch),Feith,Perle,Wolfowitch and Rumsfeld have any sons in the Iraq War which they instigated? While UK and US soldiers bled in Iraq they slid noislessly into well paid jobs or retired to France; did Lord Levy have sons fighting in Mesopotamia ?

Stanley Austin, Anchorage, Alaska, USA.

I was amazed to hear that a president could do this. Generally i think the USA has a really good government system but this is the sort of thing you would expect from an African or South American dictatorship, and unfortunately again makes other countries wary of dealing with your current administration

Simon, Birmingham, UK

Please, Libby mentioning that Plame, a totally not undercover CIA employee, was with the CIA, caused as much damage to national security as me leaving my car unlocked.
This was nothing more than a witch hunt, because Democrats hate Bush with an irrational passion, and since they couldn't get him, they wanted to try and hurt anyone anywhere near him.

Clinton gave full pardons to buddies who had commited real crimes, so get over it all you Bush haters.

John, San Fransisco, CA

nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah!
to the tune of a popular child's taunting rhyme.
The ability of the President to grant pardons is given
by the authority of our Constitution.
Happy 4th of July to Mr. Libby and to all Americans
wherever they may be !

Dave M., Tonopah / London, USA / UK

Perjury is perjury. Wilfully lying to justice officials is the biggest possible assault on the Western system of justice. It should be treated as such.

Is this indicative of the "American" way that George W Bush is forcefully attempting to impose on the Middle East?

Clinton was impeached - Bush should be for condoning perjury.

imj, Abu Dhabi, UAE

He never ceases to amaze me. His view of the law and what this country wants is so completely off base. His presidency will always be remembered for his gaffes and blunders.

G, Redmond, WA

People, Liberal or Conservative, must come to understand that a very small group of people have over time separated themselves from the remaining population. Laws, rules do not apply to them. Libby is not a part of this group. He ,just benefits ,crumbs from the table. What hurts the general population is when a member of this group has limited talents and abilities but is placed in a position of power as has happened with our present president. To him and his peer group all the rest are little more than amoebas.

jerry, louisville, usa/ky

This is not really a big surprise, It is obvious that Mr. Libby was acting on orders when he released the CIA agents identity to keep Ambassador wilson from being too vocal about the Bush Administration. In addition, he did commit perjury and did not point any fingers at the Vice President. He took the fall as a loyal Republican to protect the President and the Vice president. If he had not done this and told the truth it is a very likely possiblity that the President could have been asked to testify and even risk impeachment. Given the fact the Mr. Libby possessed extensive inside information about this issue, Mr. Bush simply did not have a choice and he acted in the best interest of the Republican party and made a mockery of the Judicial system.

Sid, Toronto, Canada

Bush commuted Libby's sentence purely as a precautionary measure. Any closer investigation would reveal Bush's involvement in lying and deceit. This whole administration is corrupt. I am counting the days until he leaves office!

Kim Righetti, Upland, California USA

Most comments here show absolutely no knowledge of the Libby case. There was no crime committed by Libby, he had nothing to do with the Valerie Plame so called 'outing'. if you are all so outraged how come no one including the person responsible for doing the deed has been charged in this case? It's a ploitical witch hunt pure and simple. As for all the silly nonesense spouted by the liberals about treason...one of you please explain how Libby is guilty of treason?

Viv, London, England

This is NOTHING!
The real event happens Jan 19 2009, one day before W leaves office.
Expect preemptive pardons for *all* White House staffers and anyone appearing the Republican National Committee phone book. Bush will "wipe the slate clean" as a gesture of national unity. You see.

Simon Amber, Los Angeles, CA,

The President's commutation of Mr. Libby's sentence, while fully legal and in accord with the US Constitutions grant of executive clemency and pardon rights, was one more example of horrendously bad political and PR skills, by a man whose conduct of the presidency uplifts the public image of Jimmy Carter's tenure, while providing further evidence that in things political, this president, no coincidence here, is truly 'Bush league.'

Edward B (Woody) Ryder , Greenlawn, USA/NY

Permit me to intervene in this Bush-bashing fest. I think he was absolutely right to commute the sentence because the issue arose out of a travesty of justice. Let us not forget that the reason for the investigation was the leaking of Valerie Plame’s identity. This apparently was done by Richard Armitage, no friend of the Bush administration – not Libby, Bush, Cheney, Rove etc. - and this was known to the special prosecutor early on in the prosecutorial process; and yet the whole investigation continued on and on in order to finally trip someone up and get a scalp in much the same way as the whole Monica Lewinsky affair occurred when through prosecutorial zeal, once again on an issue wholly unrelated to the original investigation, they finally got their scalp, in that case Clinton’s. It is precisely in such instances why the Presidential Pardon was instituted and as such the President has used his power properly.

MN, London, UK

The Framers of the Constitution were geniuses. Scooter Libby was caught up in a political expedition on the supposed pursuit of a leak question, that the investigators already knew the answer to - and they knew it wasn't him. No other regular person would have been brought up on such minor testimony inconsistencies on a non-crime, let alone given 2.5 years in jail.

That is why the US President has the power of the pardon, and should have it - to right the wrongs of excessive political prosecutions, used by the opposing party to play "gotcha" on the President. Bravo Thomas Jefferson and Company!

Claudia, Atlanta, USA

You make an excellent point.

Sandra, Petaluma, California

If one does not except stealing money from the Federal Treasury and violating laws in order to support a country that has repeatedly and openly stated its intense hatred for and death wish for all Americans, Democrats and Republicans included, as a betrayal of the American people, then, one is simply blind to realty or wants to overlook the decisions of our last Democratic President.

Carver, Century,

Bill Clinton pardoned someone who violated a trade embargo with Iran. That embargo was in place for a reason, whether Iran was an enemy at the time or not. People keep saying "When Clinton lied, nobody died." That's not true. There are plenty of people who died under strange circumstances (http://prorev.com/legacy.htm). And they were'nt defending the country, they were defending Clinton's legacy. There were also many more indictments and investigations of the Clinton administration. It happens to all presidential administrations, and Bush's is no different. Why aren't people critical of Clinton? Politics.

Rodney, Auburn Hills,

This is a new low in Bush's leadership.

Integrity should be everything.

James Myatt, London,

It is so unfortunate that this whole episode is viewed as a partisan issue. A man with tremendous power and influence on policy in the most powerful country on earth, is found guilty in a US court while being defended by the best lawyers that money can buy. What difference does it make whether you are a Democrat or Republican when you decide how significant that crime was, or what the sentence should be? What we are all reminded of, one more time, is that if you have friends in high places you will get off.

Even the very fact that people should suggest that because of his service to our country that he should get special consideration, is getting the whole thing backwards. That he was in a position of power and special trust should require him to behave all that much more carefully, and within the narrowest legal interpretation imaginable. When I was in the USAF I wasn't allowed to take a $1 arm patch from Boeing, because there might be some appearance of impropriety.

captbilly, Sacramento, CA

It's amazing that some Americans still believe this President! He and VP are the major offenders.

John, Southfield, MI

This is exactly why I decided several years ago to refuse to pull jury duty. I will not serve on any jury. Yes I served on jurys twice before but never again and yes I was called for jury duty since but I declined. Our legal system is broken.

John Fitzpatrick, Belmont, wv

In the end, when all's said and done, much will be said and nothing will be done. The Bush/Cheney gang will ride this out, just like all the other issues of misdemeanours. They will just wait for all the talk (just talk) of outrage to blow over. After all, Gonzales is still in office despite all the outrage over his criminal activities.

What it means to the rest of the world is that the US no longer has ANY credibility when it accuses and pontificates about the rule of the law, consent of the governed, democracy, corruption and cronyism in other countries, etc. The US can no longer claim the high principles upon which their republic was founded, about checks and balances in their system. The American people deserves the wolf because they are but sheep.

Tony, Perth, Australia

America still have a royal pardon? How quaint!

Niel Malan, Bronkhorstspruit, South Africa

This is disgraceful. I, too, believe the law needs to be changed. The President should not be able to pardon anyone connected to his administration, anyone he has the power to appoint, anyone connected to his party's election campaigns, or any contributor to any of his party's campaigns. Let's separate pardons/commutations from politics.

Linda, Hockessin, Delaware

He can't pardon him, because once a felon has been pardoned, he -that felon- gives up his right to plead "the fifth amendment" on questioning. They are going to drag him back into court and if he doesn't spill the beans, back he goes...

Bob S., London, UK

These people have the best system....make the rules, break the rules, selectively punish and selectively forgive......the taxpayers pay for the whole show.....and don't even get to see it!
Probably the worst thing about the Bush administration is that they are just really bad at hiding their most blatant misdeeds. They lack serious talent in the PR department.

Bruce Scheer, Doha, Qatar

Isn't this what dictators do?

You still believe we have real democracy in the US (or the UK for that matter)?

K. Urban, London, UK

The big crook, breaks the little crook out of jail, to keep the other crooks inline and quiet........ What part of thye bible did you get that out of Georgie?

DAVID TODD, reno,

This President demonstrates unprecedented arrongance.

In my mind this just proves that leaking the identity of this CIA agent was political retribution and goes to the highest offices of this country.

The President should be impeached.

Jim, Alvarado, TX

Bill Clinton didn't pardon people who had betrayed and endangered the American people. George Bush the senior and the junior have both done so! And in doing so, protected their own misdeeds against the American people. They were elected to SERVE not to RULE!

Brynababy

Bryna Weiss, Santa Clarita, CA/USA

totally sickened.

leah, providence, ri

You should note that Libby was Rich's lawyer

S Muhlberger, North Bay, Canada

From the left side of the pond I am dismayed and disgusted with the behavior of this administration. Flaunting the legal system in such a bold manner smacks of an imperious mindset in the White House that threatens justice here in the states. Once again, the culture of elitism and favoritism inbred with cronies and insider "old boys" shows us that justice has very little to do with the law.

P K, Detroit, USA/Michigan

Bush should have acted sooner and should have granted a full pardon ala Bill Clinton. The purpose of this investigation was to root out whomever had disclosed Plame's name. That part of the investigation had already been achieved but since the guilty party had already resigned office, Fitzgerald continued, ala Niphong in Carolina, trying to get a republican. The investigation should have been terminated without Libby being questioned. Besides, we already established with Bill Clinton that perjury and obstruction of justice were no big deal.

Silver, Grand Rapids, USA Michigan

Why do they bother having Courts in the USA, they could simply say "friend of Bush, not guilty" , "NOT a friend of Bush, Guilty" .
What a farce ,and makes me wonder yet again how these type of people get to be in charge of a whole Country !.

Simon, London, UK

One thing that has remained consistent throughout Bush's presidency... He has stated time and time again that he stands by every appalling decision he has made.

Tink Golamb, Mesa,

It doesn't suprise me at all. What is the use of having laws in place when certain privleged individuals can just get away with them. It also goes to show you no matter if the facts confirmed that Libby was guilty, all Bush had to do was snap his fingers

Bill, Chicago, IL

Bush just proves once again that he's Cheney's poodle!

Jim Staley, Sigulda, Latvia

I would like to see the law change so that the president can not pardon. It seems to me that presidential pardons are an executive branch intrusion on our judicial branch of government. Bush and Cheney just thumb their nose at congress, the judicial system, and public opinion. It is scary to think of how little control there is over these two people. Each branch of government should be equally empowered – and when they are not, laws need to be changed.

Michael Walsh, El Paso, Texas