Desperately Seaking: Activist Judges With Republican Stripes

Of course, if your Scooter Libby, you get grumpy when they sentence you to 2 or so years in the federal pen when you hoped you would have gotten an assignment next door to Paris. But of course, the innocent until proven guilty thing is only for those of us without the backing of the Big Dick Cheney and financing from the best of republican resources.

The Veep, of course, is still hoping for a reprieve for his pal Scooter, and desperately seeking the same brand of justice that landed Dick and his party in the Whitehosue in the first place: those with Republican stripes.

Scooter has dedicated much of his life to public service at the State Department, the Department of Defense and the White House. In each of these assignments he has served the nation tirelessly and with great distinction. I relied on him heavily in my capacity as Secretary of Defense and as Vice President. I have always considered him to be a man of the highest intellect, judgment and personal integrity-a man fully committed to protecting the vital security interests of the United States and its citizens. Scooter is also a friend, and on a personal level Lynne and I remain deeply saddened by this tragedy and its effect on his wife, Harriet, and their young children. The defense has indicated it plans to appeal the conviction in the case. Speaking as friends, we hope that our system will return a final result consistent with what we know of this fine man.

In my view, justice has been delivered, but Mr. Libby got off cleaner than he should have. Moreover, the full weight of this matter does not fall solely on the shoulders of Mr. Libby.

All the Big Dick's Statement proves is the age old theory that if you have enough cash, justice is just a matter of what you can pay for. And if at first you don't succeed, try and try and try again.

Mark my words, when all else fails, there will be a pardon for Mr. Libby. But of course, the President's lovely spokesmodel is not going to be forthcoming on this detail, now is she?

Q Any reaction to the sentencing for Scooter Libby?

MS. PERINO: Yes, Dan Bartlett and Chief of Staff Josh Bolten informed the President right after take off -- as you know, that news came in just as we were taxiing -- so they informed the President. The President said that he felt terrible for the family, especially his wife and his kids, and that he wanted to wait until we heard more about the judge's decision.

I don't know if you know that when we took off he had initially announced his decision on the sentencing issue, but then he said the court would break, and then came back. When the court came back, according to reports from the ground, the judge has set up a process for which Scooter Libby and his attorneys can appeal both the judge's decision today, as well as the jury verdict. And given that and in keeping with what we have said in the past, the President has not intervened so far in this or any other criminal matter, and so he is going to decline to do so now, as well.

Q Is Scooter Libby going to get a pardon?

MS. PERINO: As I said, we're not going to comment, the criminal justice system is still continuing and the judge has set up a process -- I think it's to be announced, the exact schedule later. It would start next week, when they start pursuing those appeals.

Q When do you consider the process over?

MS. PERINO: Well, I think when those appeals are exhausted is when it would be over.

Q And if Scooter Libby says, "I'm not going to appeal"?

MS. PERINO: Well, then we'd have to take that into consideration and I'd have to come back with more reaction.

Q Does the President think at some point it would be appropriate just to speak out about this? The guy has been sentenced. I mean, is he going to run out the clock and wait for all the appeals to be done before the President of the United States speaks about a pretty important matter that was perpetrated by a member of his staff?

MS. PERINO: What I can tell you is how the President reacted today, which is to say that he does feel terrible for them, he thinks they're going through a lot right now, they've been through a lot. But given the fact that the judge has set up a process for appeal and given the way that the President has handled this for the past year or so, he's not going to intervene.

Q Does he feel sympathy for Scooter Libby?

MS. PERION: Yes, he says he feels terrible for them; he's sorry for the way that -- for all that they're going through and he can --

Q Did he include Scooter Libby in that?

MS. PERINO: Yes.

Q Has justice been served in this case?

MS. PERINO: Brendan, I think that as regards to anyone, any American who has the right to see out a criminal justice procedure, I think that we have to afford him the same rights, just as we would give to anybody else and allow them to exhaust those appeals.

Q Dana, if the appeals process is still going on, on January 20, 2009, will the President continue to not get involved?

MS. PERINO: That's very speculative and hypothetical and I think let's just let that process start next week.

"I think that we have to afford him the same rights, just as we would give to anybody else and allow them to exhaust those appeals." Really? But that's only for folks not sent to Gitmo, right?

But what about the pain this leak has caused Wilson and his spouse? What about the break of national security? What about the complete disregard for the security of our CIA agents in the field?

A better question would by why is this concern causing the W, Rove and Co so much grief? It's because they got caught with their hands in the political huckster cookie jar and they don't want to be spanked for their naughty behavior.