Cheney: "I Disagree With President Bush's Decision" On Libby

In an interview with his biographer Stephen Hayes, published by the Weekly Standard, former Vice President Cheney laments Bush's decision not to pardon former Vice Presidential Chief of Staff "Scooter" Libby. From the WS:

Cheney told THE WEEKLY STANDARD that his former chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, whom he described as a "victim of a serious miscarriage of justice," deserved a presidential pardon.

Asked for his reaction to Bush's decision Cheney said: "Scooter Libby is one of the most capable and honorable men I've ever known. He's been an outstanding public servant throughout his career. He was the victim of a serious miscarriage of justice, and I strongly believe that he deserved a presidential pardon. Obviously, I disagree with President Bush's decision."

The article also notes that Cheney only ever publicly disagreed with Bush four times while in office. The occasions involved a ban on gay marriage, Donald Rumsfeld's firing, the D.C.'s gun ban, and North Korea. Cheney's disagreement over the Libby pardon (or lack thereof), stated publicly just after leaving office, technically makes five -- though it doesn't really matter anymore.

Comments

[usastar]

I hope Cheney will have to keep looking over his shoulder for the rest of his miserable life in regards to, but not limited to, Libby and Valerie Plame (PlameGate). That's what Cheney (and Bush and the neo-conservatives get--although were all paying for it, especially our military families) gets for helping to dismantle Iraq's two "No Fly/No Drive Zones" and invading anti-Al-Queda Iraq, a country that had nothing to do with 9/11 (or ever attacked us).

[Tulka2]

Funny stuff. Thank you for the little glimpse of Cheney squirming. Unkind of me. Unenlightened of me. But cannot help enjoying the thought that it is now up to Cheney to keep "Scooter" Libby happy. Years of keeping Scooter happy. Because.... if Scooter is not happy, he will write a little book about his boss, Cheney. I can even imagine this is Bush's little revenge against Cheney.

[Jesster]

It would appear that just this once, Bush may have outwitted - or one-upped Cheney.

By commuting Libby's sentence he freed him from prison to go home to his family. No doubt Cheney had promised him Bush would pardon him later for his sacrifice/falling on the sword. And while everyone in the White House works for / at the pleasure of the President - Libby was Cheney's right hand man - and Cheney made Libby the fall guy with promises he ultimately could not deliver.

While Bush and Cheney have long been joined at both the hip and the head, circumstances have changed and each of them would like to blame the litany of failures and fiascos of their administration on each other. But Bush gained the upper hand here.

Had Bush pardoned Scooter, Libby would have been stripped his right to plead the 5th in the event of any future prosecutions against others (like Cheney).

In addition, without the pardon, Libby remains a convicted felon who probably can no longer vote and definitely can no longer practice law - which means that he will have plenty of time to write a book spilling the beans, even the score and make some much needed money. If Cheney promised him he would be pardoned and all would be well, that smug smirk the Dick-ster always wears might fade from being frightening to FRIGHTENED....

[RTIII]

I've looked - and at the official web sites that _should_ report this, but they all have _stale_ data: Where's the list of Bush's last-minute pardon? Or, didn't he do any?

If he had pardoned Cheney, etc, I imagine we'd have heard already.

However, it's worth noting that it surely appears W didn't pardon anyone from his administration because he's so clueless he doesn't think anyone in his admin did anything wrong! ...Lucky for us if this is true!...
.

[Jesster]

Apparently, while presidential pardons are generally made public, they is no law saying they have to be. They can be kept hidden and only surface if later on a criminal (or civil?) indictment is made against them. So perhaps we will never know.

[frappe]

Hey Cheney, if true justice were to prevail, you, Libby, and Bush would all be doing time.

[grf67]

Libby is a convicted felon. Bush should not have even comuted his sentence. cheney is finally getting all of the attention he deserves. He will be welcomed back to Washington for his trial.

[sherrzinpa]

Can Obama undo that commutation? If so I think he should do that.

[tlgeiger62]

Cheney "doesn't matter anymore"

[NWBrunette]

The really good news is that he didn't preemptively pardon Cheney. Let's go get him!

[nomobull]

too bad he didn't stop taking advice from you a long time ago. now shut up and go away.

[rhubardpi]

The chickenhawk turns on the coward......you can easily tell who the chickenhawk is.....his face clearly indicates his need for an industrial strengh stool softner.

[SouthPrairie]

If Libby is a v.i.c.t.i.m. of anybody, it is you C.h.e.n.e.y. In fact, I would guess that Bush and all of America are v.i.c.t.i.m.s of you. But now you've spent your w.a.d. and it is time to fade into the sunset.

[arthur2008]

"Scooter Libby is one of the most capable and honorable men I've ever known. "

Now, there's a reference!

[DrBuzz]

I am reminded of an episode of "Cheers", when Diane Chambers harangues her beloved, Sam Malone, into seeing an old colleague of Frasier's, Simon Finch-Royce, for couples counseling to confirm her belief that they are compatible.

Diane fawns over Cleese's character, and blurts out, "You are the wisest man I know", to which Cleese responds (as only he could) "High praise, indeed."

Tricky Dicky: "High praise, indeed."

[soapington]

And it's true too!

[nomobull]

what a sad statement

[plzchuteme]

Nice crowd you hang around with, Dick! Isn't there an old bromide about linking character to the company you keep? I wonder which one comes out on the short end of that stick.

[richinkle]

This is the first of 18 million cracks that will develop between Bush and Cheney as all sense of loyalty is lost because Bush finally decided not to follow one of Cheney's commands.

I think it will start to emerge that Bush believes Cheney betrayed him by consistently providing him with ruinous advise, knowing full well that our weak-brained president did not have the mental tools to discern good and sensible from wildly stupid and irresponsible.

[Losercuda]

Sorry, you fat loser. "Scooter" Libby isn't a "...victim of a serious miscarriage of justice..."

He is a convicted Felon.

And will be for the rest of his miserable life.

[blueskybigstar]

Bush should not have pardoned Scooter. Obama should pardon him, if and only if, Scooter sings like a bird.