Democracy Has Prevailed.

December 12, 2007

A Bad Week For Scooter

Earlier this week I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby decided to drop his appeal - this was for his part in the outing of Valerie Plame. From the AP:
Libby, the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, was convicted of perjury and obstruction for lying about his conversations with reporters about outed CIA operative Valerie Plame.
And yesterday was this:
President Bush granted pardons Tuesday to carjackers, drug dealers, a moonshiner and a violator of election laws, but not to I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, his vice president's former top aide who was convicted in the case of the leaked identity of a CIA operative.
This has gotta be pissing off the wingnuts. I can just hear them now:
  • Scooter remains a convicted felon when that liar Joe Wilson remains free?
  • But Armitage was the leaker!
  • She was only a desk-jockey!
  • She wasn't a covert operative!
  • She was a soccer mom!
  • Her cover had already been blown by Aldrice Ames!
  • It was Wilson who lied about the Uranium in Niger!
  • It's a coup attempt from within the CIA!
  • Hey, Sandy Berger stole documents!
  • In his socks!
  • And Bill Clinton lied, too!
  • Bill Clinton!
  • Bill Clinton!
  • Bill Clinton!
Wingnuts.

24 comments:

Maria said...

Bush will pardon Scooter on his way out the door, just like his Daddy did for the Iran-Contra criminals.

Anonymous said...

John K. says: Remember, Plame's civil case was thrown out. It also strikes me as strange that a person who supposed to represent the US without passion or prejudice and swore an oath to do the same turns into a traitor. Plame and Wilson have nothing. Nothing! Bush wins.

Anonymous said...

John K. says:

It also strikes me as strange that a person who supposed to represent the US without passion or prejudice and swore an oath to do the same turns into a traitor.

What's even stranger is that the President of the United States--a man who swore to uphold and defend the Constitution--would commute the traitor's jail sentence.

You WERE talking about Scooter, right?

Anonymous said...

Must be a slow news day when you have to bring up ol' Scooter.

Tough times for lib kooks: Iraq going to the middle of the newspapers, economy still steaming along, Bush at 37% and climbing, Dem Congress at 22% and stagnant, Pelosi was briefed on water boarding in 2002 (and wanted to make sure it was tough enough to crack terrorists), and Dems will cave (yet again) on war funding.

What a differenece a year makes. :)

CB Phillips said...

Here-in lays one the big differences between the right and the progressive left.

First, Iraq going to the "middle of the paper" makes the right happy, somehow validating their belief that this was a just and right war, when it's still been a huge disaster, and the current downturn in violence is largely a result of ethnic cleansing. Again, many on the progressive left would like to see real progress in Iraq, because that would mean we could move some troops to Afghanistan, which isn't going real smoothly, and can bring many others home. We - or at least I - don't care about the politics of it. Just get them out of that shit hole we've created.

The economy "steaming along": please tell that to the 47 million uninsured, to the millions who are losing their houses, to those folks in the factories in Ohio and Kentucky who just lost their jobs. The Dow and consumer confidence index does not = the real economy.

Dem-led Congress deserves those low ratings because they have been a bunch of pussies scared to stand up to the big-bad right wing smear machine. See, that's not too hard. Where were the "conservatives" when Dubya and the Republicans were expanding the federal government to its biggest size ever, ballooning the deficit, setting sick records for earmarks? Look at the "lefty" blogs and see the seething criticism of Democrats in Congress for even considering caving again on Iraq funding, telecom immunity, etc. Many on the progressive left actually believe in accountability and we don't put party before country.

Pelosi - if indeed she knew there was waterboarding going on, fuck her. Kick her out of her position. You'll see that same position taken by many leading progressives. Again, accountability, country before party, and not just paying lip service to the principles that allegedly define your party.

If you honestly believe that Republicans and conservatives have not made one big mess over the past 6 years, then you are delusional. Are the Democrats any better? Just barely. Sadly, too many are too cowardly and act like abused children who don't really understand what normal behavior is because they've never seen it or have forgotten what it looks like.

Anonymous said...

But, you see, progressive left = kooks. Kooks never win national elections. You are the extreme left, countering the extreme right.

Now, I'll type slowly, E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E believes invading Iraq was a mistake, knowing what we know now. The whole world was duped by faulty intelligence. Dems, Reps, everbody. The difference is, the left has staked their future on defeat.

If the US is not defeated in Iraq, and a liberal democracy emerges, that is the best scenario for the country. That is what those of us on the right have been harping for 5 years now - we broke it, we own it, now what are we prepared to do?

The left is synonomous with defeat, and turning tale when the going gets tough. Especially if it is not in the best interests of the country.

BTW, here's the waterboarding = Pelosi story, released by that notorious right wing rag, the Wash Post:

"Hill Briefed on Waterboarding in 2002
In Meetings, Spy Panels' Chiefs Did Not Protest, Officials Say"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/08/AR2007120801664.html?hpid=topnews

The one thing that I've been saying for a year is that the Rep Congress lost its way, turned liberal, and deserved the defeat a year ago. That, more than the Iraq war, is why they lost power. The fact that they, and Bush, are finally showing some fiscal backbone is the reason for the rise in popularity.

I first wrote two weeks ago, on another blog, that I would not be surprised if the national election topics next fall are the economy, health care and Iraq, in that order. If the Dems state they want to raise taxes, especially if the public perceives the economy in decline, is this the right answer? If the Dems espouse socialized medicine (Hillarycare), will this sell?

Should be a great election season.

Now, leave poor Scooter alone.

Anonymous said...

FIllipelli...

The left does not want progress in Iraq. You guys want it to be a mess because you hate Bush so bad and you want a dem in 2008. It's really sick when you think about it.

Anonymous said...

Why did Sandy Burglar get away?

Anonymous said...

John K. says: Dave you worth a laugh. Bush is a traitor? LOL LOL LOL about as dumb as it gets.

CB Phillips said...

How much money and how many dead soldiers and Iraqis, how many Iraqi refugees, how many Iraqi women prostituting themselves in Syria, how many U.S. guns and bombs have to wind up in terrorists hands and how many terrorists do we get to help recruit before we can declare this "success"? It's been 5 fucking years, ya' know. How much longer? One more Friedman Unit? Two? Are there any signs of much-needed political progress to even suggest there is a possibility of stability?

The defeat has already taken place. But no amount of bodies or money or ruined lives or destroyed alliances and reputations is enough for too many on the right to say that. It's not just the "lefty kooks" who want out of Iraq. Look at every poll - every one says the American people want out of Iraq. Are they all lefty kooks?

We cannot "win" in Iraq, not by any discernible definition of "victory." We can keep the violence simmering to a low boil, but there is no plan out there to fix what we have broken. That will take years and years and will only be achieved by the Iraqis themselves. And, X, if you think there is a chance in hell of a "liberal democracy" emerging in Iraq, you've been drinking too many Irons.

Feh - you go about believing in your little dreamworld of faulty intelligence and give it 6 more months and liberal democracies - the rest of us will continue living in the real world where brave soldiers and the American people got lied into a stupid fucking war that has done more damage than any of us will ever be able to truly appreciate.

Anonymous said...

So much anger, so much hate. Why is the left always so angry?

Anonymous said...

Flli, I think you've scrambled a few too many eggs.

Go take a smoke break. Dinner rush soon.

CB Phillips said...

There is nothing I love more than the anger card. "Those lefties are so angry. Whaahhh. They scare me. They just won't shut up and let more innocent people die. Whaahh."

I thought you all were the tough guys, no? The macho, kill-em-all, we're-the-fucking-boss, don't-mess-with-me-or-I'll-cut-your-throat types. You know, like Bill Kristol and Jonah Goldberg. Burly, macho... oh wait.

Anonymous said...

No, the lefties don't scare anyone.

Pussies never do.

I'll hang out with the macho guys.

Anonymous said...

But you are angry. The FAR-left is made up of bitter, mean-spirited moveon.org types who attack anyone they disagree with a rather disturbing ferocity. Just look at that despicable ad about General Petreaus in September. Face it, most of the country rejects your ideology, even if the majority of Americans have been brainwashed into this "bush lied people died so get the hell out" crap.

Anonymous said...

XR, Macho men like AWOL GWB, 5 deferment Cheney, Hot boy Larry Craig, Foley, Mitt my boys are doing more important stuff like campaigning for daddy than do something irrelevant like serving their country Romney etc etc etc.I guess for pussies like you they are macho men. Adios. Semper Fi MFER.

Richmond K. Turner said...

"5 Deferrment Cheney" would be a great name for a rock band.

Maria said...

As would "AWOL BUSH."

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 7:18. XRanger is not a Marine. He served his country as a member of the United States Army in an extremely dangerous role in an extremely ugly war. Don't be a putz by disrespecting his service.

Just point out, as we all do, the internally inconsistent and delusional nature of his political views.

CB Phillips said...

Agree with Schmuck. Also, X, can you see if those macho guys can sign up to fight in Iraq, since it's so important to the stability of all civilization and all. You've done your service, maybe it's time they do theirs.

Anonymous said...

Why do you libs feel that everyone who defends the Iraq War has to have served in the military? Think of how ridiculous that is. Not to mention, as John recently pointed out, you guys have done everything possible to ban the military from schools, yet you want every single person who dares to justify the Iraq War to wear a uniform.

Anonymous said...

Shitrock, I realized XRANGER is an ex-ranger, I also realize he was calling lefties pussies. I am a leftie, I am also a Marine once a Marine always a Marine no ex's. Maybe you don't know this but Marines were also involved in dangerous situations in ugly wars. So please do your preaching to someone else.

Anonymous said...

Anon, I thank you for your service as well.

Forgive me, I thought you were snarking at X's military resume, and I resent folks doing that, particularly fellow lefties who ought to know better.

I'm also sorry you felt I was being preachy, but I have no intention of curtailing that activity when I think someone is criticizing a GI (of any branch) for doing his duty.

To address the thrust of X's original tirade:

Why DO we lefties feel that we have to snipe so hard at Scooter? Hasn't he suffered enough, having to pretend that he might have to serve time in jail, and having to turn over the money that other people raised to pay his fine? I mean, it's not as though he's a convicted felon. Wait...

Just because he obstructed justice and covered the tracks of the America's three most prominent all-time traitors, does that mean we should harp on the poor guy? I though liberals were supposed to be compassionate, like Dubya was when he ran the first time.

Lay off of Scooter. He was only doing his job -- undermining American security to the best of his ability, like every Administration official is paid to do.

Anonymous said...

No, J. Shmuck, I was saying he did the crime, it's time to do the time.

Your support is appreciated, though.