Top Items:
CNN:
Bush commutes Libby's prison sentence — WASHINGTON (CNN) — President Bush on Monday spared I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby from prison, commuting the former White House aide's 30-month prison term. — The prison time was imposed after a federal court convicted Libby of perjury …
Discussion:
Firedoglake, White House, TPMmuckraker, The Raw Story, At-Largely, The Poor Man Institute, Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler, Jules Crittenden, PoliBlog (TM), Angry Bear, Needlenose, All Spin Zone, The Moderate Voice, New York Times, Sentencing Law and Policy, TalkLeft, Patterico's Pontifications, The Daily Whim, Captain's Quarters, Political Radar, Taylor Marsh, The American Mind, Political Insider, The BRAD BLOG, The Impolitic, KnoxViews, Dr. Sanity, The Newshoggers, Donklephant, The Anonymous Liberal, The Democratic Daily, Jay Currie, Happy Furry Puppy Story …, Brilliant at Breakfast, The Next Hurrah and Rook's Rant
RELATED:
White House:
Statement by the President — The United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit today rejected Lewis Libby's request to remain free on bail while pursuing his appeals for the serious convictions of perjury and obstruction of justice. As a result, Mr. Libby will be required to turn himself …
Discussion:
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Don Surber, JURIST, Angry Bear, Firedoglake, All Spin Zone, The Gavel, The Politico, Democrats.com, Cold Fury, JustOneMinute, New York Times, About U.S. Politics, Democratic National Committee, CNN Political Ticker, FRAMESHOP, The Anonymous Liberal, The American Mind, Economist's View, GINA COBB, The Raw Story, DownWithTyranny!, Outside The Beltway, LiberalOasis, Booman Tribune, Bluey Blog, UrbanGrounds and Discourse.net
Opinion Journal:
Bush and Libby — The commutation is a profile in non-courage. — President Bush's commutation late yesterday afternoon of the prison sentence of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby will at least spare his former aide from 2 1/2 years in prison. But by failing to issue a full pardon …
New York Times:
Soft on Crime — When he was running for president, George W. Bush loved to contrast his law-abiding morality with that of President Clinton, who was charged with perjury and acquitted. For Mr. Bush, the candidate, "politics, after a time of tarnished ideals, can be higher and better."
Discussion:
Wonkette
Speaker Pelosi / The Gavel:
A Betrayal of Trust of the American People — The President's commutation of Scooter Libby's prison sentence does not serve justice, condones criminal conduct, and is a betrayal of trust of the American people. — The President said he would hold accountable anyone involved in the Valerie Plame leak case.
Michael Abramowitz / Washington Post:
A Decision Made Largely Alone — President Bush limited his deliberations over commuting the prison term of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby to a few close aides, opting not to consult with the Justice Department and rebuffing efforts by friends to lobby on Libby's behalf, administration officials and people close to Bush said yesterday.
New York Times:
Bush Spares Libby 30-Month Jail Term — President Bush spared I. Lewis Libby Jr. from prison Monday, commuting his two-and-a-half-year sentence while leaving intact his conviction for perjury and obstruction of justice in the C.I.A. leak case. — Mr. Bush's action, announced hours …
Emptywheel / The Next Hurrah:
Fitz Speaks — Via email from his spokesperson: … For the record, when I said almost the same thing on Hardball, I hadn't gotten this yet in the email. Glad to see that my feeble mind is thinking along the lines of a great mind. — Update: Oh wait, I think I said the bit about the fact …
Washington Post:
Too Much Mercy — IN COMMUTING I. Lewis Libby's prison sentence yesterday, President Bush took the advice of, among others, William Otis, a former federal prosecutor who wrote on the opposite page last month that Mr. Libby should neither be pardoned nor sent to prison.
Discussion:
Sadly, No!
Sheryl Gay Stolberg / New York Times:
Bush Spares Libby 30-Month Jail Term
Bush Spares Libby 30-Month Jail Term
Discussion:
TalkLeft, TPMCafe blogs, The Mahablog, Liberal Values, Townhall.com, Opinions You Should Have, Prairie Weather, TBogg and Group News Blog
Orin Kerr / The Volokh Conspiracy:
BUSH SETS LIBBY FREE: Wow, that was fast: President Bush set …
BUSH SETS LIBBY FREE: Wow, that was fast: President Bush set …
Discussion:
The Corner, Sentencing Law and Policy, Power Line, TPMmuckraker, Daily Kos, Redstate, All Spin Zone and TalkLeft
CNN:
Libby commutation: Washington responds
Libby commutation: Washington responds
Discussion:
TPMmuckraker, Hot Air, The Left End of the Dial v2.0, Baseball Crank, MyDD, protein wisdom, A Tiny Revolution and Macsmind
Sheryl Gay Stolberg / New York Times:
For Bush, Action in Libby Case Was a Test of Will
For Bush, Action in Libby Case Was a Test of Will
Discussion:
ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES
Brad DeLong / Grasping Reality with Both Hands:
Jeff Lomonaco, Please Report to the Department of Pre-Crime
Jeff Lomonaco, Please Report to the Department of Pre-Crime
Discussion:
The Democratic Daily
The Independent:
Terror plot hatched in British hospitals — A suspected secret cell of foreign militants, believed to be linked to al-Qa'ida and using British hospitals as cover, are being questioned over the terrorist attacks in London and Glasgow. — Five of the eight people under arrest last night are said to be doctors.
Discussion:
Brisbane Times, The Strata-Sphere, michellemalkin.com, Unqualified Offerings, Tim Blair and Secular Blasphemy
RELATED:
Susie / Suburban Guerrilla:
James Capozzola, 1962-2007 — Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone, — Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone, — Silence the pianos and with muffled drum — Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come. — "Funeral Blues," W.H. Auden. — My friend Jim died this evening.
New York Times:
U.S. Says Iran Helped Iraqis Kill Five G.I.'s — Agents of Iran helped plan a January raid in Shiite holy city of Karbala in Iraq in which five American soldiers were killed by Islamic militants, an American military spokesman said Monday. The charge was the most specific allegation …
Kana Inagaki / Associated Press:
Japan's defense minister quits over A-bomb gaffe — TOKYO — Japan's defense minister resigned under an avalanche of criticism today for suggesting that the United States was justified in dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki because the attacks saved Japan from a Soviet invasion.
Discussion:
Jules Crittenden
Bloomberg:
Pakistani Policeman Killed in Red Mosque Gun Battle — A Pakistani policeman was killed as the police fired tear gas and later exchanged gunfire with the students of the Red Mosque in the capital Islamabad today. — The police fired tear gas after students' pelted stones at policemen deployed outside …
Byron Dziva / Telegraph:
Mugabe's 'inflation police' raid shopkeepers — Plain-clothes police sought to enforce Zimbabwe's new price controls by raiding shops yesterday as President Robert Mugabe's regime waged a desperate struggle against soaring inflation. — They roughed up shop owners and staff and arrested 20 businessmen.