WTF Is It Now?!?

Disgraceful
"The jury's sentence was extreme and unjustified" -- the man who signed death warrants for 154 people in Texas.

With liberty and justice for all -- if by "all" you mean "friends and cronies of the Bush/Cheney misadministration." Dem pantywaists get their knickers in a twist prior to lapsing back into their pussywhipped comas, plus other reactions from around teh intarwebs:

"The Constitution gives President Bush the power to commute sentences, but history will judge him harshly for using that power to benefit his own vice president's chief of staff who was convicted of such a serious violation of law. Libby's conviction was the one faint glimmer of accountability for White House efforts to manipulate intelligence and silence critics of the Iraq war. Now, even that small bit of justice has been undone, said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. "Asshat."

"Accountability has been in short supply in the Bush administration, and this commutation fits that pattern." -- Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.

"When it comes to the law, there should not be two sets of rules - one for Bush and Cheney and another for the rest of America. No one in this administration should be above the law." -- Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. "And they call me 'dick'!"

"This is exactly the kind of politics we must change so we can begin restoring the American people's faith in a government that puts the country's progress ahead of the bitter partisanship of recent years." -- Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.

"Only a president clinically incapable of understanding that mistakes have consequences could take the action he did today. President Bush has just sent exactly the wrong signal to the country and the world. In George Bush's America, it is apparently okay to misuse intelligence for political gain, mislead prosecutors and lie to the FBI. George Bush and his cronies think they are above the law and the rest of us live with the consequences. The cause of equal justice in America took a serious blow today." -- former Sen. John Edwards, D-NC. "Though maybe 'blow' was the wrong word to use here."

"This commutation sends the clear signal that in this administration, cronyism and ideology trump competence and justice." -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-NY. "I'm taking this awfully well, aren't I?"

"The president said he would hold accountable anyone involved in the Valerie Plame leak case. By his action today, the president shows his word is not to be believed." -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who branded it a "betrayal of trust of the American people."
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"It is time for the American people to be heard - I call for all Americans to flood the White House with phone calls expressing their outrage over this blatant disregard for the rule of law." -- Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del. "And if you can't phone, just leave a flaming bag of poo on the front steps."

"President Bush's 11th-hour commutation of Scooter Libby's sentence makes a mockery of the justice system and betrays the idea that all Americans are expected to be held accountable for their actions, even close friends" of that arch-criminal Dick Cheney. -- Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.

"By commuting Scooter Libby's sentence, the president continues to abdicate responsibility for the actions of his administration. The only ones paying the price for this administration's actions are the American people." -- Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn.

"This decision sends the wrong message about the rule of law in the United States, just as the president is meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. How can we hold the line against injustices in other countries when our own executive branch deliberately sets out to smear its critics, lies about it and then wriggles away without having to pay the price in prison?" -- Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif. "Shit, the commies know rule of law better than this misadministration."

"The arrogance of this administration's disdain for the law and its belief it operates with impunity are breathtaking. Will the president also commute the sentences of others who obstructed justice and lied to grand juries, or only those who act to protect President Bush and Vice President Cheney?" -- New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson. "Yeah, I thought so."

"As Independence Day nears, we are reminded that one of the principles our forefathers fought for was equal justice under the law." -- Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-NY. "This commutation not only completely tramples on that principle, but takes a shit all over it."

"This is a complete departure from the usual procedure. Scooter Libby is getting a very special brand of justice. He is getting enormous privileges that are not available to ordinary criminal convicts." -- CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin, who looked very pissed off last night.

"Demonstrating his complete contempt for trial by jury, rule of law and his own Department of Justice appointees, George Bush thumbed his nose once again at the very concept of democracy and the Beltway Brahmins are cheering. The dirty unwashed masses who populate our juries are fit to judge each other, but evidently not the ruling class. David Broder can breathe a sigh of relief that People Like Him are safe from those overly zealous US Attorneys who might want to hold them accountable to the same absurd standards that the little people must live by. How quaint." -- FDL.

"President Bush's commutation of a pal's prison sentence counts as a most shocking act of disrespect for the U.S. justice system." -- the Seattle Post Intrelligencer.

"Do the crime, do the time... Bush sent a terrible message to citizens and to government officials who are expected to serve the public with integrity." -- the Chicago Trib.

Trial judge Reggie Walton, a Bush appointee who had called the evidence against Libby "overwhelming," would not comment on this travesty of justice.

Keith Olbermann on the pardon.

Other quotes from here, here, here, here and here.

Profiles in courage: some republicans weigh in --

"I am very happy for Scooter Libby. I know that this is a great relief to him, his wife and children. This will allow a good American, who has done a lot for his country, to resume his life." -- Saint Fred Reaganson.

"After evaluating the facts, the president came to a reasonable decision and I believe the decision was correct." -- America's Fucktoy Rudy Giuliani.

The prosecutor "went after somebody even when he knew no crime had been committed. Given that fact, isn't it reasonable for a commutation of a portion of the sentence to be made?" -- the Dog Torturer, who has never pardoned anybody while governor.

"Mmmmph blrgh rr llphphm mmm. Glllll." -- misadministration sausage jockey Joe Lieberman.

Oh, and the "harsh punishment" that remains in place for Libby? It's a $250,000 fine -- one that will be paid for by the The Scooter Libby Defense Trust, which has collected close to $5 million from buddies, cronies and freetards.

Honor and integrity to the White House: restored! Happy Fourth of July and God bless America.