scooter is no Bill Clinton.

I know it's old news, being ten days old and all, but I feel the need to respond to the "Clinton lied too" argument, as well as the "Clinton didn't do time" argument being made in defense of the president's commuting of scooter's sentence for perjury and obstruction of justice. To the latter it seems important to note that Clinton wasn't convicted by a jury of his peers. In the case of a sitting President of the United States that "jury" is the United States Senate. Dick's chief of staff, scooter, was convicted by a jury. In America, you don't do the time, if you're not convicted of a crime. In scooter's case, however, even if you are convicted of a crime, or three, you still don't have to do the time.

The first argument is the one that really gets me riled. In an investigation into real estate dealings that went down when he was Governor of Arkansas, President William Jefferson Clinton was asked under oath (the same oath bushco. continues to refuse to be put under) about extra marital sex. Even though these questions were about as relevent to National Security, Our democracy, or a high crime or misdemeanor as questions would be about how often george and laura have sex, he answered them. He did not invoke executive priviledge like chicken george has. Unfortunately, in an act of uncharacteristic stupidity, clinton lied in his answers. His lie was "I did not have sexual relations with that woman". His lie did not obstruct justice or subvert a federal investigation. He was not lying to protect the vice president or the the president's chief political adviser. He was not obstructing an investigation into the leaking of information classified for NATIONAL SECURITY. He lied about oral sex, not by his wife, that he received while in office.

The criminal, who leaked (whether he was the first or last we may never know) the identity of a covert operative of the CIA, who was working on Iraq at the time, was reprieved of his jail sentence by a man whom he may have been protecting with his lies. His lies ended an investigation into the involvement of the Vice President, the President's chief political adviser and quite possibly the President in the releasing of information, classified for National Security, to discredit evidence gathered to the contrary of this administration's rush to war. His sentence was commuted by the administration he was covering for. Libby was not lying about a crime against the sanctity of his marriage, but a criminal act against Our National Security.

And no i. scooter libby is not a soldier in the war in Iraq. If he was he would be on the active front lines for 15 months at a clip, unrested, perhaps under equipped, in 100+ degree heat, in full body armor, being shot at, and would return to find his benefits cut.

To bastardize the great quote from former vice presidential candidate Lloyd Benson, "Bill Clinton served as President of the United States, I remember Bill Clinton. Scooter, you are no Bill Clinton."

And not that I should have to, but just to clear things up...
I think Clinton is a very smart man and a brilliant politician, but as president I was thought neither his trade nor his environmental policy was at all progressive (or aggressive) enough. I voted for Ralph Nader in 1996.

Oh and in case a pro-crime advocate for libby throws the name mark rich (the most infamous pardon from clinton) at you, ask them who rich's lawyer was. You guessed it. It was i. scooter libby.

UPDATE: In responding to the above piece, a good friend of mine asked, "Where is the CRY about 'conflict of interest'!!". Bush, in commuting i. criminal libby's sentence, while the appeals process in ongoing, assures that libby will not testify further. He may have testified if enprisoned. The administration was involved in this case. How can they affect it legally? As my comrade put it, "this commutation literally gets bush and cheney off the hook in a big way.. So they should not, in a checks-and-balances democracy, be allowed to TOUCH his sentence!!"