1. Based on a Survey USA poll Bush's decision to commute Libby's prison sentence is opposed by about 60% of Americans who are familiar with the issue. My guess is that this will end up more like 70-30 when all is said and done. Of course, to a president with a 26% approval rating that thirty to forty percent must look pretty good.
2. The 40% who approve of Bush’s action or think he didn’t go far enough and should have given Libby a full pardon are traitors. Ask any CIA officer. I did.
3. Regardless of the opposition, Bush honestly believes this isn't going to hurt him politically. The administration typically announces damaging news late on Friday afternoons, yet they didn't do that in this case.
4. If I was in the CIA I'd be mad as hell. Bush just spit in the face of the CIA (again), and I'm not sure that's a smart move for somebody who needs the CIA to provide slanted intel to cover his ass for an attack on Iran, just as they did for Iraq.
5. Corollary to number three: Having the CIA even madder at Bush probably slightly reduces the chances of us attacking Iran.
6. A fight between the CIA and the President could have minor side effects, such as jeopardizing national security. Of course the Bush crew doesn't care much about national security or they wouldn't have outed Valerie Plame in the first place.
7. The Washington Post is reporting that, in a rather extraordinary breech of precedent, Bush didn't consult with the Justice Department or with Patrick Fitzgerald, the chief prosecutor, before making his decision. Who needs advice when God tells you what to do?
8. Bush has essentially set the market price for outing CIA agents at a quarter million dollars. Seems to me that this is awfully cheap, and will be a very regrettable precedent...
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