W learns from Watergate

W has commuted Scooter Libby's prison sentence. Scooter now is free from facing prison, but can still appeal and continue to refuse to tell the truth about the White House's efforts to discredit Joe Wilson's criticism of a lie W told about Iraq by outing Wilson's wife the CIA intelligence operator. The prosecutor can't use the reduction of time to get the truth. Scooter can also use the 5th Amendment to stonewall Congress' questions.

This is the first time I know of such a blatant use of the president's constitutional powers of pardon and commutation to cover up White House activity. Even Nixon didn't try this with the Watergate burglars or any of his former aides who did end up in jail unlike Dick Cheney's pal Scooter. Clearly, W has learned from Watergate to destroy any records, stonewall until you leave office and make sure those who lie for you don't have to go to jail. Nixon's crimes could be fully uncovered because the taping system provided the inescapable evidence. Reagan's buddy Ollie North shredding the evidence in Iran-Contra, but much of that is still fully none. With W and Cheney's continuing efforts to block anyone's attempt to know what they are doing, we may never really know how many crimes were committed by this version of a corrupt presidency.