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Friday, October 11, 2013

When Cheney Tried to Run 'Scooter' Over Bush

Peter Baker has a book coming up on the Bush-Cheney team and NYT has a lengthy excerpt this Sunday in its magazine on the veep's push for a full pardon for Scooter Libby over his conviction in the Plame case. You know, leaking name of CIA operative and lying about it.  No biggie.  They've just posted it online.  One bit:
Burck figured that Libby assumed his account would never be contradicted, because prosecutors could not force reporters to violate vows of confidentiality to their sources. “I think also that Libby was concerned,” Burck said. “Because he took to heart what you said back then: that you would fire anybody that you knew was involved in this. I just think he didn’t think it was worth falling on the sword.”
Bush did not seem convinced. “I think he still thinks he was protecting Cheney,” the president said. If that was the case, then Cheney was seeking forgiveness for the man who had sacrificed himself on his behalf.
So Bush had to do what he dreaded--after a final talk with Dick and tell him, no. Then he still fretted about until he left office.  By the way, in the excerpt you'll see Libby claiming over and over that he is innocent so you'll have to refresh your memory about how guilty he really was.  Also: he never served  a day in prison--for Bush had commuted his sentence.

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