Posted on 02/17/2009 5:18:50 PM PST by DBCJR
WASHINGTON - In the waning days of the Bush administration, Vice President Dick Cheney launched a last-ditch campaign to persuade his boss to pardon Lewis (Scooter) Libby - and was furious when President George W. Bush wouldn't budge.
Sources close to Cheney told the Daily News the former vice president repeatedly pressed Bush to pardon Libby, arguing his ex-chief of staff and longtime alter ego deserved a full exoneration - even though Bush had already kept Libby out of jail by commuting his 30-month prison sentence.
"He tried to make it happen right up until the very end," one Cheney associate said.
In multiple conversations, both in person and over the telephone, Cheney tried to get Bush to change his mind. Libby was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice in the federal probe of who leaked covert CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity to the press.
Several sources confirmed Cheney refused to take no for an answer. "He went to the mat and came back and back and back at Bush," a Cheney defender said. "He was still trying the day before Obama was sworn in."
After repeatedly telling Cheney his mind was made up, Bush became so exasperated with Cheney's persistence he told aides he didn't want to discuss the matter any further.
The unsuccessful full-court press left Cheney bitter. "He's furious with Bush," a Cheney source told The News. "He's really angry about it and decided he's going to say what he believes."
He did just that the day after becoming a private citizen. In an interview with The Weekly Standard, Cheney heaped praise on Libby and denounced his conviction. "He was the victim of a serious miscarriage of justice, and I strongly believe that he deserved a presidential pardon," Cheney said. "Obviously, I disagree with President Bush's decision."
The vehemence of Cheney's last-minute onslaught has struck some Bush loyalists as excessive. "At some point you have to accept the decision of the guy who appointed you," one of them said after learning the details. "I think Cheney was over the top."
A Cheney ally disagreed. "He had every right to push it as hard as he wanted," he argued. "Cheney places great store in loyalty and thinks Scooter got a raw deal."
In July 2007, at Cheney's urging, Bush commuted Libby's 30-month prison sentence. But he also said, "I respect the jury's verdict" and noted that his decision "leaves in place a harsh punishment" for the man often described as "Cheney's Cheney." Libby was fined $250,000, and as a convicted felon, he has been disbarred from practicing law and cannot vote.
Rob Saliterman, a spokesman for the former President, said Bush would have no comment. A Cheney spokeswoman could not be reached for comment.
The latest Libby flap has injected fresh strains in a relationship that had become more businesslike than warm in recent years.
Ten days before leaving office, Bush hailed Cheney as "a fabulous vice president."
About the same time, however, an official who has worked closely with both men mused that the relationship "isn't what it was" when Bush tapped Cheney as his running mate in 2000.
"It's been a long, long time since I've heard the President say, 'Run that by the vice president's office.' You used to hear that all the time."
Bush comes off as squeaky clean compared to Clinton on HIS way out of office.
It’s something the dems haven’t given him any credit for, because it is undeniable evidence of Clinton’s scumminess and Bush’s honoring of the office.
>> About the same time, however, an official who has worked closely with both men mused that the relationship “isn’t what it was” when Bush tapped Cheney as his running mate in 2000.
That’s because Dick Cheney is a rock-ribbed Conservative.
W, not so much.
I must confess I was shocked (and upset) by the commutation vs. full pardon myself.
Ditto with the clemency for Ramos and Campean.
For three presidential elections in a row I’ve wished that the ticket I was voting for was flipped.........
He certainly had the gravitas.
I always thought Bush was a man of convictions. These things I do NOT understand.
Yep. You pretty much nailed it. I was quite shocked at the actions taken on all three of those.
Bush was right about Cheney being “a fabulous vice president.” He’s the best in my lifetime. And Cheney was right about Libby getting a raw deal. Bush should have given him a full pardon.
“ex”? I’ve never heard Al Gore referred to as “ex-Vice President”.
That really worked out well ... not.
That’s why the Left targetted Cheney right off. Bush needed his depth. Without him Bush would not have navigated D.C. at all.
I share his outrage.
W didn’t compromise his soul to be popular.
True, but what was THIS about?
If he had not shut the door on running for President the day he was announced as VP perhaps we could have at least had a real conservative run against the Messiah....likely would not have made much of a difference but at least we’d feel better having been able to vote for Cheney over McCain!!! Hope he enjoys his retirement but have to agree with his request for a full pardon for his
This was entirely predictable & it is yet another reason why Bush should have just gone ahead with the Libby Pardon. The Dems have no sense of proportion. They could not tell the difference between Bill Clinton's handing out pardons to the Rich & Infamous vs. helping out a staffer who was victimized by a political prosecution. So why not just go ahead & let them make fools of themselves?
W is a moralist who thinks life should be hard. That’s why he was never concerned with the economy, or raising the American standard of living. Look at what’s happening to our country. W should be feeling almost godlike by now.
OK, but why did he not pardon Scooter or the Border Agents?
Why would such a bizarre idea even enter your mind?
If Bush had singlehandedly discovered a cure for cancer the liberals would have trashed him for not curing AIDS while he was at it.
That having been said, Bush's shameful conduct on these pardon issues exposed himself as a rigid a-hole who doesn't know the difference between principle and obduracy.
I think President Bush is an honest man of integrity. I agree with the commutation of Scooter Libby’s sentence, as well as the decision not to grant him a pardon. He did perjure himself, and the rules should apply to all.
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