David Brooks: Ending the Farce (’Bush’s Decision in the Libby Case Was Exactly Right’)
The New York Times Select Edition (subscrition only) ^ | 7/3/7
Posted on 07/03/2007 8:48:42 AM PDT by hardback
A cast of thousands crowded the stage, filling the the air with fevered vapors and gleeful rage. The media stakeouts of Karl Rove’s driveway, the delirious calls from producers (The indictment is coming today!)
The media types so eager to get Rove, back when everyone thought he was the key leaker. Richard Armitage was as Fitzgerald knew from the start.
It was like a city of Ahabs getting deliriously close to the great white whale.
The trial to be honest, was somehwat aniclimatic. Fitzgerald, casting himself as Javert, demanded Libby get a harsh sentence as punishment for crimes he had not been convicted of.
The judge, casting himself as David against Goliath, demonstrated an impressive capicty for talking about himself. President Bush entered the stage like a character from another world, a world in which things make sense.
Of course the howlers howl. That is their assigned posture in this drama. The only thing you can count on is that their anger has been cynically manufactured from start to finish
The farce is over. It has no significance. Nobody but Libby’s family will remember it in a few weeks time. Everyone else will have moved on to other fiacos, other poses, fresher manias.
It has been a farce from day one. Rove should have stepped up to the plate and saved the Administration all this grief on Libby. Rove, you say. I figure if he leaked to to Novak in 1992 and got fired from the Bush 41 campaign, there is an excellent chance he leaked to Novak once again since they are good friends.
You want the real culprit — it is not Libby, my money is on Rove who let him twist in the wind.