The Libby Verdict

Yes Virginia, there really is a Fitzmas.

Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald is tough, thorough and diligent. He is one of the brightest and the best Federal Prosecutors. And he is an adversary you don't want to face.

Today he served up the guilty verdict against I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, who was Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff. Libby was convicted moments ago of lying under oath and obstructing Prosecutor Fitzgerald's investigation into the release of CIA agent Valeria Plame's identity.

It is worth noting that Libby is the highest-ranking White House official to be convicted of a felony since ....... you guessed it ....... the Reagan era Iran-Contra affair.

I'm already on record as saying and believing this entire prosecution of Libby was and is a gross miscarriage of justice. I believe that Fitzgerald is yet another Special Prosecutor out of control.

But I'm also a strong believer in the American Justice System and, especially, jury trials. So, while I continue to believe that Fitzgerald should have never even been appointed, let alone allowed to run an extensive Grand Jury investigation that never yielded a single indictment EXCEPT lying to the Grand Jury.....

.....I respect the verdict and believe that Libby is guilty of lying to, and misleading, Fitzgerald's totally non-productive Grand Jury.

My reaction is a far cry from the joy and glee being exhibited over on MSNBC, especially by Chris Matthews. It's truly Fitzmas over on MSNBC. And that joy will continue throughout the week. I can hardly wait for Hardball (starting in about one minute). The under card will be John Edwards weeping about the gay bashing attack by the very evil Ann Coulter.

But it's Matthew's Main Event celebrating the Libby conviction that will demand all the attention. Edwards has the continuous bad luck of having his few precious moments in the spotlight being eclipsed by meteoric news stories.

And Olbermann? Could we just go ahead and make Libby the "Worst Person of the New Millennium?" All kidding aside, Keith Olbermann does have Joe Wilson already booked as a guest tonight.

I do have one important point to make and it actually concerns my earlier post "In Support of the Bush - Petraeus Strategy in Iraq". In that post I made the point that we must separate our battle with President George Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney and the Bush Administration from the actual ongoing military battles in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The "Scooter" Libby verdict provides ample ammunition for the "progressives" to take the fight to the President and, more importantly, onto the floor of the House of Representatives. There is no need to continue to use the military as pawns in their battle with Bush.

Let General Petraeus do his job until you are able to replace the Commander and Chief, by impeachment or election.

Link to the AP Story about the Libby verdict.

TECHNORATI TAGS: VALERIE PLAME JOE WILSON MSNBC CHRIS MATTHEWS PLAMEGATE GEORGE BUSH SCOOTER LIBBY I. LEWIS LIBBY PATRICK FITZGERALD KEITH OLBERMANN

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