I see the Pardon at the end of the tunnel. I see the end game. I do not endorse it. I do not want it. It is not justice. But I see it. It is the M.O. of the G.O.P. W. has spent his whole presidency trying to do the opposite of what his dad would do. But in this instant, Bush II will be a sequel to Bush I, because Bush II always takes care of his friends.
There will not be significant political fallout, because he will wait until December 2008. After the elections, no matter how they fall, Bush II will pardon Rove, Libby, Cheney and anyone else who takes a plea along the way. He will say it was the criminalization of politics. He will say that the independent counsel is undemocratic. He will lie as he has done for all of his presidency. But he will pardon. The accused or guilty parties will stall their trials, or if they cut deals, they will stall their sentencings, or if they are convicted they will stall their surrender and seek bail on appeal. If they serve any time, their sentences will end on that dreary day in late December, as Christmas approaches and vacations take our minds away. The right wing pundits will point to Clinton's pardon of MacDougal, and gloss over Clinton's refusal to pardon Webb Hubbell. Clinton was willing to draw a line, Bush will pardon all. Bush is no Clinton. The Dems will express outrage and move on. It has been written already, it will be done.