I've long respected Michael Kinsley. I used to think he was fantastic on Crossfire, going head to head with Pat Buchanan. He was intelligent, clever, witty and reasonable, willing to concede points where they really should have been conceded. I also enjoyed his work at Slate very much as well. This morning however, I read something that he wrote which really disappoints me. It's an article making the case, for pardoning Scooter Libby. You can read it here:http://www.time.com/...
Now, I while I disagree with the basic tenor of the post, I have to admit that Kinsley is displaying many of the qualities for which I have expressed my admiration above. But what gets me is this:
But the baying of hounds among Democrats and liberals, and in the press, is astonishing. Yes, lying to the FBI is wrong wrong wrong. But was the behavior that put Libby in this situation—the situation where either lying or telling the truth could send him to prison—also wrong?
This is baffling. The behavior that put Libby in this position was Libby's own! It's not as if he were a victim of circumstance. He did this of his own volition. This is a choice that potential criminal defendant faces when called before a grand jury. It's the whole point of our judicial system. The ability of the people, acting through their publicly appointed prosecutors to gather accurate information to see if crimes have been committed. If Libby had not been carry ing Dick Cheney's water in an attemp to smear Joe Wilson's Wife, who wasn't even the person who they were upset with. Perjury and obstruction of justice undermine our whole judicial system. Libby's done both of these things. Also, Kinsley's statemetn makes no sense. How would telling the truth have sent him to prison? Fitzgerald never charged him with an underlying offense and apparently won't charge anyone. Thus the best course, naturally, would have been to tell the truth. What irks me about this piece is that Kinsley wants to portray Libby was someone faced with a Hobson's choice, when in reality, all he had to do was be honest.