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January 17, 2007
I'm Shocked That Scooter's A Family Man
Oh, and I almost forgot,
"He’s going to be the poster boy for the criminalization of politics, and he’s not even political,” said Mary Matalin, Mr. Cheney’s former political adviser.
To all this I say "Bullshit."
I've prosecuted and defended scores of people accused of serious crimes. Nearly every one of them had a wife and kids -- a supportive wife and kids. But that didn't make them any less guilty or innocent. It only expanded the group of victims.
But reading the remarks of some of Libby's friends quoted in the article, you'd think that he's somehow exceptional in this regard and, therefore, the charges less legitimate. Not so.
As for Libby's memory, I had the feeling that -- regardless of the reporter's intent -- the story will be a GOP talking point about how the NYTimes did a hatchet job on Libby. Anyone who knows poetry by heart or all 79 titles of Star Trek couldn't forget who said what when about Joe Wilson's wife. Of course, I don't know if that's true. But it may make for some empassioned discussion for a day or so about a slanted, rather than "insightful," article.
As an aside, I wonder if the prosecutor knows about Libby's prodigious memory? Would it be admissible as a evidence of a character trait? Is "memory" a character trait? How 'bout as evidence to rebut the defense's position that Libby just forgot the details of his conversations with reporters 'cause he was so busy saving the United States from Saddam?
Finally, I honestly have no idea how James Carville can pull off his marriage to Matalin. She may be a perfectly wonderful dinner guest, friend, wife, and mother. But I found her "poster boy" comment to be rich with irony.
When Libby was indicted, a key GOP and White House talking point -- for which Matalin has been a mouthpiece -- was that no one even knows who Scooter Libby is, so who cares if he's accused of perjury in a federal criminal investigation of White House dirty tricks.
On the other hand, during the preceeding administration, Matalin was among those in the GOP regularly at the studios of Fox, CNN, and MSNBC calling Clinton a serial liar and criminal because of his testimony in a civil deposition into alleged sexual harassment of someone years earlier with no connection to his Presidency who -- let's be frank here -- had a pretty shitty case. And also that Clinton's a pervert because he had sex outside his marriage . . . or was it because of whether, when, or how he reached climax.
And she says Libby is the poster boy for the criminalization of politics?! It's like someone saying the Democrats are to blame for Iraq because they don't have a plan that ensures "victory" -- whatever that is -- while extricating American troops in the next 24 hours.
Posted by shertaugh at January 17, 2007 6:09 AM
Comments
As for Libby's memory, I had the feeling that -- regardless of the reporter's intent -- the story will be a GOP talking point about how the NYTimes did a hatchet job on Libby.
Interesting point about the memory (although just becuase people remember what is important to them, it does not follow that they remember everything), but I have a different (highly speculative) take -
The Times (eventually) decided that the Fitzgerald investigation may have gone too far (and wrote an editorial saying so), and I am sure they are not happy with the court rulings reducing reporter's freedom.
In addition, they have one ex-reporter, Judy Miller, who will surely testify, and two others (David Sanger, Nick Kristof) who may be called for the defense - I'll bet the Times knows their status and has chosen not to report it.
If any of their three reporters manages to deliver a Perry Mason moment and blow up this trial, at least the Times has softened the blow by assuring us that Libby is a great guy.
Just a guess. A simpler guess is that they figured they would surprise their readership - they could have written a "Rosemary's Baby grows up and goes to Washington" profile of Libby in ten minutes.
Posted by: Tom Maguire at January 17, 2007 10:10 AM
What a perfunctory piece. They just rehash the old stories (especially the ones about his historical novel) with a few celebrity profile bits thrown in for fun.
Are they poaching reporters from People or Us these days?
Posted by: Jonathan Dresner at January 17, 2007 12:10 PM