The American Spectator

Reader Mail

Toeing the Line

7.9.07 @ 12:01AM

(Page 3 of 6)

Bush does not amaze -- but certainly Ben Stein does. The above article leads to only two possible conclusions: (1) Stein's naiveté and stupidity are unbounded; or (2) Stein will stop at nothing in an effort to exonerate Bush. I do not believe the former, and thus the latter must be true.

Stein purposely ignores the fact that the Libby commutation was a cynical payoff, nothing more than a hush-action designed to prevent Libby from ratting out both Bush and Cheney. Bush understandably was concerned that as the jailhouse door swung open, Libby's lapses of memory and obfuscations could well vanish, and this fear was the whole and entire reason why the commutation (and later, no doubt, a full pardon) was granted.

Knowledgeable observers knew the fix was in during the course of Libby's trial, when his highly-paid and notoriously aggressive defense team turned strangely passive and did not (as earlier threatened) call Cheney and other administration figures to testify at trial. There is no plausible reason why this was done, except for an assurance from Bush/Cheney that whatever the verdict, Libby would serve no time, and would otherwise be fully compensated. As to the fine, this will doubtless be covered by Libby's neo-con supporters. And Libby will soon be employed by one of the conservative cabals, probably the American Enterprise Institute or the like, or will become a columnist for the American Spectator. In any case, the deal will be consummated and Libby will be paid off.

Mr. Stein does a disservice both to his credibility and the truth.
-- John Collins

Why should Bush be praised for doing the right thing any more than kids should be praised for brushing their teeth and doing their homework?

I wake-up on time, go to work, eat sensibly, exercise, and pay my taxes. Where's the article about me?
-- Steven Gruber
Syosset, New York

On his final day in office, Jan 20th, 2001, President Clinton pleaded guilty to charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. Prior to that, every Democrat Senator officially voted that those exact charges did not merit removal from office.
-- Tim O'Neill
Pompano Bach, Florida

What a wonderful and truthful article...thank you...

And by the way, Mr. Stein, Fred Thompson has been saying the same things you have for a long time. Are you going to support him for president? You should!

Thanks again...
-- Janet Ney

It might have been a fine hour if Bush had pardoned Libby. Commuting his sentence while saying that he agreed that Libby was guilty of something was simply typical Bush being the waffling useless tone deaf compromiser he has always been. What was he guilty of Bush? Other than working for an administration headed by a wuss like you. I know you can't piss off Ted Kennedy. You may need him for another run at turning America into a Spanish speaking nation.

I am getting sick of people on the right who try and claim Bush has guts and character. He has neither. And I have to work with these people to save our nation? Sheesh.
-- Dean Stephens
Colerain, North Carolina

Fresh from the humbling celebrations of our nation's iconoclastic, truly revolutionary birth, Ben Stein found fitting to praise a president for commuting a prison sentence for a friend.

In his July 5 column "Another Perspective," Stein opines on the injustice to Scooter Libby whose wrongdoing has been interpreted as anything from innocent, faulty recollection to nefarious cover-up for his betters.

In his deeply patriotic gut, I had hoped that Stein would have had the truly American reaction to be pleased that people in service at the highest offices are subject to our laws. But sadly, Stein hangs tightly to the irrelevant myth that Plame was not covert, nor international. He must assume that prosecutor Fitzgerald's court filing in May was also perjurious. You see, his filings cited CIA employment documents that contradict this myth. The CIA seems to believe that Plame was covert and that she traveled internationally undercover.

Letter to the Editor

topics:
Taxes, Education, Trade, Health Care, Business, Religion, Islam, Environment, Global Warming, Constitution, Law, Supreme Court, Founding Fathers, Military, Iraq, Iran, Israel, NATO, Immigration, Energy, Unions, Medicare