As I was watching the Libby verdict come in on CNN, a legal analyst was explaining how Libby’s defense team will try to stall their client’s incarceration until the president issues a pardon, probably in January 2009. Incredulous laughter began bubbling up from some offscreen presence. The camera switched back to the young, African-American anchor, who,with genuine surprise in his voice, asked something to the effect of, “You mean Libby may never serve a day?”
I don’t know what was running through the anchor’s mind, but I wonder if it had anything to do with the number of people, disproportionately young and African-American, sitting in prison at this very moment for the heinous crime of possessing a dime bag. I wonder if he was marveling at the possibility of this rich, politically connected prick – who made his fortune getting other rich, politically connected pricks off the hook – never serving a day despite lying us into a war that has killed tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of people. I wonder…
Lest you get too distressed or indignant about Scooter Libby’s plight – i.e., being convicted by a jury of his peers for multiple violations of uncontroversial laws – take a minute to visualize the fenced-in golf course where Libby will likely do time (if he does any at all). Things could be worse.
