The commutation of Scooter Libby’s sentence yesterday was warranted, but in the eyes of many - including myself - it didn’t go far enough. The WSJ oped is none too pleased with the move as well:

“President Bush’s commutation late yesterday afternoon of the prison sentence of I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby will at least spare his former aide from 2 1/2 years in prison. But by failing to issue a full pardon, Mr. Bush is evading responsibility for the role his Administration played in letting the Plame affair build into fiasco and, ultimately, this personal tragedy.

Mr. Libby will have to pay a fine of $250,000 and serve two years probation. This reflects the leniency that was previously recommended by the federal probation office but was rejected by Judge Reggie Walton in his vindictive sentence.

These columns have had cause to defend the Bush Presidency from what we’ve seen as often meritless or exaggerated partisan attacks, notably over national security and the Iraq war. This, however, will stand as a dark moment in this Administration’s history. Joe Wilson’s original, false accusation about pre-war intelligence metastasized into the issue of who “outed” his wife, Valerie Plame, as an intelligence officer. As the event unfolded, it fell to Mr. Libby to defend the Administration against Mr. Wilson’s original charge, with little public assistance or support from the likes of Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell or Stephen Hadley.

In no small part because of these profiles in non-courage, it was Mr. Libby who found himself caught up in prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald’s hunt for the Plame leaker, which he and his masters at Justice knew from Day One to be State Department official Richard Armitage. As Mr. Fitzgerald’s obsessive exercise ground forward, Mr. Libby got caught in a perjury net that we continue to believe trapped an innocent man who lost track of what he said, when he said it, and to whom.”

The fact of how this farce of an investigation got started and more important who should have been on trial - Valerie and Joe - is the greatest sin. As we know the administration caved to the demands of partisens in an election period and gave hacks like Schumer the ammo they needed for their witch hunt.

Nevertheless, I’ve got a feeling that a pardon may be in the works in the not too distant future. Remember - as I’ve often cited - Bush is a poker player and this might have just been the “bluff” if you will. It saves Libby from jail while he pursues his appeals through the courts. To use a military analogy this is the test shot, not the salvo.

An appeal I might add, that has an excellent chance of reversal considering the illegality and scope of Fitzgerald’s meanderings.

In about 18 months Bush leaves office and I believe - as many do as well - that he will issue a full pardon at that time. Thus Libby will not only be spared the punishment, but also the stigma.