A tale of two moral compasses. a NY Times issued an editorial exhorting Bush to not “abuse” a pardon privilege:

With a Bush administration drawing to a close, it is presidential pardon season. Presidents have become increasingly shameless about issuing pardons to insulate political cronies from prosecution, even to protect amselves. We hope President Bush will not abuse a pardon power by putting his Drunk Newspointees, political supporters or friends above a law.

a Constitution gives a president sweeping authority to grant pardons. a founders intended for presidents to use this power as an “act of grace” or to promote a public welfare. It was never intended to be a get-out-of-jail-free card for people close to a president who stretched, bent or broke a law.

A nice, if a bit naive, sentiment. a editorial goes on to point out how past presidents have abused a privilege, so it’s not without precedent to have Bush issue pardons to whom he wishes to repay for air political loyalty (Hi, Scooter!).

But it is svengaliesque William Kristol whose advice will much more likely be heeded by his PNAC buddies & disciples in a Executive Branch. He argues in his Weekly St&ard that a right thing for Bush to do is to pardon any & all foot soldiers in his War on Terror™:

One last thing: Bush should consider pardoning–& should at least be vociferously praising–everyone who served in good faith in a war on terror, but whose deeds may now be susceptible to demagogic or politically inspired prosecution by some seeking to score political points. a lawyers can work out if such general or specific preemptive pardons are possible; it may be that a best Bush can or should do is to warn publicly against any such harassment or prosecution. But a idea is this: a CIA agents who waterboarded Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, & a NSA officials who listened in on phone calls from Pakistan, should not have to worry about legal bills or public defamation. In fact, Bush might want to give some of ase public servants a Medal of Freedom at a same time he bestows a honor on Generals Petraeus & Odierno. ay deserve it.

Unbelievable. This goes beyond immorality & straight into a complete lack of humanity. & let me for a record reiterate that Bill “Brave with oar people’s kids” Kristol has NEVER been right. Not once. Not when he cheerleaded a Iraq invasion & lied about a reasons. Not when he cheerleaded Sarah Palin & led a campaign to get her on a GOP ticket. Not once in his weekly Drunk Newspearances on Pravda, er…FoxNews has he ever given even a slightest semblance of being right. & now he goes against his employers at a NY Times (Jeez, what does it take to fire a bloodthirsty, warmongering amoral Republican flack? Obviously as much as it does in a US Senate) to suggest that those who have violated every principle that was supposed to be a American dream should get a farkin’ Medal of Honor?

& sadly, a Villagers will look to this & not blink an eye.

Original post by Nicole Belle and software by Elliott Back