that's not to say that i think the Mudcat thing necessarily reflects poorly on Edwards himself, but if that guy is directing any strategy, things probably aren't going to go well for the campaign if that's his attitude toward people from the Northeast (and people from the South, too--wow)

It's comparable only in that high-level campaign staffers risk exposing the campaign to unintended media, and thus loss of message control. Clinton has to deal with Penn, Edwards with Mudcat and now Obama with Bauer.

The merits of the story do not matter to the corporate media. They will spin it however they want, disclaimers be damned. Simply put: "High-level Obama staffer supports a presidential pardon for Scooter Libby."

Yep, very true. It's definitely not a good thing to see a guy involved in the cover-up get away, and the political implications of a pardon are hard to know. Getting everyone on message early is a good call

how closely does a guy's lawyer work with the campaign? i wonder if this got authorized by anyone else on the staff--it doesn't seem like its a part of any sort of coherent strategy (much like the Mudcat thing on Time)

nothing to do with politics, partisan or otherwise.

This is a question of justice, equality before the law and national security. If Libby walks it effectively says that we have no laws that powerful Republican need take notice of.

I was truly sickened when Obama said he had not followed the case. How could a president Obama ever ask a CIA case officer to risk their life if he does not take this case seriously?

I cannot put into words the anger I feel. ALL our presidential wannabees have been thunderously silent on this, along with Reid, Pelosi, and Dean, and now this.

What do we have to do to get them to take this seriously????????/

Lehane speaks unofficially for the Clinton campaign.

Or Gibbs, creator of the slimiest ad campaign ever designed by a Democrat against another Democrat (DEAN MORPHS INTO OBAMA-FREAKING-BIN-LADIN) as his "campaign spokesman" for that matter.    

Matt, this type of thread is exactly what is wrong with this site.  It takes a misreading of an article not attached to Sen. Obama and tries to slur him with it. Shame on you for your involvement.

The piece is not arguing a legal point, it is Bauer's opinion as a progressive what he feels progressives should think. It's arguing a pardon would be good for gotcha reasons.  As he says:

Progressives are not so much appalled by Libby's lies as they are frustrated that this is all they have: Libby and only Libby. Left with only this, they want this small victory unspoiled. They want someone to pay.

But if the President pardons Libby, and by this act makes the case his own, he will have picked up a portion of the cost. Libby will fall back, restored to obscurity. Bush will step forward and take the lead role. He will have to explain himself; he will have to answer questions.

In fairness to you, Matt, a campaign employee has to know that any opinion he/she expresses in writing, even if it is his/hers and not the candidates, will be attached to the candidate. It is that simple.  If I were Obama, I'd give him a hell of a dressing down and possibly fire him.  This is a major breach of protocol and anyone in a staff capacity like general counsel should know this.

To your next question - why would he hire the guy?  My only explanation is maybe he is a wiz at election/campaign finance law because this is about the dumbest idea I have heard in a while.  

Because he's super-smart about campaign finance and election law, which is what Bauer's handling for them.  But I agree with you that his political guess as to the fallout from a mid-term pardon (let alone an end-of-term one) is wrong.

Where's the whining when there's a daily hit piece on Hillary?

If you can't take it, don't dump it.

You and Vermonter are right. I should have said, "His campaign is too much about ...", not "He's too much about ...."

For clarity ... Edwards gets my vote in the primary, but I'll donate my last dollar and knock on doors until I drop and do WHATEVER is legally permissable under current election law to make sure the next President is NOT one of the Republican ten dwarves.

Um. . .I just said that Bauer (who is supporting the pardon) was an idiot and that Obama should fire him.

Would the country support a pardon?  Of course not.  That's why Bauer is an idiot.  If Bush does pardon Libby, the Democrats only gain if they take advantage and universally slam him for it.

In response to you and Calvin Jones....

Every Bush fuck-up bothers a different component of the electorate. Some people didn't care about the wire-tapping scandal, but a certain section of libertarian conservatives took great offense. Just like a certain segment of law-and-order conservatives would take great offence to a Libby pardon. That's simply breaking the rules! (just like Ford's pardon!)

You say Bush already looks bad? This isn't about looking bad. This is about dwarfing Nixon and Hoover. It is about the Republican party disgracing the presidency for generations to come. It is about Bush building a legacy so despicable, so deceptive, that in 10 years there will be no debate about who was the Worst President Ever. You want a progressive majority? Then you want this president to suffer and die the most painful political death in American history - the kind of death that shakes a Party to its core.

And every little bit helps.

I have to agree here.  Did anyone remember that the pardon question was asked of the Repub candidates, and Gilmore was the only one who clearly said no.  The rest of the candidates, remember there were 10, either were for a pardon, attacked Fitzgerald, or needed to look into the specifics before making a decision.  If these are the Repub candidate for Pres, and they think it's okay to equivocate or say yes to a pardon, then what is the fall out for Bush.  Further, The Right Wing is masterful at changing the facts to fit their talking points, which they spread far and why through their Right Wing Machinery.  If Bush grants Scooter a pardon, the Dems will do their usual blustering to no avail.  Meanwhile Scooter, the ultimate insider, will start appearing on Hardball and similar shows as a Republican strategist or political analyst.