Pardon me, but isn't it still wrong to tell a lie?

[babylonsister]

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/viewpoints/stein/070307stein.html

Pardon me, but isn't it still wrong to tell a lie?

By Theo Stein Portland Press Herald Wednesday, March 7, 2007

The guilty verdicts handed down by a federal jury in the I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby trial aren't nearly the final act in this political potboiler.

But it's tough to see them as anything other than an extreme embarassment for an administration staggering under the weight of its own incompetence.

There's just no way to gussy up the revelations about the way key officials reached out to gullible members of the media to smear a U.S. ambassador who spoke out about a central element in the case for war in Iraq that turned out to be hooey.

Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, now faces prison time for his conviction on two counts of perjury, one count of making false statements and one count of obstruction of justice. He was acquitted on a charge of lying to the FBI.

Don't bet on him serving much of it. Even though testimony by administration officials implicated Cheney's office as the central mover of the smear campaign, Libby's attorneys pursued a trial strategy that seemed designed to insulate Cheney from actual charges.

That's a good play if you're angling for a presidential pardon, the campaign for which Libby's supporters can be expected to launch today.

Special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald said he doesn't intend to pursue any additional charges, unless he gets new information.

However, even if Libby opts not to appeal, the administration can expect several more months of bruising courtroom treatment courtesy of a civil case filed against against Cheney, Libby, presidential adviser Karl Rove and former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage by Joseph Wilson and his wife, Valerie Plame.

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[hobbit709]

1. Not if you're a Republican

[Bitwit1234]

2. Only if you are a democrat.....the republicans think they

have free reign. They tell so many lies tho they don't even know what the truth is.

[Chipper Chat]

3. Libby did not lie.

Democrats lie.
Republicans only "misspeak."

[AndyA]

4. Yes, it's wrong to lie.

But there are different levels of lies.

The little ones like, "Yes, Honey, that dress DOES look great on you! It makes you look like you've lost 10 pounds."

And there are the ones where you just exaggerate a bit, "Sorry I'm late, I got stuck in traffic and sat through 5 lights at one intersection alone." (It was just 2 lights.)

And then there are the big lies: when you obstruct justice by lying to the FBI, or a Federal Prosecutor or Grand Jury.

And, apparently, "I did not have sex with that woman...", the worst lie of all! Just ask any Republican. :eyes:

[PresidentObama]

7. Indeed, the hypocrisy.

Bill lies about a blowjob, and it's the end of the world.

They tell a bigger lie, and suddenly let's pardon him and feel bad for him.

:crazy:

[jwirr]

5. You just don't understand! The pugs are saving the world so it is

okay to tell a lie!:evilgrin: :sarcasm:

[ikojo]

6. Only if you are a Democratic president who

receives a hummer in the oval office.