So Fitzgerald wanted a 30-37 month sentence, Libby's defense wanted probation, the Reagan/GW appointed Judge Reggie Walton went with Fitzgerald, and the judge stated evidence of guilt was "overwhelming." If the judge decides Libby should go to prison, it just further drives home the degree of Libby's guilt.

And yet Bush will still pardon a very, very guilty Libby? Also ignoring the Justice Department's pardon regulations that 1) require a period of at least five years after conviction, and 2) the person must show genuine remorse. Libby clearly does not qualify under either one.

If Bush pardons Libby, freeing him of jail time, it should haunt Bush at every turn, not just in his remaining 18 months in office but even after in private life. Also, if a pardon doesn't sink his poll numbers below 20%, nothing will.

But one can make the case that Bush might be potentially willing to let Libby rot in jail (I don't believe it, but let's just assume). Bush recently said, "it wouldn't be appropriate for me to discuss the case until after the legal remedies have run its course." And when Perino was asked when is the legal process considered over, she said, "when those appeals are exhausted."

So the president will not speak about the case until the appeals process has "run its course." Wow, sounds like GW is (finally) going to respect our legal system -- so much so that he's not going to say a word about the Libby case. Let's see if this new-found sanctity for the law stance holds up if Libby gets sent to the pokey next week. Will Bush then continue to let the judicial process run its course? Will he patiently wait for the appeals to exhaust themselves?

Or will he instead go from seeming respectful with silence on the matter to the opposite extreme and grant a pardon? How will he then explain the abrupt shift from no-comment silence out of respect for forthcoming appeals to a pardon?

It screams just one thing: bullsh*t followed by more bullsh*t.