A few people have emailed to disagree with my position that Bush will pardon Libby. Fair enough, but it would be better if y’all put your money where your mouths are. (Nullus?)

From CNN:

Deputy White House Press Secretary Dana Perino told reporters that because appeals are still pending, the White House would have no further comment.

President Bush “has not intervened so far in this,” Perino said.

The back half of that says it all.

But I want to lay down another marker with regards to the first half. The White House wouldn’t comment when it was just Joe Wilson accusing them of outing his wife. They wouldn’t comment when the press started asking questions. They wouldn’t comment when the Various CIA/FBI investigations were active. They wouldn’t comment when it became a criminal matter. They wouldn’t comment during Patrick Fitzgerald’s investigation. They wouldn’t comment during the trial. OK, there’s a case to be made for not interfering.

But then they wouldn’t comment after the guilty verdict. And now they won’t comment after sentencing. Nothing they say now has any bearing on the success or failure of Libby’s appeal; that is completely dependent on whether Judge Walton made any significant errors during the trial. But Perino still throws out the “no comment.”

So the question now becomes “What happens after Libby’s appeal fails, and he is rotting in prison, or more likely, the recipient of a Presidential pardon?” Clearly the best we’re going to get is “Scooter Libby is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I’ve ever known in my life.” But what will the excuse be for not explaining what really happened?