Thank You, Mr. President

On the heels of some of the strongest words I have posted disagreeing with President Bush, I now post to say "Thank you."

President Bush has commuted Scooter Libby's prison sentence.

This was absolutely, 100% the right thing to do.

The case itself was bizarrely unfair, for reasons I won't go into here -- I refer anyone interested to the writings of Byron York at National Review -- and it has been further unfair that the longer-than-usual sentence, which was predicated in part on a crime which Libby wasn't even charged with, was not stayed pending appeal.

I have felt discouraged about the President's loyalty to those in his administration who perhaps haven't deserved it, while he maintained radio silence toward someone who needed his help, Scooter Libby. I understand, however, that the President wanted to let the justice system play out. With today's refusal by the appellate court to stay Libby's sentence pending appeal, commuting the sentence was by far the correct thing to do.

Libby still must face paying a fine of a quarter million dollars, along with his attorneys' fees.

It's not a pardon, but it's a compassionate step in the right direction.