Special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald said he was gratified by the verdict.We wish the original reason for the lies did not happen. That would be the Iraq war. Lying is standard operating procedure in the Bush White House. Scooter just got caught. And, why wouldn't Libby think lying was okay? He watched the President of the United States lie repeatedly to the American people.
"The results are actually sad," he added. "It's sad that we had a situation where a high level official person who worked in the office of the vice president obstructed justice and lied under oath. We wish that it had not happened, but it did."
By the way, Bush "respects" the jury's verdict. Whatever. Commentators are already discussing the possibility of a presidential pardon. Harry Reid (via Think Progress) says don't do it:
I welcome the jury’s verdict. It’s about time someone in the Bush Administration has been held accountable for the campaign to manipulate intelligence and discredit war critics. Lewis Libby has been convicted of perjury, but his trial revealed deeper truths about Vice President Cheney’s role in this sordid affair. Now President Bush must pledge not to pardon Libby for his criminal conduct.This story is very far from over.
