Dana Peroxide presided over a brief gaggle aboard Air Force One yesterday and though she wanted to talk about the G8 Summit the gagglers were all about Scooter.
Chimpy Is Still Looking For Ways To Avoid Talking About The Plame Outing
Q Any reaction to the sentencing for Scooter Libby?
MS. PERINO: Yes, Dan Bartlett and Chief of Staff Josh Bolten informed the President right after take off — as you know, that news came in just as we were taxiing — so they informed the President. The President said that he felt terrible for the family, especially his wife and his kids, and that he wanted to wait until we heard more about the judge’s decision.
I don’t know if you know that when we took off he had initially announced his decision on the sentencing issue, but then he said the court would break, and then came back. When the court came back, according to reports from the ground, the judge has set up a process for which Scooter Libby and his attorneys can appeal both the judge’s decision today, as well as the jury verdict. And given that and in keeping with what we have said in the past, the President has not intervened so far in this or any other criminal matter, and so he is going to decline to do so now, as well.
[snip]
Q When do you consider the process over?
MS. PERINO: Well, I think when those appeals are exhausted is when it would be over.
[snip]
Q Does the President think at some point it would be appropriate just to speak out about this? The guy has been sentenced. I mean, is he going to run out the clock and wait for all the appeals to be done before the President of the United States speaks about a pretty important matter that was perpetrated by a member of his staff?
MS. PERINO: What I can tell you is how the President reacted today, which is to say that he does feel terrible for them, he thinks they’re going through a lot right now, they’ve been through a lot. But given the fact that the judge has set up a process for appeal and given the way that the President has handled this for the past year or so, he’s not going to intervene.
[snip]
Q Dana, if the appeals process is still going on, on January 20, 2009, will the President continue to not get involved?
MS. PERINO: That’s very speculative and hypothetical and I think let’s just let that process start next week.
He’s Oh So Compassionate
Q Does he feel sympathy for Scooter Libby?
MS. PERION: Yes, he says he feels terrible for them; he’s sorry for the way that — for all that they’re going through and he can —
Q Did he include Scooter Libby in that?
MS. PERINO: Yes.
Q Has justice been served in this case?
MS. PERINO: Brendan, I think that as regards to anyone, any American who has the right to see out a criminal justice procedure, I think that we have to afford him the same rights, just as we would give to anybody else and allow them to exhaust those appeals.