The Times is indignant, Gawker is indignant — hell, we’re even feeling a little indignant — that President Bush commuted convicted perjurer Scooter Libby’s 30-month prison sentence yesterday afternoon. “I respect the jury’s verdict,” Bush said yesterday. He continued: “But I have concluded that the prison sentence given to Mr. Libby is excessive,” which is basically the opposite of respecting the verdict. (He also said back in 2003, when the Plame leak first came to light, that “if there is a leak out of my administration … and if the person has violated the law, the person will be taken care of.” Just not too harshly.) But we wondered: Are average New Yorkers indignant, too? A quick 20-person poll later — our interns asked twenty passersby in front of the office on Madison Avenue — it seems they’re not, or at least not as much as we’d hoped. Damn. Questions and tallies after the jump.
Do you think that’s fair that Bush commuted Libby’s sentence?
Yes: 8; no: 12
Are you surprised?
Yes: 6; no 14
Bush said he respects the jury’s verdict. Do you think he actually respects the jury’s verdict?
Yes: 9; no: 11
Bush said in 2003 that the leaker ” will be taken care of.” Do you think he ever really meant to take care of the leaker?
Yes: 10; no: 10
