Reply #6: They're not looking for prospective legalization [View All]

[gratuitous]

Bush and his minions have already tortured people. It's on the record and indisputable. What has changed is the political calculus, and that is that Bush is now nearer than he ever thought he could be to an actionable prosecution for torturing people. What Bush wants is "clarity": Clarity in this case meaning that he wants absolution from Congress for what he's already done. I saw the clip of Bush tap-dancing around David Gregory's question at today's press conference, and it's pretty clear that this little man knows he's in big trouble. Force and bluster have always worked in the past for him, and so it's no surprise that he's going to try it again.

I think the time we really have to worry is when Bush quits trying to defend himself in public. Depressed over the prospects, probably deep into substance abuse, there's going to be a big part of him that says "fuck it," and he'll reach for the football and the nuclear launch codes. Will there be enough sanity left in our government to stop him when that happens?