president makes definitive pronouncement about ongoing criminal case

[dajoki]

WP
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2005/12/15/BL2005121500936.html?referrer=email

Bush Declares DeLay Innocent

By Dan Froomkin
Special to washingtonpost.com
Thursday, December 15, 2005; 1:51 PM

In a Fox News interview aired last night, President Bush declared that he believes indicted former House majority leader Tom DeLay is innocent of the money-laundering charges brought against him in Texas.

It's unusual for a president in any circumstance to make such a definitive pronouncement about an ongoing criminal case.

But it seemed particularly at odds given Bush's repeated insistence that his obligation not to prejudice a criminal investigation or trial resoundingly trumps the public's right to hear what he thinks or knows about the role of senior White House officials in the outing of a CIA operative's identity.

Bush last year vowed to fire anyone involved in that leak, but went mum once a criminal investigation was launched. Even after his top aide was implicated and Vice President Cheney's top aide was indicted -- raising widespread concern about the ethics and honesty of his closest advisers -- Bush refused to answer even basic questions, saying it would be inappropriate to comment.

Senior adviser Karl Rove is of course still working at the White House; Scooter Libby resigned after being indicted and received a warm sendoff from both Cheney and Bush.

Here's the transcript http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,178760,00.html and video http://www.foxnews.com/video2/player05.html?121505/sr_garrett_121505&Special_Report&Rush%20to%20Judgement%3F&acc&Politics&-1&newof Bush's interview with Fox's Brit Hume. When Hume asked if he believes DeLay is innocent, Bush replied: "Do I? Yes, I do."

[Erika]

1. W has no idea of how to be president and be a non- partisan

to represent all Americans. No ideas at all.

[MnFats]

2. Nixon did the same thing with Charlie Manson...

...declared Manson guilty while the trial was ongoing.
...Manson showed up in court with a newspaper hidden in his shirt.
...when the jury came in, he yanked it out of the shirt and held it up so all jurors could see the banner head: 'Manson guilty, Nixon declares."

dumbass almost caused a mistrial.
any accountability for Bush and his comments? hell no.

[unblock]

3. of course, shrub WANTS a mistrial...