Looking forward...to pardons?

Chicago Slim has unleashed a hornet's nest. This must be chocked up to unconsciousness of Obama's part. He has made his pledge to "move forward" nearly untenable. The political attempt to play the middle off the ends with the torture memos is already biting back.

In less than a week:
1. The memos are released.

2. Obama states "There will be no prosecutions of CIA officers - as we must look forward".
3. Knowing he's damaged his standing with the CIA he held a pep rally. Though the damage is done.

4. The Left is not satisfied with the "no prosecutions" meme - this would have been anticipated by a seasoned politician. Obama is not seasoned. Levin and others in Congress will open further - public - inquires.

5. The Right now has red meat and is fully prepped to attack Obama on national security. Obama has thoughtlessly opened the door for public thrashings of Bush Admin officials which the GOP will find intolerable. This now goes as high as former SOS Rice. The former V.P. certainly knows the law was broken as well.

(Scholar Jonathan Turely is unequivocal: There is an undeniable claim of a crime here, a war crime. The evidence is insurmountable.)

As a general rule I would not mess with Cheney types if I expected to have a successful Presidency. If Levin decides to take on Rice expect the GOP to circle the wagons. Obama's background is ripe for all sorts of blowback that is waiting for exposure. It's there. It's real. Plenty of people in the political establishment are not "gentlemen campaigners" like McCain. His personal popularity will not matter if certain types decide he needs to be taken down a notch. Ask Bill Clinton.

6. The Chief of Staff states there will be no prosecutions. The President rebuffs him - then states he would be "open to" investigating those in the Bush White House who approved the methods. This does not directly contradict his previous statement - but the phrase "mixed message" hardly covers it. The only logical result of this is to put high level Bush officials in the dock. Again, Obama apparently does not understand or care about the implications of his latest statement. He is, in fact, acting like a community organizer trying to settle a minor tussle.

The wound is now open and bleeding. Unless an "event" overtakes the news cycles - either a real one or one concocted - the bleeding will continue. It seems Obama simply did not play this through using his much admired "intelligence".

Obama being Obama I would not be a bit surprised if some time down the road we get a "Truth Commission" that rips the Bushies to shreds - followed by blanket Presidential pardons.

That will be the ultimate Obama moment: Punk your enemies while insisting you are "rising above it all". That is the Obama way.