Debbie Schlussel: The Two Big Stories/Questions Now: Rev. Wright @ ONauguration?, Bush Pardons
Since we now find ourselves in the midst of Bush's lame duck last days in office and Obama's transition to taking the oath of office, here are two stories I look forward to writing about:
* Bush Pardons: Who will President Bush pardon before he leaves office? I'm betting that it won't be the landslide of scum that Bill Clinton pardoned. While Bush has at least one sleazy brother--Neil--who has taken money from others (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates) to influence Bush, I'd bet you won't see anything like the Rodham Brothers who lobbied Clinton for a sudden new "client" seeking a pardon (who paid them $400K for the privilege). I doubt we'll see Bush do any pardons of drug kingpins like Carlos Vignali, as Bill Clinton did.
I'll bet we won't see anything like the Marc Rich pardon, though we will see a deserved complete pardon for Lewis "Scooter" Libby (who was once Marc Rich's lawyer).
I'm sure we won't see anything like the Mel Reynolds pardon. Etc., etc., etc.
President Bush's past pardons--if they are any indication of his future ones--went to people who were mostly not well-connected, but who committed minor, harmless crimes and became good citizens. I hope that's what we see come January 2009.
* Rev. Wright and the Inauguration: After attending the anti-American, anti-Semitic Rev. Jeremiah Wright's church for two decades and refusing to disavow him, Obama finally realized he needed to cut the guy loose for strictly PR purposes.
But now Obama's President. Will he invite Wright to his Inaugural festivities? Um, I mean the "Onaugural." I'd put money on it. Will he invite him to the White House? Don't bet against that. I think it'll eventually happen.
I think slowly and quietly, Rev. Wright will be back in the Obama fold.
I'm also wondering whom Obama will choose to head up Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Let's hope Tommy Lasorda's buddy, John P. Torres, is nowhere in the mix. But the appointments will come later rather than sooner. The pardons and Inauguration invites are more immediate.
What other stories do you predict as the Bush Administration ends and the--shudder the thought--Obama White House commences?
**** UPDATE: Reader "rbb" bets Oprah is the first invited guest in the Lincoln Bedroom. Could be, but the real story there is whether her companion in the Lincoln is named Stedman . . . or Gayle.
Posted by Debbie on November 5, 2008 12:18 PM to Debbie Schlussel