Black’s goal (or last hope): A presidential pardon

In a screed orotund even by his standards, Conrad Black ripped the American punditocracy a new one for its failing to make sense of the recent primary doings out New England way:

The New Hampshire primary was a great triumph of American democracy. The Granite State, with the license plate slogan ‘Live Free or Die,’ humbled and pre-emptively disencumbered of its influence and credibility the entire over-stuffed talking-shop of American political commentators.

After condemning the media en masse for general flip-floppery viz. the Clintons, Black decided to narrow his fire into a laser beam of opprobrium aimed at, of all people, Wolf Blitzer:

Though quite enterprising, Wolf Blitzer, when he worked for us at the Jerusalem Post, was one of the most avaricious journalists I have known. After about 40 assertions from him in 20 minutes on New Hampshire night, that CNN has “the top news team on television,” I had either to change channels or find a sick bag. Prevention prevailed over convalescence, but the other channels weren’t much better.

Um, so, let’s summarize: American democracy is triumphant because the voters in New Hampshire somehow defied the press, and Wolf Blitzer makes his former boss want (though fail) to puke because he likes money and its handmaiden, self-promotion.

And that was just the first three paragraphs. Black went on to denigrate Barack Obama as a “three dollar bill” and, in the end, blessed John McCain as the only remotely viable candidate for president. In reflecting on all this, I was reminded of presidential candidate Fred Thompson’s line delivered as an actor in The Hunt for Red October: “Russians don’t take a dump, son, without a plan.” Neither, I’d venture, does Conrad Black. No matter how ill-fated or ill-considered his plans turn out to be, one thing is certain: Conrad Black loves to scheme.

As far-fetched as it might seem, a presidential pardon or commutation are among Conrad Black’s last faint hopes short of reversal on appeal (remember Marc Rich?).

Setting out his line for McCain isn’t a bad bet. McCain would appreciate Black’s effort at rehabilitating Nixon—the last of the Red Tory Republican presidents—and his constituency isn’t all that different. And a word in the ear from a president elect to an outgoing president from the same party can sometimes work wonders. I’m not sayin’, I’m just sayin’…

A nation seeking a hero: Source [National Post]

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