From PRI, Public Radio International and KCRW Santa Monica, this is To the Point.

Is Scooter Libby in line for a pardon?

Hello again, I'm Aran Alney, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International.

A daily look at the issues, Americans care about most.

The Bureau of

Prisons had already assigned a number to Lewis Scooter Libby, but yesterday President Bush commuted

his 30-month term. He said he respected the jury's felony verdict, but today he would not rule

out a full pardon for the vice president's former top aide. On to the point, there's no doubt the president has the power,

but legal experts disagree on the way he's using it.

So far, he's used clemency less than any president in the past 100 years.

Do some criminals outside politics deserve official forgiveness?

On reporter's notebook later on, in Kennebunkport, Maine, a win-win for Vladimir Putin.

First, here's the news.

Support for To the Point comes from subscribers of KCRW Santa Monica and from the Public Radio

International Program Fund, whose contributors include the Ford Foundation and the John

D. and Catherine T. McArthur Foundation.

Hello again, Mormon Alney, back with To the Point. President Bush has commuted the prison sentence of Lewis Scooter Libby, and he's not ruling out a full pardon.

On To the Point, we'll hear about the law and the politics.

Why hasn't this president been more forgiving in other cases of alleged harsh treatment by the criminal justice system.

On reporter's notebook, the Bush White House has downplayed two days of meetings with Russia's

Vladimir Putin. In Russia, it was a very big deal. First, this news update in the aftermath of the

failed car bombings in London and Glasgow, an eighth person has been arrested today in Brisbane, Australia.

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