Let's Pythonize the Pardon Power

One of my all-time favorite movie posters reads:

Never before in the history of human civilization has there been a movie called, Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl !

It seemed to me that the witty ad highlighted 1) the seemingly unquenchable thirst that media have for reporting on anything that can be labeled as "unprecedented" behavior and 2) that something can be both "true" and entirely stupid. Indeed, it was in this spirit that I wrote about what I saw as a "news generation" problem in regard to the Scooter Libby commutation in a previous post for this blog (found here). At the time, it seemed that every paper in America was stumbling over itself to describe the President Bush's decision as "unprecedented" from some angle, any angle. Some, in sheer exasperation, had to settle with such entertaining language as "unprecedented in recent administrations." God forbid they could simply write, for just once:

We got nothing. Nothing new here. Same old story, different faces.

But, just to make sure no one thinks I am being over-the-top or unnecessarily whiny about this, check out a fine piece of reporting by Robert Yoon of CNN's Washington Bureau which provides a great example of exactly what I am talking about. As the headline has to be seen to be believed, I have a link to it here. But it says - and I am not making this up:

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- By granting absolution to a convicted moonshiner, George W. Bush also earned the unique distinction of becoming the first president to pardon a cast member of the 1972 Academy Award-nominated movie "Deliverance."

Yep. Unprecedented. True, Robert, but incredibly stupid. A "unique distinction" indeed. Thank you, CNN. I wonder if I should read that to mean there are many other cast members from the movie who are just waiting for clemency, but are routinely ignored by presidents?!

When you get a chance, Robert, read up on the pardons of the very popular movie star Duncan Renaldo and Academy Award winner Joseph M. Schenck. Then get back to us with a well-written article on Hollywood and pardons!