With regards to Manning, my hope is that on the last day of his term, Obama commutes to time served.

[stevenleser]

On edit: I have compassion for him and think that will be more than enough.

[polichick]

1. There are those two words again: Obama, hope...

Don't hold your breath.

[polichick]

17. Nice try, but I'll stand by my post.

[NCTraveler]

37. The op is hope. Well placed hope.

"People who hoped for DADT abolishment were rewarded for their hope"

People have been working their asses off for that for a long time. You are saying they were rewarded for their hope? One step closer to being treated as equals in the eyes of the government is a "reward"?

[Pretzel_Warrior]

45. yes. I saw plenty of GLBT activists partying when it occurred, so I take that to mean

it was seen as a victory and a reward for their hope that things can change for the better.

[LWolf]

41. Telling someone to STFU

is not the way to engage in constructive debate, is it?

DADT...good.

Health Care? My hope was not for more profit-driven private insurance that doesn't make the actual CARE affordable, but for truly affordable CARE for all. Didn't get it. Still can't afford care.

Troops out? Does that mean we are no longer in Afghanistan? Damn. And they told me that our flag flying at half-mast last week at work was for another of our soldiers killed in Afghanistan. They must have lied.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

46. all combat troops are out of Iraq. The troop draw down in Afghanistan has begun in earnest and will

be completed in 2014. So....yeah. You can register your impatience, but these things are occurring--something that is doubtful under a McCain or Romney administration.

[LWolf]

49. One of the reasons

I wanted GWB gone, and a Democrat in office, was to bring troops home in 2009.

You know, before any more died, and before we invested any more funds that were desperately needed at home.

Impatient? You bet.

[winter is coming]

52. They weren't rewarded for hoping. They weren't dogs, getting a treat for performing a trick.

Through tireless campaigning, they won something they never should have had to fight for in the first place.

[truebrit71]

2. And I hope he'll finally give me a pony...

...I think I have a better chance, don't you?

[stevenleser]

4. I don't know yet. I haven't started to approach anyone about it yet.

That is what I will call for on my show starting this week and on a semi-regular basis.

[truebrit71]

19. My pony or the commutation of Manning's sentence...??

...because a pony would be GREAT!!!

[stevenleser]

23. Neither. I'll get working on both of those right away. LOL! nt

[truebrit71]

24. Thanks!!!

[NCTraveler]

38. I like this a lot Steven.

You have a platform and are using it for a good cause. Many of us appreciate your work and the voice you give us.

[kelliekat44]

3. O\I'm holding out for a pardon for Siegleman BEFORE he leaves office. nt

[stevenleser]

8. Agreed. That has to happen too. nt

[HooptieWagon]

5. LOL!

Yeah, right.... fat chance.

[1awake]

6. I'm hoping for today that happens... neither will happen. n/t

[CBGLuthier]

7. sure and they will let all the pot people they have busted go too

Dream On. Nothing ever changes in america except the faces and the names. The elite got theirs and the rest can go fuck themselves.

[joeybee12]

9. That's something nice to hope for...

Although it will never happen.

[MADem]

10. More likely Hillary Clinton would commute sometime in her second term, if it ever happened.

Depending on how well he does in prison (hopefully he will be put in a military prison--they are safer), he could be given probation in ten or fifteen years.

That's probably his best hope, IMO.

[stevenleser]

14. He is eligible for parole in 12 years minus time served awaiting trial so 9-10 years is first chance

so I think your estimates are right on.

I initially said I hoped for commute in what I hope will be Hillary's second term. I think the end of Obama's term is enough. That will be about 5-6 years. That plus the federal conviction is plenty to send the message that people need to use the proper procedures to whistleblow.

[MADem]

21. What is KEY for him is that he has to have the right "attitude."

If I were him, I'd go see the shrink and get some "calming" drugs--he's got to keep his emotions tamped down while he adjusts--a little anti-anxiety medication can go a long way, at least at the outset. He should also throw himself into that college education he wanted to get--he could have his master's by the time he gets out.

Also, if he's a model prisoner in a consolidated military facility, he could very likely be assigned, after five or more years, to a "barracks" environment--it's more like being "on restriction" in the military than prison. These people are given trustee status--they are given regular jobs that they go to, like ordinary people, and they have to check in at specified times, but they have more freedom within the confines of the facility than the prisoners who are "locked up."

I think if he keeps his head down and his shit together, he can get out early. It's unfortunate, but I truly think that Snowden's activities added a good ten years to his sentence. If he'd been sentenced in March or April, he'd probably be running down a 25 year stretch.

[G_j]

12. Didn't Obama condemn him publicly

before he even went to trial?

[Dreamer Tatum]

13. What's magical about his last day? Commute the fucker NOW. nt

[villager]

15. So the "hope" comes on his last day in office, eh?

Well, we are still waiting...

[Rex]

40. Good catch!

Kinda sad ain't it?

[razorman]

16. If it is the right thing to do, he should do it immediately. Waiting until

the end of his term would be strictly a political move.

[stevenleser]

18. I don't think its the right thing to do now. I don't think this is enough time. nt

[snappyturtle]

33. Yeah, the sentences for the killers is so much more that we

need to keep it in proportion.

[Blue_Tires]

20. +1

[NuclearDem]

22. Ha! That'll happen, sure.

[The Link]

25. We know where the center-right stands on the issue.

Thanks anyway.

[stevenleser]

26. Not until you tell us we don't. What is your center right opinion? nt

[The Link]

27. Will you be on Fox News to talk about your support of the sentence? When can I tune in?

[stevenleser]

28. You made my prediction come true. I PM'd someone that I thought you would come back with that!

It's so easy to predict the kind of folks that use cheap shots. Thanks for not proving me wrong!

[The Link]

31. I PM'd someone to say that you would support the sentencing of Manning.

As a secondary prediction, you will be shilling it to promote your radio show.

[stevenleser]

47. And you were wrong. What a surprise! Who was President the last time you were right about something?

Hoover?

[Enrique]

29. let's all imagine that is what he is going to do

among other things.

[Hotler]

30. Never going to happen. He will pardon...

Bush/Cheney before he pardons Manning.

[snappyturtle]

36. The DOJ is doing the "hard work" on that as we speak. nt

[PowerToThePeople]

32. hope in one hand, $#!7 in the other......

[Lizzie Poppet]

34. The same Obama that's gone after Snowdon? Yeah, right.

[ArcticFox]

35. please, hold your breath

One less delusional person to deal with.

[RobertEarl]

43. Now now

Steve has to consider his income and his reputation. To hell with what's right and proper, income and status comes first. That's how you get ahead in the media world, kiss all the right ass.

[The Link]

53. Spot on.

[stevenleser]

62. I don't make my income from politics, but then you knew that as you have been told multiple times.

Welcome to my ignore list.

[stevenleser]

48. Awww ArcticFox haz a sad.

Every expression of displeasure you throw in my direction pleases me greatly. Muah!

[ArcticFox]

69. It will please me greatly

When people stop cheerleading for this president despite his despicable moves.

[Spider Jerusalem]

39. Won't happen.

Manning had to be convicted. As an example to others, at the least. The release of classified information by a serving member of the armed forces constitutes a severe breach of good order and discipline. Regardless of what one thinks about the consequences of Manning's actions, there really isn't any question that he did something that's punishable under military law by life imprisonment or execution (depending on how zealous the prosecutor is).

[one_voice]

42. K&R

I hope so too.

[panzerfaust]

44. This was sarcasm I assume?

[Union Scribe]

50. Lol.

We were told Obama was going to go full liberal in his second term. Now we have to wait til his last day in office for him to take a stand.

[Thinkingabout]

51. I would not start planning on having a coming home party yet.

[dkf]

54. I always have hope that Obama will correct his course.

That's always what I want with any criticism I level at him.

I would hate for this to be a part of his legacy. Sad.

[Rex]

55. Same here and waiting til his last day in office is kinda cruel imo.

Why not just do it now if there is a chance of it happening? Nah, they wanted to make an example out of this kid and they did.

[Zorra]

56. :) nt

[Marr]

58. You don't get to have it both ways. The man has been harshly sentenced, just as our

resident right-wing Democrats had hoped for. Have the integrity to at least stand by your previous rantings rather than making some soft appeal to Deus Ex Obama for a sane, measured response.

[truedelphi]

59. I keep expecting a resignation from many "Dems" during the month of August.

Wearing a sheep suit above the wolf interior is a difficult thing to do in Washington during August when it is so hot there. I mean, that sheep suit sure makes it a lot hotter!

[stevenleser]

61. I get to have any opinions I want to have, just as you do. nt

[Marr]

64. Of course you *can*. But some opinions might make you look like a

self-serving windbag.

Did you think this was a game? Surely you understood from the beginning that the harsh punishment you were cheering for would likely be something even more draconian than the sentence that was handed down. To turn around now and say, 'I sure hope that's all undone by magic' makes it seem like you just wanted to win an argument, and didn't really give two shits about the real world implications of that argument.

[stevenleser]

65. You're being obnoxious because you can't handle that somoene disagrees with you. It's really simple

I think he did something terribly wrong, I think the act he has been found guilty of deserves a long prison sentence absent mitigating factors.

I think the abuse he has experienced his whole life is a mitigating factor. I think the multiple behavioral issues he has exhibited since joining the army (nothing to do with the transgender factor), the problems with authority, fighting, almost getting kicked out multiple times, means that the army is also partly to blame, as no one with those issues should have been given a security clearance at all. He should in fact have been kicked out of the army in basic training.

Add that all together and you have someone who in my opinion deserves some punishment but not over 6-8 years.

There are people who commit crimes where there are mitigating factors all the time. There is nothing remotely unusual about that.

[The Link]

66. Its just self-promotion to score another right wing media gig.

Gotta be a safe centrist for the right wing.

[stevenleser]

67. I realize it makes you feel important to attack someone who is out there in media

but its also evidence of how pathetic you are.

Welcome to my ignore list.

[The Link]

68. ...

[gopiscrap]

60. I was hoping the same that Manning gets released on Obama's last day

because it sure as hell won't happen before the 2016 election.

[Democracyinkind]

63. I don't trust Obama's judgment as far as pardons are concerned.

Bad track record.

I'd be positively surprised by such a step, and I think it would reflect well on him. My impression is that he agrees with the verdict.