The Washington Post keeps the story alive of Bush's grinch-like pardons alive. Quoted today is Law Prof Doug Berman, who is also the author of the awesome Blakely blog, Sentencing Law and Policy.

"He continues not to view his role as chief executive as one where he should temper the justice handed out by the justice system with mercy," said Douglas A. Berman, an Ohio State University law professor who studies presidential pardons. "This really is a stingy view of things, especially given how much larger our federal justice system is now" than it was in years past.

Pardon expert Margy Love says:

"What President Bush has done, to my personal way of thinking, is approach the use of his pardon power with no theory other than to stay safe," said Margaret Love, a Washington lawyer who served as federal pardon attorney, heading the government's screening of clemency petitions, between 1990 and 1997.

So what's wrong with playing it safe?