Fall guys

For centuries they have been acting as scapegoats so their bosses, family or friends didn’t have to face the scorn or wrath of the public. They will spend time in jail, lose credibility and fall from the public spotlight forever.

They are the fall guys, and a new member just joined their ranks.

I. Lewis ‘Scooter’ Libby, the former chief of staff to the vice president, was convicted of lying to a grand jury and federal agents while they were investigating a C.I.A. leak, according to The New York Times. While Libby may have been to blame for his role in the scandal, he is likely not the only culpable party from the White House staff. Now that the public has someone to point the finger at, the scandal will probably fade away, and everyone else will move on with their lives.

Libby can now be remembered with some of the nation’s other legendary scapegoats. Oliver North took the heat off Ronald Regan during the Iran Contra affair. Yoko Ono was blamed by millions for breaking up the Beatles. Bill Buckner incurred the wrath of Red Sox fans for the ’86 World Series, even though Bob Stanley threw a wild pitch to allow the tying run to score in Game 6.

In the end, how bad is it really for Libby? He will probably spend a little time in a white-collar minimum security resort, then go home and have the support of his colleagues forever.

So here’s to you, ‘Scooter’ Libby; without great fall guys like you, people might actually have to deal with the consequences of their actions.

Published on March 6, 2007 at 12:00 pm