The timing couldn’t have been much better for President Bush today. At a time when he has lost some of his most ardent supporters after a bruising fight over immigration reform, he needed to catch a break. Thanks to Scooter Libby, he got it.

Libby’s last appeal was rejected today, giving Bush a choice: commute his sentence or let him go to jail. Bush chose to commute the sentence, sparing him 30 months in jail. Libby still has to pay a $250,000 fine and will be left scarred permanently, a penalty that’s harsh enough.

As could be expected, Bush is taking a drubbing from the left for his decision, but at this point, does it really matter? Bush made the right move. “One of his finest moments,” remarked one friend. I hope conservatives recognize it.