In the aftermath of the latest miscarriage of justice from the White House, there's only one question -- formed with the help of the NY Times editorial board -- to ask the White House:

Was the convicted felon Scooter Libby kept out of jail because the president was "worried about what a former loyalist might say when actually staring into a prison cell"?

And there's only one question to ask the GOP presidential candidates:

Do you pledge not to hire the convicted felon Scooter Libby to serve on your White House staff?

Dubya claimed that Libby has actually received significant punishment since, "[t]he reputation he gained through his years of public service and professional work in the legal community is forever damaged."

That, of course, is a joke, based on the recent history of the Republican Party and the Bush family.

As The Nation's David Corn wrote back in 2002, "The Bush Administration is turning into one big rehab center for the Iran/contra schemers..."

Republican aides know that they can push the envelope without worrying about crossing any line.

Take one for the team, you'll stay on the team. You won't go to jail, and you'll get promoted later.

So if Libby really is to be treated like the convicted felon he is, Republican candidates should have no problem keeping him of the payroll.

Although, let's not kid ourselves. The payroll extends beyond the White House. Libby will be set up, one way or another.