Two days after a federal judge sentenced Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby to hard jail time, we emphatically say to President Bush: "No pardon."

Not now. Not on Jan. 20, 2009, the last day Bush will be president. Not ever.

Libby, who breached the public trust by lying and obstructing the investigation into the outing of CIA undercover agent Valerie Plame, should serve every day of his 30-month sentence.

Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald urged the court to give Libby a full three-year prison sentence, so Libby will have plenty of time to ponder what he did to Plame and to our country and its intelligence community.

So far, Libby has shown no remorse for what many critics believe was a treasonous plot to expose Plame for pure political revenge - because her husband, former ambassador Joe Wilson, had severely criticized the Bush administration for using inaccurate intelligence in the rush to attack Iraq.

Federal Judge Reggie Watson, who said the evidence against Libby was overwhelming, properly considered Libby's arrogance in sentencing him to a substantial prison term while also fining him $250,000.

But speculation is rampant that Libby will continue to snub investigators, the court and the entire judicial system because he has been promised a full presidential pardon.

The signs are ominous, including Bush's statement immediately after the verdict that he feels "terrible" for the Libby family. How about Plame and her family? And how about the damage done by Libby and his fellow White House conspirators to the CIA, its undercover operations and the nation's intelligence-gathering capability?

The country lost Plame's expertise, as well as the entire costly operation she was involved in, which ironically was focused on banned weapons.

Under no circumstances can Bush legitimately pardon Libby, who disgraced his office, himself and his country by placing partisan politics, political dirty tricks and personal loyalty above duty and country. He deserves to serve every minute of his jail sentence and pay every cent of his fine.

The American people would be wise to make it abundantly clear to Bush, Congress and the Republican Party that they will tolerate no pardon and no clemency.

Likewise, New Mexicans should mince no words in telling their congressional representatives and senators that a pardon would mock American justice.

Need we remind anyone - in particular the Republican leadership - that a few short years ago it led the rant against President Bill Clinton for lying about his affair, a lie that - unlike Libby's - had absolutely no impact whatsoever on national security or the government in any material way.

Need we remind the president that he himself has been linked to the Plame leak in grand jury testimony; that Fitzpatrick said Tuesday that "a cloud" continues to hang over Cheney; and that in the days after the Plame leak, Bush described it as "criminal" and demanded that all White House staff cooperate fully with the Justice Department to discover and prosecute those responsible?

Libby presents a great test for Bush. Will the president enforce and abide by the law; or, as he has done on so many occasions, will he claim exemption for himself and his White House loyalists?

Similarly, Libby presents the ultimate litmus test for Americans on whether their president is above the law or, like an American, is subject to it. This is supposed to be a nation of law, not kings. Now it's time, with Libby, for Bush to prove it.