Scooter commutation vs. Clinton pardons

Republican apologists (like W spokeshole Tony Snow) are wrong in comparing Clinton's pardons to Bush's Scooter commutation. Al Gore stated the differences best on The Today Show as quoted in the NY Times:
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“I thought it was improper,” Mr. Gore said of the decision. “He was charged with knowledge that could incriminate his bosses in the White House, which included the vice president and the president. I thought it was very disappointing.”
Mr. Gore said the Libby pardon differed from the Clinton administration’s pardons “because in this case the person involved is charged with activities that involve knowledge of what his superiors in the White House did.”
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In other words, pardoning someone for political payback (as Clinton did) is different than commuting or pardoning someone who could point a finger of criminal or political blame at the President or VP (as W did). I do see the difference and I think Gore is right about it, but I think both actions were politically wise, but morally wrong.
Naturally, the Republican sin is worse here. Republicans are less moral than Democrats.