Rossputin.com: Rational Thinking About Our World

re "Revelations, Contradictions in Gonzales Testimony" (NPR, 7/24/07)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12205388

John Ashcroft reminded me of a hellfire-and-brimstone preacher, and I was more than happy to have him replaced as Attorney General. After all, he was a fervent supporter of the unconscionable "war on drugs" and he's the guy who had statues of nudes covered before he had a press conference in front of them.

Unfortunately, in what was probably a commendable but unwise bow to loyalty which is typical of President Bush, he selected Alberto Gonzales to fill the post.

Gonzales simply doesn't have the gravitas to be the Attorney General despite that Bush had appointed him to the Texas Supreme Court. After all, Bush apparently thought Harriet Miers was qualified to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States, and I think even I (who am not a lawyer) would likely be a better Justice than Miers would have.

Nor did Gonzales' prior opinions given to the President while serving as White House Counsel seem to show much respect for liberty or a system of checks and balances. He seems every bit as supporting of an "imperial presidency" as liberals often accuse Bush of being.

Then comes the firing of the US Attorneys. Clearly, those positions are political appointments, and those people serve at the pleasure of the President who can remove them when he pleases.

Yet instead of just making that very straight-forward case, Gonzales has tied himself in knots with misstatements, changes of story, and maybe outright lies.

It's no wonder that even the Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee suggest that Gonzales does not have their support. Gonzales does not have the trust or support of anyone prominent beyond President Bush himself...and he doesn't even deserve that.

All else being equal, it would be an easy call for the President to suggest to Gonzales that he should resign. But all else is not equal, and if Gonzales does go that would give a huge opening to the hyperpartisan Patrick Leahy (D-VT) who would use that as an admission of guilt and an opening to try to investigate, subpoena, and generally harrass as many other high-level administration officials as possible.

In particular, he would almost certainly try to go after Karl Rove, and maybe either the President or Vice-President if there is even a thin shred of evidence with which he can weave some damaging political theater.

As long as Gonzales stays in place, the buck will basically stop with him. So, whereas in most similar situations the appointee would resign to best serve and protect his President, in this case he is doing all he can to avoid resigning in order to protect his friend, George W. Bush.

At the end of the day, it's Bush's fault for being the man responsible for the Peter Principle coming to full fruition at the White House. Gonzales was barely competent at being White House Counsel, and was then appointed to the level of his incompetence. Very similar story for Miers. Too much loyalty, too little leadership. And now we're all stuck with the nauseating consequences of having to hear Chuck Schumer drone on and on about Gonzales, and the even more frightening realization that for the first time in many months, Schumer is probably right. Gonzales and the Bush administration in general should be truly ashamed of doing or saying anything that could make Schumer, Leahy, or the RINO Arlen Specter actually be right about an issue of substance.

So, Alberto Gonzales, while I really wish you would go, it's probably best if you stay. In either case, you should apologize to the country for being, or at least appearing, so tremendously incompetent.