From The Wapo:
In the end, Gonzales was a man without a constituency outside of the White House. At a Senate hearing on April 19, he endured withering criticism over his professed inability to recall key events in the attorney firings, including details of a meeting on the topic with President Bush and Karl Rove. As the controversy swirled over a period of several months, conservative figures questioned both his legal competence and his ability to manage the sprawling Justice Department.
Whether or not Gonzales was forced out, or the decision was entirely his own, remains in question.
Not that it matters to the left, of course — ends and means and all that — but it matters to me. Gonzales had a tin-ear and was a political liability to Bush, sure; but the progressives wanted him out so desperately (and were joined by pragmatists among Republicans in wishing he would just go) that they made it a matter of necessity to force Bush’s hand. And I didn’t want to see the President bullied into asking for Gonzales resignation — mostly because I knew that, after, I’d have to listen to calls for the President to “reach out” to Democrats by, you know, filling the AG role with someone like Ramsey Clark.
In other words, after having smeared a man into ruin, I knew the left would turn around and immediately affect a conciliatory tone, and press the President to join them in their sudden need to raise the level of discourse.
And naturally, that’s what was heard immediately after Gonzales announced his resignation, with MSNBC bringing in Democratic strategic Richard Goodwin to suggest that Bush choose a “moderate” or a Democrat.
Recalling that the netroots has declared themselves the political center, this means Bush could satisfy Democrats only should he nominate, say, Jeralyn Merritt.
Rumors that Homeland Security flop Michael Chertoff will take over might be premature; according to CNN:
Solicitor General Paul Clement will serve as acting attorney general […] until a nominee has been confirmed by the Senate.
[…]
Some senior administration officials floated Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff as a possible replacement, but others waved CNN away from Chertoff, saying that his nomination could run into problems because of his role during Hurricane Katrina.
A congressional source familiar with deliberations about Gonzales’ replacement told CNN that the successor will not be Chertoff and that senior administration officials are “playing you guys,” referring to the media.
A source close to Chertoff said of a possible nomination, “this would be a surprise to Mike.”
New York Sen. Charles E. Schumer, a Democratic member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, also suggested that a Chertoff confirmation hearing would be contentious.
“I would say there are a lot of questions about Michael Chertoff that will have to be answered.” Schumer said. “I wouldn’t say yes; I wouldn’t say no. It’s an open book. It’s possible, but its hardly a slam dunk. There are some names who could be a slam dunk.”
Like, say, Jeralyn Merritt.
In his speech this morning (video available on Hot Air), Bush railed against those who dragged Gonzales’ name through the mud.
Is this more toothless outrage to be followed up by a milquetoast nomination that the Democrats can get behind? Or will Bush stick a thumb in the eyes of those who complain about the “politicization” of politics and put forth the name of a solid legal conservative?
Likely neither, is my guess. Instead, we’ll get a solid Republican, meaning that the war on drugs and porn can continue uninterrupted — while attempts to pretend illegal immigration is barely even a crime proceed apace, except on those occasions when the Wall Street Journal editorial board or Lindsay Graham stop to point out how conservatives are mostly just racists.
For those interested, NRO’s the Corner has a convenient roundup of representative conservative / Republican thought here.
****
update: The emails have spoken: ANN COULTER FOR AG!
So what’s your opinion on Manny’s immigration status? I think he’s legal, but at least half of his tools were smuggled in by coyotes.
I say Bush should select the most conservative of the US Attorneys that were let go, since they’ve achieved absolute moral authority and are simply the finest lawyers who ever lived.
But seriously, Steve Cohen has already suggested Comey.
Gonzales was a perfect example of an administration completely inept at messaging and at rebutting its critics. Whoever his replacement is, I hope he’s someone who can stand in front of a camera or a Congressional committee and take care of business.
Two words: Ted Nugent
Gonzales for Chertoff? And Chertoff for a guy who was (literally) a high-school buddy of Bush’s?
Ugh.
I wasn’t impressed with either of them in their former positions, I can’t imagine being impressed with Chertoff as AG. Yet another example of how remarkably tone-deaf Bush and company are – let the US attorney firing non-scandal get blown way out of proportion? Sure, why not. Imply that everyone who isn’t in favor of massive pander-rific amnesty is a Buchananite racist? Absolutely!
Paul Clement. I’m planning on getting used to that name.
Did Scooter get disbarred? If not, he should appoint him just to watch all the fucking heads explode.
Is Bolton a lawyer?…
I think Regis is.
Mark. Levin.
Is Rummy a lawyer? KaaaaaBooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!
Dennis Miller gets my vote.
Grond! . . . Grond! . . . Grond!
“In other words, after having smeared a man into ruin”
He may have been smart. But his mistakes are his own, and he wasn’t up to the job. Most people who are friends of dubya wouldn’t be.
“So what’s your opinion on Manny’s immigration status?”
Or his grandparents’. NTTAWWT.
I’d love to see Ann Coulter get the nom just for the sheer entertainment of the confirm hearings. Or Mark Levin. Hell, I’d gladly pay for it.
“May or may not have been.” is a long way from “were”. But hey. if it makes you’re not so cogent point.BTW. What is the citizen status of your criminal grandparents?
When the freaking phone rings on Handy Manny I always always run downstairs to my office. Damn thing sounds exactly like my office phone.
Which I would be next to if I was any kind of man, but since I think that, I obviously am not, no matter what color I’m painting my toenails when the phone rings.
“May or may not have been.†is a long way from “wereâ€Â.
who said “were”? Like I said, nothing wrong with it. Just an opinion anyway. He was born here right? that makes him US. no matter what.
“I’d love to see Ann Coulter get the nom just for the sheer entertainment of the confirm hearings. ”
I mean, she’d have to do research!
Ramsey Clark?
I’m betting on a call for Lynne Stewart at a minimum.
Maybe Bernardine Dohrn.
I say we sentence Michael Vick to community service and appoint him AG.
Hey, thanks, Jeff, that was funny. Just think of all the policies I would enact. An end to medical marijuana raids. All non-violent drug crimes would have to be charged by the least amount provable, rather than the most and all drug offenses involving under 5 kilos would be sent to state court. A moratorium on federal death penalty filings. Maybe on wiretaps too.
I can assure you I’d be as unpalatable a choice to Democrats as I would be to Republicans, and that’s fine, since I’m not anxious to lock people up in the first instance.
Bush should nominate Darleen. If only to watch her harpoon Ted with an American flag at the hearings.
Unfortunately he will instead nominate Harriet Meyers, and send and email to Rove demanding he cough up the fifty bucks.
yours/
peter.
Would it make me a snob if I liked “Little Einsteins” more than “Handy Manny”? Not that I do, mind you.
Wait, I’m not the same as the other Patrick, just to clarify.
Tommy Chong hasn’t had much work lately. Not that there’s a beaner quota, but.
And now for your regularly-scheduled leftist parody:
HAH-HAH! You lost your AG! The ebil Xtian Theocracy may just *not* happen now! Only 15 more months to go and all the rats will be gone! Now, can we make friends?
Now for what I really think: Wow. He finally caved. I figured he wouldn’t last, but *man* I thought it would be just a *little* longer. If the president *really* wants to piss the Dems off, he should nominate Karl Rove.
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