Major Disconnect on Gonzo
Reading the news stories, editorials, and blog posts about Gonzales’ clueless testimony yesterday, one gets the sense that there is increasing pressure on him to resign, that there is increasing pressure on Bush to fire him, etc. “Why is Bush keeping this incompetent guy?” is a common theme. This perspective, or assumption, is completely wrong.
Here is the simpler view: Gonzales has, throughout his career and during his stint as AG, done exactly what Bush has wanted him to do, including the firing of the eight U.S. attorneys. And now, with the Bush administration facing oversight, investigations, and possibly worse, Gonzales’ obvious assignment from Bush is to stay there and take the heat. No matter how bad Gonzales seems, no matter how poorly he testifies, no matter how many lies he is caught in, he serves the useful role of flak-catcher.
Gonzales Endures Harsh Session With Senate Panel
Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, trying to salvage his job, endured withering questioning on Thursday from Senate Judiciary Committee members who expressed grave doubts about his truthfulness and judgment in the firing of federal prosecutors. In more than five hours of often-combative testimony, Mr. Gonzales, grim-faced, clasping his hands and hunched over, struggled to offer a coherent explanation for the dismissals. He apologized for his mistakes in what he said was a flawed process, but defended the removal of eight United States attorneys as proper.
The worse this matter gets, the more reason there is for Bush to keep Gonzales in his job.
Gonzo tells Bush no all the time
Throwing McNulty Under the Bus
A long way from “shock and awe”
$42 million for Obama in March
How can you protect the children?