Editorial: Ashcroft's lesson lost on Gonzales

[maddezmom]

Ashcroft's lesson lost on Gonzales


Who knew? Maybe the often-controversial John Ashcroft was a better U.S. attorney general than he has been given credit for. At least in one case, he certainly seemed to grasp the unique responsibilities of the office better than the current one, Alberto Gonzales.

Testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee this week highlighted a nuanced but important contrast between the two men's views of the attorney general's role. As the nation's attorney first, Ashcroft stood up to White House overreaching with a domestic-surveillance program. Gonzales acts as henchman, facilitating a shadowy partisan agenda and appearing to consider the public's interests only as an afterthought.

~snip~

Comey's story seems to support a serious criticism of Gonzales — that, when he became attorney general, he never grasped the role's larger responsibility of advancing justice for Americans. Instead, he seemed to run the Justice Department as an extension of the White House, letting partisan agendas slosh over into department workings, including the firings.

We will say it again: Gonzales needs to resign.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2003711442_ashcrofted18.html?syndication=rss

[Tesla]

1. I keep hearing in my head the words...

"All the President's Men"

[L. Coyote]

2. Gonzolies (verb. nov.) English, May 17, 2007

When Boston Globe reporter Bill Cardoso read Hunter Thompson's "The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved" he proclaimed "That is pure Gonzo!" Cardoso used the South Boston Irish slang describing the last man standing after a drinking marathon.

"Gonzolies" is the English neologism describing the last man standing after a lying match.

"Gonzo journalism" refers to when an author cannot remove himself from the subject he investigates, often referring to a style of writing a story as perceived in the moment in the mind of the writer. Thompson believed objectivity in journalism was pure myth.

[Festivito]

3. Hmm, no, Ashcroft was WORSE than thought, and Gonzo worse than him.

Bush running low on complicits to assign as shills.

He could try an even more clueless incompetent like Ashcroft, but, they might have some long forgotten crony they can call in as a surprise.

[Demeter]

A Bought and Paid For Man Is Bad, Regardless of How Much He Was Paid

and Ashcroft has been well-paid for his complicity and silence. He got to keep his pension and health care. Gonzo, if there's any justice, will lose it all, including his freedom and maybe his life, as a war criminal.

[Demeter]

4. dupe post