With Alberto's ouster, why things could get even worse (if you can imagine that)

[Demeter]

http://pmcarpenter.blogs.com/p_m_carpenters_commentary/2007/08/with-albertos-o.html



What made the news coverage of Alberto's departure worth reading, and finally commenting on, was less his departure than the far-ranging observations offered on the lessons to be drawn from his squalid tenure. We've had controversial attorneys general resign in disgrace before, but none quite like Alberto.


From the 20th century's Harry Daugherty to John Mitchell, the injudicious sort seemed to flock to Justice. From their tenures we learned valuable lessons, of course -- so naturally quite early in the 21st century we suffered capo-regime Fredo.


But I don't really blame Alberto Gonzales. He was a small man with narrow aims -- the aggrandizement and protection of his patron -- too innately small not to be overwhelmed. One telling observation was this: "Former colleagues say that what they originally took for discretion, when Mr. Gonzales would say little in major policy meetings, they later concluded was disengagement." ...For my money, Stanley Brand, the "ethics lawyer" (no oxymoronic jokes here), summed things up the best: "You can’t just change government through strong-willed policy. People who ride into Washington on a high horse of ideology or ignorance" -- or, in Mr. Bush's case, ignorant ideology -- "are inevitably headed toward a blow-up."





I have a hunch, however, that we haven't yet seen the worst of Mr. Bush & Co., even as the White House empties itself of some very bad boys. And it was Mr. Bush's bizarre, otherworldly reaction to Alberto's departure that leads one to this frightful suspicion. Political scientist Calvin Jillson... Said: "If you just listen to what he said ... in defense of Gonzales , his back is so up and his heels are so dug in, I’m not sure he can do it."
Well, professor, I'm sure he can't. I'd bet money on it. The president is a mental infant with a child's emotions. He won't let this go, he won't let it drop. He'll throw a monstrous temper tantrum in the form of ... something monstrous ... just to show Congress and the press that no one can kick George W. Bush around.