Analysis: Gonzales Endurance Is Baffling

[Ghost in the Machine]

Analysis: Gonzales Endurance Is Baffling
Published: 7/27/07, 4:26 PM EDT
By TOM RAUM

WASHINGTON (AP) - The collapse in confidence in Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is all but total among both Democrats and Republicans. Still, President Bush is standing by his longtime friend from Texas.

Bush is known for his loyalty, but his reluctance to act this time is baffling Washington.

Gonzales has shouldered the brunt of congressional criticism over Bush's warrantless wiretapping program and the Justice Department's firings of U.S. attorneys last year. He now faces calls for a perjury investigation, and Democrats are clamoring for a special prosecutor.

Rank-and-file Republicans are upset by his faltering performance before congressional panels. Conservatives object to his views on affirmative action and abortion.

Even FBI Director Robert Mueller, a Gonzales subordinate, appeared to contradict Gonzales' sworn testimony to senators about a 2004 hospital encounter between Gonzales and then-Attorney General John Ashcroft.

http://home.bellsouth.net/s/editorial.dll?bfromind=7816&eeid=5326865&_sitecat=1504&dcatid=0&eetype=article&render=y&ac=0&ck=&ch=ne

[mmonk]

1. Not to me.

It's part of the governing process. So I guess we're processing him.

[The Stranger]

2. Reason Number 5,429,212 to impeach.

[Solly Mack]

3. well, if one starts with the premise that Bush is corrupt it's not baffling

but if one wants to pretend that Bush isn't corrupt and has a single redeeming quality...

[aquart]

4. The honorable thing would be to resign. Of course he's staying.

[bobbolink]

7. Nope! No resignation--that's too easy. He broke laws, and needs to be behind bars.

We let powerful criminals off too easy.

[The_Casual_Observer]

5. If they move to jail him, bush will immediately pardon him.

He may even do it preemptively.

[Miss Chybil]

6. Bush needs Gonzales to make sure no-one can pursue obstruction of justice, or contempt, charges

against anyone in his administration within the federal justice system. It's pretty simple, really.

[Rageneau]

13. True. Bush CANNOT fire Gonzales without exposinghimself to prosecution

Bush can count on Gonzales to betray the Constitution, the country, God, justice, liberty and every other principled thing. There is not another lawyer on the face of the earth who is a better bodyguard for Bush than Gonzo is.

[CTD]

16. EXACTLY

Gonzo cannot quit or be fired as there is no way they'd get another crony like Gonzo through Senate confirmation. And even a semi-real AG would prosecute the hundreds of crimes covered up by the current DOJ.

as long as Gonzo is AG, Bush, Cheney, Rover, et al stay out of jail.

[gulliver]

19. Well put.

[Swamp Rat]

8. He serves a purpose...

... for now.

[Fridays Child]

9. Baffling? Uh uh. Try pathological. eom

[spanone]

10. k&r

[rodeodance]

11. Also, Gonzales has long served as an enabler for Bush.

...So why is Gonzales still around?

Two personality traits long identified with Bush - stubbornness and loyalty to those loyal to him - are clearly factors. Also, Bush's advisers are mindful of the fact that it could be next to impossible to win Senate confirmation this late in his term for any possible replacement.

Also, Gonzales has long served as an enabler for Bush.

Both as White House counsel and now as attorney general, Gonzales has provided a stream of written justifications for Bush's anti-terrorism tactics - from maintaining the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay to stern treatment of terror suspects and the administration's domestic surveillance program.

"The only person he is responsible to is the president, and the president seems to be standing by him," said Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond. "I don't see much give on either side right now. They seem to be digging in their heels."

Tobias doubts a definitive judicial ruling can resolve a looming constitutional confrontation between the administration and Congress, given the short time left in Bush's term and the law's usual delay.

[MiniMe]

12. Lets face it, Bush would have a hard time getting a nominee through

I think that is one reason that he won't give up on Gonzo. Of course, if he would appoint somebody reasonable, it wouldn't be a problem, but why should Bush change now?

[Miss Marmelstein]

14. Gonzo will resign in August.....

The shrub will use recess appointment to replace him with Harriet or someone just as bad and they will be AG until shrubby is gone!

Just watch.

[glitch]

18. Jeb. And the rationale? JFK did it! And the Corpse Media will lap it up. I kid but you watch. nt

[Cha]

15. So, in a Just World..

In 2008 the Dems can hold this up to the voters as one of the myriad of reasons not to go gop. The reason must be so compelling for ol' gonza to stay right where he is that rove doesn't have time to think about 2008.

Or does he plans to get the "base fired up and they come out in droves" as it were?

[gulliver]

17. Gonzales is the Hispanic Law Degree cover for all of Bush's ...

... worst legal transgressions. If Gonzales goes on perjury in a cloud of scandal, all of the opinions he wrote to provide Bush with a paper veneer of legality become worthless. Bush isn't protecting Gonzales out of loyalty. Bush is protecting Bush.