Gonzo On The Jetway

[unhappycamper]

Gonzo On The Jetway
Bob Cesca
Posted August 27, 2007 | 07:10 PM (EST)


Some people employ the "Fredo" nickname, as coined by the president. They're The Godfather people. And as much as I, too, enjoy that movie, I prefer the less traveled "Gonzo" nickname, mainly because it reminds me of the great Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas. Months ago, I drew a comparison between Alberto Gonzales and Benicio Del Toro's portrayal of "Dr. Gonzo" (Oscar Acosta) in Terry Gilliam's adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson's book -- I imagined the embattled Attorney General resigning in disgrace and impulsively flashing the Nixon "V for Victory" gesture just prior to boarding an airplane, just as Del Toro did in the film.

And now it's all come true.

Monday's events were so appropriate for a guy who did so much harm to the administration; to the Constitution; to our collective reputations abroad. It was an ugly, disgraceful and awkward resignation. Dirty and weird, like a bizarre anxiety dream the night before.

Only this was real.

There was Gonzo on television, rushing through some hastily prepared remarks, all alone at the podium -- abandoned perhaps -- his s's more sibilant than ever and his voice quivering from something or another. If there's any consolation to this Gonzo affair, perhaps he was upset from the torturous (oh yeah!) levels of shame and embarrassment he might've been experiencing: two wholly undesirable emotions which Gonzo heartily deserves to experience for the rest of his days. For starters.

~snip~

Speaking of confirmation and fear mongering, it appears as if Secretary "Shirt Off" Chertoff (you can use that, Mr. President) will be up next for the gig. I wonder if members of the Senate are allowed to ask him about the federal response to Katrina or Shirt Off's awesomely prescient Terrorism Gut Of Excellence -- or is that way too much mud for a Bush nominee to handle?


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