Bye Bye 'Berto

WANTED: Total toady. Not a cut-and-runner. Must love torture. Contempt for Constitution a plus. Amnesia essential. Benefits include media boredom the day your mission is accomplished, plus a tenured position at the George W. Bush Library and Institute.

No sooner did word of Alberto Gonzales's resignation leak than the talking heads on TV started spreading the new conventional wisdom: official Washington is happy to let him slither off to private life without further persecution or prosecution. All that politicization of the Justice Department, forgiven. All those perjury thingies, forgotten. All the stonewalling and can't-recalls, yesterday's news.

Yesterday, his name was "embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales." Tomorrow, he'll swap "embattled" for "former." Not "disgraced." Not "impeached." Not "indicted." Not even "controversial." He'll join Karl Rove in the great reputation laundry, a figure of Beltway sympathy.

"Ya gotta respect a guy with that kind of loyalty," pundits will say, placing his loyalty to a corrupt administration above his loyalty to the American people." Orrin Hatch will contend that he doesn't understand what the big fuss was all about. Arlen Specter will let bygones be bygones. Gonzales's departure, like every other symptom of Republican pathology, will be proclaimed a GOP victory. "Now Bush has a chance to accomplish some major items on his agenda before the end of his term," we will be told. You know, like warrantless wiretapping, swifter executions, phony terrorist busts, corrupt prosecutions, and interference with free elections.

If Americans didn't have the attention span of a newt, if the media cared as much about the health of democracy as the health of the bottom line, if Democrats had the courage of their convictions, the last chapter of the Alberto Gonzales story will not have been written the day he resigned. If, if, if... I know: If Gonzales had had integrity, he wouldn't have been an invertebrate.

UPDATE: Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tx) says it's a sad day for the country when the top Hispanic in the nation is hounded from office. Yeah, and Clarence Thomas is the top African-American in the nation.

UPDATE II: In his brief public appearance, Gonzales says only that he is "concluding" his public service. No "citing personal reasons." No questions from the press. Like Cornyn, he plays the Hispanic card: "My worst day on the job was better than my father's best day." I wonder if his fath-- WAIT! Look over here! It's Michael Vick!

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Comments

[ashamedcitizen]

This is just great: we're casting aspersions on one another. Sure, there are neo-con plants here. Screw 'em. The thing is, the neo-cons' first priority is division. Has no one noticed that the one thing they consistently provide us is who we need to hate this week? There are fifty-two weeks in a year. that's a lot of hate. Ray - gun and Bush I did that too. They were even better at it. Of course, it's no trick to be better than Bush the Infantile at anything. Charlie Manson's a better man, for instance. So, let's not let them win this one, too. If they divide us, then we might as well all move to Canada, because there really is no hope.

[gvincent]

Late this Monday morning the American people were devastated by the announcement of from the office of Attorney General. Tired of being the Capitol Hill pinata, Bush's Fredo left tail-between-legs after multiple hit attempts by congress. Not that Gonzales will be any safer from subpoenas in his personal version of the witness protection program.
After months of not recalling essential information about suspicious U.S. Attorney firings, strong arming a drugged up John Ashcroft in a hospital room over illegal wiretapping procedures, and and the illegal wiretapping program itself, Gonzales has decided that his selective amnesia has become a "harmful distraction at the Department of Justice."
Gonzales joins Deputy Chief of Staff and top Bush adviser Karl Rove, as well as key republicans in congress to hang 'em up this August, while also giving the White House the opportunity to get a quick recess appointment in while congress is still on vacation.

http://www.crookedinc.com

[truthyguy]

It is ironic that the news media put Michael Vick's plea on a par with the resignation of the an Attorney General who corrupted the very foundations of our democracy through the misuse of his office.

Are these two stories really of equal news value to the public? Sunday football and the U.S. Constitution? If they are then this country has really lost its way.

[lam955219]

BS. Gonzalas resigned so Bush could move another incompetant into his position. Chertof screwed up Katrina big time, and this move is designed to take attention away from the Iraq report when it comes up. Rove may not be employed at the White House, but this really smells of his planning expertise. A diversion from important activities is his trademark. While Congress yells about Chertof, Bush slides another move passed them, the media, and most of us.

[Aunt Shecky]

I wonder if when a reporter asks him, "Why did you decide to resign? " Alberto answers, "I really can't recall.

[Bocababs]

The sad thing is Marty, most Americans are NOT following this news story, and even sadder, do not know our Attorney General, by name or what he does in office. But you are right on how the talking points will be handled going forward.

[anotherpatriot]

Wow. First Rove and now Gonzales, within 2 or 3 weeks of each other. Sounds great, huh. Maybe all of the investigations are getting too close to the truth and they've been forced to run for cover, away from public scrutiny, in the hopes of stopping any further investigations.

Then again, maybe their running for cover because they know something we don't and their heading for their bunkers.

Anyone heard from or seen Cheney lately? Wonder what the hell he's up to these days.

[confusedinUSA]

Good news: Gonzales is out.
Bad news: Chertoff might replace him.
Gonzales will not be prosecuted but then, hey, you lose some and you lose some.

[unhipcat]

don't let the door hit you in the ass.

now let's get someone who's non-partisan to fill the position,
someone like chertoff,
someone who served as council on the impeach Clinton committe,
yeah,
someone like that.

[ReneeA]

I just want to start a tally here---I am
1. An American with an attention span longer than a newt's.
2. Not stupid.
3. Someone who will continue to demand justice.
4. Someone who will never be able to erase from my mind the shame of this first decade of the new century.
5. Someone who fears very much that there is much, much worse to come.
6. Someone who has already apologized to her children for being part of the generation that let it all happen.

[957]

Bush said gonzo was "impeading from doing his job"? what the hell is impeading? did bush graduate from high school? and he had to read the statement? how the hell did this bozo ever get elected.

[anfractuous]

If Alberto Gonzales' "good name was dragged through the mud", I'd wash the mud.

[wmbear]

AT LEAST GONZO DIDN'T SAY IT WAS TO "SPEND MORE TIME WITH HIS FAMILY"...

You gotta respect him for that...NOT!!!

[Veleria29]

Wait until his temporary replacement takes over (summer recess) noiw I know why he resigned in August. Paul Clement his replacement will be worsr than Gonzales. He will be a stonewaller with a brain.

[Scylla]

I heard Gonzales' speech on NPR this morning. He said he lived the American Dream. When did the American Dream become about working for a corrupt administration, perverting the judicial system, violating the civil rights of US citizens, lying to Congress, and then acting baffled about all the fuss? Maybe I don't live in the country that I thought I did because that sure doesn't sound like an American Dream that I can buy into.