Bravo, Mr. Greenwald, for calling out the Democratic complicity (and duplicity) on their betrayal barometer, where they have consistently appeased this rogue administration on their appointments, swallowed the assurances, dissembling, and out-and-out lies, and given them what they wanted, only to express shock and dismay when they find that the reactionary Trojan Horses they confirmed to vital positions proved to be incompetent and/or dishonest.

That excuse is not going to work again. Relying on assurances from some current Bush appointee that they will act independently is woefully and self-evidently insufficient. Only a truly outside figure, one who is entirely independent of the Bush circle, should be acceptable.

This is, agreed, vital, but would the Bush League even offer this, given how successful they've been in the past at getting their way, even in the face of crumbling polls? And would the Democrats have the stomach to fight the administration on these issues, given their terrible track record to date? I wouldn't be surprised if the Bushies play the most cynical symbolic hardball politics on this appointment; everything they'll do will be with an eye to put a black eye on the Democrats in 2008, however they can.

It should be an interesting fight, if the Democrats (PRETTY PLEASE!!) choose to make a fight of this. There's no peace through appeasement, Democrats. Please remember that.

The attorney general said that public service is an honorable pursuit,

How would Gonzales know about public service or honor? He's only served President Bush (and Co-President Cheney), certainly not the country, definitely not the public. Unless it's in a Louis XIV "l'etat c'est moi" kind of way, with blind obedience to the Unitary Executive as synonymous with public service. Good riddance. The man's a disgrace, one troglodyte among so many in this maladministration.

You quoted Biden...

We're looking for you, when we ask you a question, to give us an answer, which you haven't done yet.

That's worked masterfully for the Bush League during both terms, so I figure, despite (or even because of) all of their skullduggery, they'll continue to use that magic formula and force the Democratic Congress to do the right thing and stand up to this maladministration, and to not rubber-stamp (or wave through, ala Shoeless Joe Lieberman and the Nelsons) the next Bush candidate. Time for hard questions, demanding answers, follow-up questions, and political hardball from the Democrats on this, if they want to actually win in 2008.

Since the Bush League has turned everything old and made it new again (apologies to Nixon): One thing's for sure, we won't have Alberto Gonzales to kick around, anymore.

Poor Gonzales; being a crony and a hack doesn't reap the same rewards it used to, I guess. I really think all of these notable inner circle types leaving the White House is just to clear space for the next generation of would-be reactionaries to get their feet wet in the policy arena at the executive level, maybe figuring that they're not going to be in the White House again for quite awhile, and will need some fresh young faces in there to continue the tradition of wrongdoing that this administration has worked so tirelessly to preserve, once the country forgets this dark period in our history and the GOP (or whatever part represents their interests in the future) hoodwinks people into voting for them again.

May the obstruction of Justice be unobstructed in the future -- that can only be their fondest wish, judging how the Right will view Fredo's time as consigliere -- sorry, I mean Attorney General.

This is my favorite part of the report; this could be in a comedy, the setup for it...

The officer then showed Craig his police identification under the stall divider, and pointed Craig toward the restroom's exit.

Thomas Jefferson said that "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." -- in Bush's cockeyed conception of history, I can see him turning that on its head and seeing the need for fresh blood to replenish the War Myth: Iran is still within reach of this rogue administration, there's still time for a war there.

It's insane and cynical at the same time, but if they want to keep the war going forever, that's the way to do it. Charge in there (or even just do air raids on Iran, like throwing rocks at a hornets' nest) and hand a piping hot war to the Democrats in 2008, and then declare that anything less than total victory is total defeat.

The Democrats then push for a draft (because the Bush League chewed up the all-volunteer army) and voila, suddenly, at the prospect of middle class and upper middle class kids getting drafted, the country gets fully outraged about Gulf War II, and the Republicans retake the White House in 2012, and work on their permanent majority again, while pledging a proper end to the war (which'll really mean just more bombing, more war, more blood for the myth).

I know, too cynical, but we're talking about a party that wants to selectively do away with the Electoral College to bring them partisan advantage in 2008...

http://www.slate.com/id/2172700/nav/tap3/

For a party this un-American, using war for pure partisan advantage is small potatoes.

I think anything this administration serves up should be accompanied with a fistful of salt, regardless of the topic. They're way past Credibility Gap -- we're in Credibility Canyon country, anymore.