We can all fantasize about our preferred choices: Danforth, Comey, Fitzgerald, etc. But the next move in this chess game is Dubya's. And the reasons why the country desperately needs an independent AG are exactly the reasons why this Administration will never offer us one. Appointing Fitz would be a form of suicide, and their self-preservation instinct seems far too strong for that to happen.

So I think it is a safe bet that Bush will nominate someone we will not like. Then what? If the Milquetoast Brigade does its usual thing, Bush obviously wins (I am not surrendering, just stating the obvious). If the Judiciary Committee rejects the first lackey, we will toast their newfound backbones, but then what? That only gets us somewhere if the next nominee is better, and I find it hard to imagine that it will play out that way. Bush gets pretty good mileage out of excoriating Democratic obstruction, and suffers no penalty if the post remains unoccupied as a result. And the man is rather stubborn, in case no one noticed.

I will yet again implore my chowder-headed Senator (Feinstein) to do the right thing here. But as awful as Gonzo was, I just don't see how this ends up where we want it to go.

If Gonzales' main function was as a heat-shield, then why throw him away now? Counterintuitive. Who could they get who is more loyal to Bush? There is no such person on earth.

So why did they toss him, and why did they do it now.

Simply seeing what is likely to occur versus what is not. Does anyone still believe that the Congress would do anything but have a bunch of hearings resulting in whomever Bush nominates saying nothing at all about anything and then Congress approving of that person. Maybe he/she can bring their spouse in to cry about the tension and pressure too.

Who or what do you think The Shithead in Chief is going to nominate? Seriously.

I'm with ondelette on this one. My despair at the Democrats ever doing anything right again is so palpable that it's like a cloak of lead around me. I want to know what we can do to get them to stop playing Beltway Bubble games and start representing us.

Please tell me what can we do, either individually or collectively, to get our representation back.

And call it The Department

I agree, Glenn. Defeatism can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. But, learned helplessness is equally real. Increasingly, my political efforts are coming to resemble driving a car where the front wheels no longer respond to the steering mechanism. I am losing my sense of adequacy. As other have noted I've called, written, and e-mailed my Bush-Dog (as per OpenLeft) senator until my fingers are numb. The brain deadening responses I get, make me want to vomit. I am keeping score on this asswipe, and when he is up for election next, I will remember his responses, and I've made it plain to him that I will.

With over a year to go in this presidency I find myself hoping for a rescue, not unlike an abused child wishing some adult could make the horror stop. I fear the damage Bush could yet do, would be greater than he has already done. I come here to find glimmers of hope. Keep writing. I'll keep reading, and trying to influence where I can.

Shooter Quote:

____________

Great advice for helping out the Republicans. There's nothing like blatant Democrat partisanship to advance our agenda. This could be a win-win for Bush.

____________

Your boy resigned today due to, among other things, blatant Republican partisanship to advance a far right agenda.

It turned out Fredo "Rumsfeld Brownie" Gonzales was a lose/lose for Bush.

Let's stay focused for at least 1 day: Gonzales, yet another in a series of Bushian oafs who have damaged both the Republican party & the country, is suddenly seeking a rock under which to slither.

While Glenn's article is about the future (and how it should be dealt with), the present belongs to Fredo's Moment of Shame.

& for all the Glenn Reynolds & shooter types who mock the various investigations the Democrats have conducted, I would say today you can score it:

Democratic Investigations-1

Republican Obfuscation-0

The part where the cartoonist falls out of bed.

Just to indulge--

Orrin Hatch is my best guess. He's been lobbying for it, he's a senator, which would ease senate approval. his senate seat is secure, i.e. the GOP wouldn't lose a seat if he moves to AG until 1/09. He has disgustingly put party before country in every substantive issue I can think of. His loyalty will clearly not be to Bush, but it will be looking beyond Bush to salvage as much as possible for the Party.

If it is Hatch, this will be another sign that the traditional operatives are regaining control of the party and jettisoning Bush, or trying to.

The above is slightly more than just useless indulgent "guess the candidate" bullshit. The replacement AG can either try to duplicate Gonzo's behavior, or can turn over a new leaf, and cooperate with Congress. With or without Gonzo, it remains all about the congressional investigations. And Gonzo, I'd guess, hasn't made his last trip to the Hill yet.

Wherein Attorney Secretary General Chertoff vows that he will not rest until every phone in New Orleans is tapped.

DailyKos lists Gonzales' official departure date as Sept 17. Would that not also mean Bush can't do a recess appointment, since the position is not actually vacant until the 17th, at which point Congress will be back in session?

Of course, Gonzales official departure date was determined by Bush anyway, so if had wanted to do a recess appt, he would have had gonzo go immediately. But that the date is delayed implies to me that Bush has opted not to do a recess appt, and will stick with Paul Clement as Glenn details in Update II, or hope the dems cave.

My question is: Why now? Does someone have something even more damaging on Gonzales? Otherwise, it really doesn't make sense after stonewalling for so long. Why now???