Tuesday, March 20, 2007

The nail in the coffin?

I'm not really following the US Attorney scandal, though I admit the drool has begun to gather on the tip of my tongue at the the thought that this might mean curtains for Alberto Gonzales. The guy is a tool. For eight years he has waged a single-minded war on the US constitution. Extraordinary rendition, torture, wiretapping, detentions and the rest of the juicy special powers Lord George claimed for himself were all justified and defended by Alberto and his memos.

Delightful as it is to see Alberto on the firing line (finally) I must confess to some mixed feelings. US Attorney is a political appointment: The president is permitted to nominate anyone he likes for the job, and the Senate is allowed to confirm or reject for any reason. US A's serve at the pleasure of the president (sick as that sounds) and by my lights the president could give a job to his pet puppy (which he, in fact, once did) and then order him fired for any reason. That's how it works in America. That's our system, with impeachment our only recourse.

Update: Yesterday, ABC News reported that DOJ had released hundreds of emails regarding the dismissals. I am sure, that a careful and complete review of the e-mails will show that the White House was operating in its usual non-political and highly competent manner, (Just like during the war in Iraq and the Meirs nomination, and hurricane Katrina, and...)

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