Gonzales Will Never Leave

Bush will not can him, and he will not allow his resignation. Gonzales has been with Bush since 1994, at least. There may be bodies that Rove knows about, and he that he doesn't; but he knows everything Bush does, at least. Alberto Gonzelas is<> the Inner Circle. It's been Bush, Rove, and Gonzelas for a very long time. This is where Rove, and Bush, draw the line. They can not give up the RNC emails. And that is the direction this is going after today. Nobody really believed anything Gonzales said today, but he did tell the truth at least once - the controversy is not going to end with his resignation.

This Attorney General story is deep. However, its leading to inter-RNC email and the facts that the WH uses them almost exclusively is the real, very dangerous situation the Bush admin finds itself in. If the RNC emails are given up without WH review, everything is going to be exposed. They paniced and showed their hands when the sprung the dog-ate-it excuse. They are there. They can't give it up.

And this is where things are going to get very interesting. We thought the constitution and Republic was in trouble before? We're heading into the mealstrom.

•  Simple Criminal Logic

  If Gonzo goes, they all go.
   
  Therefore, Gonzo can't go.

  by Night Owl on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 09:32:01 PM PDT

  •  I'm not sure how long he can hang on

    But certainly Gonzales' has not yet outlived his usefulness as a decoy and shield for the deep criminality of the White House.

    But comments from deeply conservative Republican senators such as Coburn and Sessions seem to indicate that the clock is running out.

    Remember Nixon was willing to Stonewall the Democrats, but when the Republicans started defecting he knew he had to go.

    OTOH, an impeachment trial (for Gonzales) would help to run out the clock. So, I look to Gonzo to hang in there for a while yet.

    by Demi Moaned on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 09:41:39 PM PDT

    •  It's beyond political now

      Gonzo is the only one left between the White House and a lot of very pissed off US attorneys still in the Department who have seen their reputations trashed by this incident.

      The only way any of these lawyers can salvage his or her career at this point is by getting the opportunity to show the nation that they were not part of Karl Rove's political operation.

      How do they do that?  By vigorously investigating each and every allegation of wrong doing at the White House and its Congressional member branches around the counrty.

      Its no coincidence the FBI raided another Abramoff client on the day of Gonzo's testimony.  Can't send a stronger a message than that.

      See why Bush can't let Gonzo go?  

      by Night Owl on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 10:01:30 PM PDT

      •  Lordy I Hope You're Right nt

        by Gooserock on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 10:07:00 PM PDT

        •  The minor chink in my logic

          is that the ethical cloud hanging over the USA's who weren't fired may proclude them from prosecuting anything at all.

          In that case, it's up to the judiciary from each District to nominate replacements, which most likely means someone who WORKED for one of the current USA's.

          Either way, its open season on BushCo.

          by Night Owl on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 10:25:57 PM PDT

      •  I see why Bush can't let him go

        I'm just not sure how long he can stand against the forces that have been unleashed.

        by Demi Moaned on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 10:07:43 PM PDT

        •  That's a completely different question.

          ;-)

          by Night Owl on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 10:28:21 PM PDT

          •  But an interesting one

            ... too, I think.

            by Demi Moaned on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 10:32:09 PM PDT

            •  Absolutely

              They may try to impeach Gonzales if it gets that far, but Schumer in his post game interview strongly hinted that the ultimate goal is to get inside the White House.

              Orrin Hatch notwithstanding, the Dems basically have the White House surrounded and are closing the perimeter.  Now its a question of whether George, Karl and Dick decide to come out the easy way or the hard way.

              Which way do you think they'll pick?

              by Night Owl on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 10:55:38 PM PDT

              •  Nixon was old-fashioned

                Nixon remains the nearest point of reference. And yet the cases are very different. Nixon was a flexible politician, who liked consensus and was very willing to work with Democrats to achieve policy goals.

                More to the point, considering how much is known about the Nixon White House, I think it's fair to say that the criminality was incidental. And when all was said and done Nixon bought into the consensus view of when the jig was up.

                In the present case, I'm convinced that the criminality is essential to what the Bush regime is about. They want to expropriate money by means fair and foul. They want to subvert the rule of law for years to come. They're convinced that their opponents are weak and fearful.

                They were prepared to brazen it out and fight it to the bitter end before they started. They've had more than a six-year run. If they can hold out for 20 more months, they're more or less home free.

                They're not coming out of their own volition.

                by Demi Moaned on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 11:21:34 PM PDT

                •  My God, like the Nibelungs

                  surrounded by the Huns, trapped in a burning castle and knee-deep in blood, down to the last two Men out of 10,000, King Gunther and his Knight Hagen...

                  That was Hitler's inspiration in Berlin in 1945, too.

                  They just don't know when to quit.

                  by Jeffersonian Democrat on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 02:21:29 AM PDT

                •  Unfortunately

                  They're convinced that their opponents are weak and fearful.

                  Unfortunately, the so-called opposition party has given them little reason to think otherwise over that six-year run.

                  by Free Spirit on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 05:53:42 AM PDT

                •  Also to the point,

                  say what you want about him, Nixon was SMART.  He could read the odds and knew when he was outgunned.

                  Bushie and Dick can't accept that they've lost in Iraq, even though it's plain to anyone who can smell sh*t without rubbing their noses in it.  They're certainly not going to accept that they're outmaneuvered in domestic politics, where their main allies and fortunes are located.  What, can't Ken Lay just BUY the verdict?  Daddy????

                  by cynndara on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 04:10:37 PM PDT

    •  Comments, comments

      just like those of McCain on torture and Specter on almost anything are cheap.

      If AG won't resign as AG, will the commenters vote to impeach?

      Those with an Abramoff past will not unless given immunity for their vote.  

      Then there are the enablers, Coleman comes to mind as needing to come clean... Collins needs to distance herself from the joined at the hip impression she has created.

      Has anyone counted the votes?

       

      by inHI on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 10:41:33 PM PDT

      •  Impeachment is by no means certain

        I agree. And it's all the more reason to think Gonzales will hang on for quite some time.

        by Demi Moaned on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 10:53:29 PM PDT

        •  But impeachment would

          make sure the story grows and stays in the press. Plus there would be a need for more investigation and more open hearings.

          by SocioSam on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 04:34:23 AM PDT

    •  i dunno

      
      He was unable to mount a defense of the missing emails and didn't really succeed in shielding Rove or Miers .

      I think the Committee will bypass him to get to Rove/Miers via the testimony of one or another of his aides.  And there will be one or another of them who will show the Committee investigators, under the table, where the key trail of bread crumbs is that leads to Rove.

      The clock is running down for everything the Administration is doing.  It's really only an issue of in what order.  It's all breaking up.

      by killjoy on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 01:30:20 AM PDT

  •  But Only If He's Prosecuted No?

    If he simply leaves, S.P.E.C.T.R.E. or someone can take over and walk on eggshells from here out, how does it threaten the admin?

    Remember this is a global crime syndicate not a political party, it's not as though a more competent AG is going to prosecute any of them, and there can never be enough Republican Senators to impeach anyone.

    by Gooserock on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 10:06:16 PM PDT

    •  The Senate needs to confirm any replacement,

      and Leahy sure as hell isn't going to allow another Bushie back in charge.

      Actually, it s going to be interesting to see who the can get, or whether they'll just stall on the nomination and try to go for a recess appointment.

      Gonzo sort of let slip that they may be thinking about the Solicitor General as a lifeboat, but I don't really know what self-respecting lawyer would want to jeopardize his career like that.

      by Night Owl on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 10:17:35 PM PDT

  •  right, look at Gates

    He's MUCH better than Rumsfeld, in all respects. Even if you don't agree with him on anything, his openness gets my respect. Imagine someone like him going in as AG and being even a teensy bit honest. The game would be up.

    by BoringDem on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 10:49:39 PM PDT

•  Agree....

  ...except we can't make them cough up the RNC emails without the intervention of the US Attorney. Not gonna happen. We are at an impasse. In an impasse, they win. All we can hope for is that a whole lot of little piggies start squealing.

  by Bensdad on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 09:33:42 PM PDT

  •  They usually do

    Start squealing, that is. Sooner or later this little piggie is going to market.

    by Free Spirit on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 09:37:36 PM PDT

    •  And rats ...

      do what they have to, to get off a sinking ship.  Forget righteousness.  This crew has got plenty of little rats on board who will do whatever they have to to survive.

      by cynndara on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 04:14:01 PM PDT

•  "We're heading into the mealstrom."

  It's what's for dinner.

  by Andy Lewis on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 09:52:26 PM PDT

  •  Followed by a fabulous course...

    of Constitutional crisis flambe.  With coffee.

    by mayan on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 10:14:03 PM PDT

•  He'll let him twist in the wind longer than

  he should, but eventually he'll cut him loose just like he did with Harriet Miers.

  by ari on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 10:48:18 PM PDT

•  Gonzo hanging in there....

  looking stupid... keeping this scandal in the news.... It's actually good for the dems politically....

  In the end, I feel quite certain he will leave, one way or another, but dragging it out is fine.

  by nicejoest on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 10:49:06 PM PDT

  •  It would be a governance nightmare

    You'd see a near-complete breakdown in public confidence in Federal government.

    It would in fact be precisely what the Bushies have been gunning for - a slow-boil anarchy here in America, as cover for gutting the Treasury that much more blatantly.

    by cskendrick on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 12:06:08 AM PDT

    •  Closer to my view

      If you think of this in mere good guy/bad guy terms, then it may seem good for the Dems. But I don't.  I see it as reinforcing both the corruption of Bushco and the inability...even unwillingness...of the Dems to do anything to stop it.

      Over the past 6+ years, the Dems have caved on two elections.  More than caved...they walked away from a win in 2000, and Kerry clearly couldn't concede fast enough. Despite of the seemlingly endless list of "irregularities" in the 2004 election, the Dems were not willing to withhold certification of the vote until those irregularities could be investigated, because they were afraid of looking paranoid. Or whatever. They have not merely allowed this Administration to run rampant over our Constitution, they have often voted in favor of it, from the Patriot Act (twice) to the war to ill-considered confirmations.

      The Dems think they are winning something here, but I think all of this may just be reminding voters of the extent to which the Demas have proven themselves to be incapable of functioning as an effective opposition, and that no amount of closing the barn door afterwards is going to impress anybody otherwise. The 2004 election was theirs to win, and they were unable to rise to the occasion.

      I hope we do see a near-complete breakdown in public confidence in the federal government. We The People should never be confident in our government. That's mostly what got us to this point, IMO. That said, I think the confidence in the federal government may be affected less than the general attitude toward how we choose our elected representatives. Clearly the current process has produced disasterous results.

      by Free Spirit on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 06:20:07 AM PDT

      •  Anarchy favors only the gunman and the rogue

        And Somalia's only interesting if you don't live there.

        by cskendrick on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 06:58:07 AM PDT

        •  A failure of imagination

          Whenever history finally writes about the end of America, surely it will list "a failure of imagination" as her epitaph. Americans no longer have the capacity to stretch their minds beyond either/or. Case in point, the inability to imagine anything other than "confidence" in our government or anarchy.

          by Free Spirit on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 09:20:55 AM PDT

          •  The floor's all yours. Do share.

            Do share your imaginative vision of a better world.

            by cskendrick on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 10:00:21 AM PDT

            •  LOL

              You mean, in 25 words or less?  OK...one in which John Kerry is President.  But I certainly wouldn't have confidence in our federal government then, either.

              by Free Spirit on Sat Apr 21, 2007 at 08:31:45 AM PDT

        •  Personally,

          I favor Afghanistan.  I've actually been thinking about the cost of real estate in some of the nicer valleys, with adequate water.  There's nothing to prevent a matriarch from being the local bandit-boss, as long as she stands behind a curtain and wiggles her son's strings.  And my brother is quite fond of goats.

          by cynndara on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 04:18:36 PM PDT

•  Oh he'll leave alright...

  though, to be pessimistic about it, it might not happen for another twenty-one months. I won't be sorry to see the door slam on the rear ends of the most corrupt, most thuggish, most evil administration in US history. I remain optimistic; at the rate they're going, they may just pull themselves apart before January 20, 2009. The next Democratic administration (whoever may be in it) will have to don hazmat suits but it'll be worth it.

  by sfbob on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 10:50:38 PM PDT

  •  I give the Dems no more than a 50/50 chance

    ...of taking the White House in 2008.

    by Free Spirit on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 06:20:52 AM PDT

    •  I'm optimistic so far

      The election is ours to lose at this point; hopefully we won't screw it up the way we did the last two.

      At the rate Republicans are getting investigated these days, they're at least going to have a hard time making any gains in Congress.

      by sfbob on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 09:48:11 AM PDT

•  Y'all know that this is going to get a lot worse

  before it gets any better.
  Leahy is surely headed for Bush. Trapped, cornered criminals, like Bush and Rove, will use every low down, rotten, dirty tick in the book to hold off until 2009.

  by jimreyn on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 12:20:02 AM PDT

•  I keep having this thought ...

  ... that someone in this administration is going to have a John Dean moment and decide it's better to save him or herself. Of course, I may be totally wrong, but there are a lot of people involved and I can't believe that all of them are so loyal they'll all willing to continue drinking the koolaid.

  by edison on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 02:05:37 AM PDT

  •  Been awhile, but...

    I don't think even John Dean had a John Dean moment. As I recall, he didn't abandon them until they decided to let him "twist slowly in the wind."  I think Bushco's "loyalty" to its own indicates that they learned this lesson.

    by Free Spirit on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 06:24:25 AM PDT