August 28, 2007

PROSECUTOR PURGED: We've Only Just Begun

The netroots did take a moment to celebrate the ouster of AG Alberto Gonzales (Talking Points Memo's Josh Marshall receiving the lion's share of the praise), but also were quick to refocus their efforts on larger issues. At Daily Kos, Cenk Uygur explains why Gonzales' resignation could never have come with out Karl Rove's earlier departure: "The resignations have nothing to do with spending more time with the family; they have everything to do with Congressional subpoenas and the US attorneys investigation."

Also at DailyKos, founder Markos Moulitsas admonishes the DSCC and DCCC for using Gonzales' resignation in their fundraising appeals: "yeah, I know your investigations were part of the reason that Gonzales quite Justice, but it's sort of unseemly to be taking credit for it and raising money considering that you just voted Gonzales vast new (and unconstitutional) powers before the recess. And I hate to say it, but that ridiculous FISA vote strips much of your credibility on this."

Turning to Gonzales' replacement, Daily Kos' Trapper John argues "it should be assumed that anyone who has served in an appointed capacity in this Administration is loyal to Bush, not the Constitution" and should therefore be disqualified for nomination. At TAPPED, Ann Friedman makes the case against interim AG Paul Clement, Crooks and LiarsJohn Amato takes on Michael Chertoff.

Finally, Open Left's Chris Bowers worries "Technocratic Liberalism" is too focussed on "scalps" and is not making progress on changing any policies: "We get the scalps from the criminals, the incompetent, and the unethical, but we are not changing the policies. I think this is a demonstration of the weakness of the anti-ideological argument many have pushed on the Democratic side for these past few years, not to mention serves as another example of the general ineffectiveness of technocratic liberalism when faced with the ideological, conservative movement. ... We are not doing a very good job of articulating our values in these disputes, and so we end up with a lot of scalps, but also with very little change in the operation of the federal government itself."

PROSECUTOR PURGE II: Gonzales Had A Credibility Problem?

Sympathy for Gonzales was hard to fine among conservatives, but The Corner's Rich Lowry did post an DOJ insider's take: "He decided to leave based on the stress and impact on his family of staying on the job; on the distraction staying would have represented to the department; on the work he had done to get the department stabilized; on the fact that, with a huge FISA fight coming, the department needed someone with 100% credibility leading it."

Ted Olson and Paul Clement are emerging as consensusconservativefavorites to replace Gonzales. Also mentioned: ex-Rep./SEC chair Chris Cox.

Posted by Conn Carroll at August 28, 2007 01:03 PM