8.28.2007

Farewell, Alberto.

I about hit the ceiling yesterday when Alberto Gonzalez announced his resignation...not because I felt good or bad about him going, but because I had to wonder where his head has been since the beginning of this controversy.

For the non politically interested, Mr. Gonzalez is our Attorney General. He is a long time supporter/friend of President Bush who was seriously in the running for a slot on the Supreme Court that ultimately went to John Roberts.

Along the line somewhere in the Attorney General role, he fired (or played a part in firing) a series of District Court judges. I am no sure if what he did was legal or not. Either way, the testimony he gave to the inquiring senate committee was dreadful. All along, the President defended him, continually referring to him as "my friend."

Alberto may be a great guy at the barbecue, but on Capitol Hill he came off as defensive, smug, and occasionally unaware that he was, in fact, the barbecue and the grill was on. It was really some of the worst testimony since someone debated the meaning of the word 'is'.

Democrats and Republicans have clamored for his resignation while Bush has smoked a lot of social equity defending him. Now, months into the mess, Gonzales resigns, having cost the President energy, time and precious credibility points.

My question is this: Regardless of your guilt or innocence, Mr. Gonzales, if you were willing to go back to Texas, why didn't you go months ago? The savings to taxpayers surely would have run into the millions. The President has plenty of things to worry about.

We need to revisit the fine art of taking one for the team.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

In my observations, very few people in politics are willing to take one for the team. Those who are, well, they are eaten alive fairly quickly. It seems that good (and I use that term lightly) people do not make good politicians.