Alberto Gonzales: an Incompetent Wuss?

(You can read Cox & Forkum's related commentary and links HERE.)

In a previous post, I argued that the Dems and the Media were creating a controversy over the firing of the 8 U.S. attorneys where none really existed.

I stand by that, but one can still ask to what extent has Gonzales contributed to HELPING the Dems and the Media succeed in their scandal mongering? Charles Krauthammer has a look at that very question, in this article:

Unnecessary Scandal

WASHINGTON -- Alberto Gonzales has to go. I say this with no pleasure -- he's a decent and honorable man -- and without the slightest expectation that his departure will blunt the Democratic assault on the Bush administration over the firing of eight U.S. attorneys. In fact, it will probably inflame their bloodlust, which is why the president might want to hang on to Gonzales at least through this crisis. That might be tactically wise. But in time, and the sooner the better, Gonzales must resign.

It's not a question of probity, but of competence. Gonzales has allowed a scandal to be created where there was none. That is quite an achievement. He had a two-foot putt and he muffed it.

How could he allow his aides to go to Capitol Hill unprepared and misinformed and therefore give inaccurate and misleading testimony? How could Gonzales permit his deputy to say that the prosecutors were fired for performance reasons when all he had to say was that U.S. attorneys serve at the pleasure of the president and the president wanted them replaced?

And why did Gonzales have to claim that the firings were done with no coordination with the White House? That's absurd. Why shouldn't there be White House involvement? That is nothing to be defensive about. Does anyone imagine that Janet Reno fired all 93 U.S. attorneys in March 1993, giving them all of 10 days to clear out, without White House involvement? [...]

(bold emphasis mine) Ouch! He goes on to make a pretty good case against Gonzales, for very different reasons than the Democrats are using. I'm hearing more and more grumbling about Gonzales from Republicans, and with such growing bi-partisan opposition, I don't see how he is going to last.


Related Link:

Goodbye, Gonzalez