Comments (40)

bobh wrote on July 30, 2007 4:24 PM:

word is that rep inslee will intro a resolution to start impeachment of agag tomorrow - yipee

paulc wrote on July 30, 2007 4:26 PM:

Peolpe love their pets and I've noticed that older people are often fond of lap dogs

Kevin wrote on July 30, 2007 4:31 PM:

Yeah, that's gonna help - a ringing endorsement from Cheney??? Too funny. Why didn't Dick just take him hunting?

Ducky wrote on July 30, 2007 4:38 PM:

Is there anyway to make just one impeachemnt motion encompassing the entire administration, cabinet and officers?

Anonymous wrote on July 30, 2007 4:39 PM:

Cheney just set the bar for Gonzales even lower. One that has nothing to do with integrity, competency or leadership.

marcus wrote on July 30, 2007 4:39 PM:

Cheney just set the bar for Gonzales even lower. One that has nothing to do with integrity, competency or leadership.

Jay wrote on July 30, 2007 4:42 PM:

If I had a toady who was committing perjury to keep me out of jail, I'd be a big fan of his, too!

Anna S. wrote on July 30, 2007 4:42 PM:

This is the most revealing thing I've seen Cheney say yet:

"I've had my differences with Pat Leahy," Cheney said. "I think the key is whether or not he (Gonzales) has the confidence of the president — and he clearly does."

No, Dick. Let's go back to sixth grade civics: the key is that he upholds the law of the American people. Confidence of the President is no doubt all well and good, but it is *not* the end-all, be-all to the job of the AG. The fact that you still don't understand this is the reason we're in this debacle in the first place.

phil james wrote on July 30, 2007 4:49 PM:

This is a spiral into disintegration. The farther Bush marches on untethered to reality, the more the public questions his intentions and, more and more now, his sanity, the more Bush will need to continue to be comforted by unquestioning loyalists like Gonzo. The more Gonzo is attacked...and justifiably so...on the Hill, the weaker Bush gets. The weaker Bush gets the more he needs to be comforted by...and so on ad infinitum.

nofltwlt wrote on July 30, 2007 4:49 PM:

We no longer care about "the confidence of the president", which is just an over-used phrase now. The president and Dick Cheney are becoming more and more irrelevant.

Sheila Casey wrote on July 30, 2007 5:05 PM:

The really creepy thing, which I haven't seen mentioned anywhere, is how many times Gonzales said something like "I'll check on whether I can answer that and get back to you," or "I'll go back and see what I can say about that." Who is he checking with? Why doesn't he know himself, as Attorney General, leader of 90,000 employees, what he can and cannot say? My guess is that after the hearing, he meets with Bush, Cheney, and their lawyers, and they tell him exactly how to answer each question. He can't make anything up.

But you would have thought that they'd have a good idea of what questions he'd be asked, and have gone over all that beforehand. It's clear he's somebody's lapdog. Would be easier if they just let him have his cell phone in there to make calls and get the "answers" on the spot.

wrb wrote on July 30, 2007 5:05 PM:

Interesting to note that we're starting to more serious call for using RICO to unravel this mess. See Scott Horton at Harpers.org:

"At the core of the politicization process are two programs: prosecute prominent Democrats, fabricating the evidence to support cases where needed, and act to suppress Democratic voter registration programs. The Bush Administration criminal program focuses on the “voting fraud” fraud—authorizing the aggressive prosecution of minor cases involving individuals trapped in innocent mistakes in voter registration. This tactic belongs to the historical arsenal of Jim Crow tactics and was used consistently in the past to harass organizations like ACORN who attempted to register the disenfranchised citizens on the periphery of our society. It has consistently been used extremely selectively—never invoked against Republicans who make “mistakes” registering to vote. Consider this fact, for instance: both Karl Rove and Ann Coulter “accidently” registered and voted in places where they do not live. Indeed, in Coulter’s case, an FBI agent actually intervened, forcefully, to shut down a criminal inquiry launched by local authorities, demonstrating that the Gonzales Justice Department operates in two modes: prosecute if Democrat; block any law enforcement effort if Republican. They could each have been prosecuted. But prosecutors choose not to act in these cases, and in all others involving Republican voters. The tool is intended to be, and is used as, a weapon to carry out a partisan agenda."

"Gonzales is not going to resign. He is in a position to block any criminal inquiry into his own misdeeds and those of other Administration officials, and that is exactly what he is doing. Under his watch, the Department of Justice has become what the Fire Department is in Rad Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451–as you will recall, it existed not to put out fires, but to start them; and in a similar manner, the Bush Justice Department seems to exist not to prosecute crimes, but to commit them. At this point, the Gonzales Justice Department is easily guilty of enough predicate criminal offenses to qualify for application of the Racketeer-Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (”RICO”)."

M M wrote on July 30, 2007 5:08 PM:

I look forward to Goldsmith's book about W, Cheney, Fredo and war time presidential powers

I'm sure he respects Fredo, Cheney and Addington

TheraP wrote on July 30, 2007 5:08 PM:

I only wish we could say they were irrelevant. Problem is that all the power they have taken unto themselves threatens to remain - unless something is done to restore the checks and balances.

What boot-licking do you suppose was required from gonzo-lies for cheney to come out and act as his PR person?

What a disgusting twosome!

audiophileguy wrote on July 30, 2007 5:15 PM:

The failure of congress to take action against Bush, Cheney, Gonzales, et. al. is why we see repeated survey results placing congress with even worse approval ratings than the worst President in the history of our republic. Until Congress actually takes action to protect our constitution, we have a failed republic and a lost cause. It seems obvious, but nobody in Congress appears ready to do what needs to be done. Where is Paul Wellstone, now that we really need him?

drational wrote on July 30, 2007 5:20 PM:

Cheney must support Gonzales as Gonzales' ambiguation and silence is the centerpiece obscuring Cheney's Role in:

NSA wiretapping
The Hospital Signature Mission
The selective declassification and narrow definintion of "TSP" to evade congressional inquiry.

Gonzales gone is a big problem for Cheney.

Slick Dick wrote on July 30, 2007 5:24 PM:

When the vice president masturbates to pics of Miers and Rove he serves at the pleasure of the president. That sounds grand. Boy, I've got a nasty mouth. Sorry. Don't water-board me please.
Code: every (as in: every dog has his day. Ours is coming soon.)

Anonymous wrote on July 30, 2007 5:28 PM:

Attaboy! Heel. Roll over. Play Attorney General. Here's a nice mountain oyster for you to munch on, AG. Good boy. Rfff.

rocky smith wrote on July 30, 2007 5:34 PM:

Well now we know why Bush won't cut Gonzales loose - Cheney won't let him. Let's all remember back to 2000, where before the election, people were calming each other down about Bush's inexperience by saying it's more about the people he keeps around him. So that would be Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and Cheney. Add Rove, and a stolen election, and that's why an incompetent and clearly lying Attorney General is allowed to stay put. Anyone left in the building who wonders who's really running things, look no further.

Spotty Dog wrote on July 30, 2007 5:37 PM:

Cheney loves Alberto the way he loved his beloved Rummy. My prediction is that Alberto will get the heave ho by late this year to protect Repo election chances (Bush will tear up when he bids fare-thee-well to his good buddy Alberto). Bush doesn't actually need Alberto to continue to provide cover for his assault on the Constitution, he can appoint the eager flack Orin "I still love Alberto and you too my dearest Mr President" Hatch who would be easily confirmed by the Senate club. Alberto will never spill on the W, after all, Al's still a young guy and has gotten used to the money, status, and W's Texas Joy Juice (that's Kool-Aid to the rest of the ya'll).

Code name was Sheep, if that don't beat all.

M M wrote on July 30, 2007 6:05 PM:

Spotty Dog, my code on the last post was "screw" as in getting screwed by this admin and now it's snake as in the snakeoil sold by Fredo

ChrisO wrote on July 30, 2007 6:10 PM:

Man, Cheney endorsing Gonzalez is like Barry Bonds endorsing Michael Vick.

paulc wrote on July 30, 2007 6:10 PM:

I agree with Spotty Dog that Hatch is a likely successor for Fredo and he would be slam dunk Senate confirmation. I suspect they wouldn't even seriously challenge during the confirmation hearings. However, while Orrin is has been doing his best impression of a lapdog lately, I question whether he could be convinced to give up a safe seat where he's not up for re-election until 2012. He may not be willing to sacrifice himself to this gang of thieves particularly since he would be completely unable to accomplish any significant rehabilitation of DOJ.

I also believe he's more sanguine about the future of the GOP and it he might believe it's best to let this admin sink under the weight of it's own shit

wrb wrote on July 30, 2007 6:50 PM:

Hatch has had many years of service. Would he really want to end it as a whore for this administration and possibly expose himself to criminal liability?

regular lurker wrote on July 30, 2007 7:31 PM:

"I think the key is whether or not [Gonzales] has the confidence of the president — and he clearly does." -- Dick Cheney

Compliments from Cheney are always a sign of pending demise. Poor Bush, he doesn't even know his pet Gonzales is history.

Xman wrote on July 30, 2007 7:35 PM:

wrb,
Don't forget Hatch has convenient memory pronblems just like Gonzo. Hatch forgot to disclose he owed hundreds of acres at the end of a dirt road that he pushed to be paved...in time for the 2002 Olympics near Salt Lake City.
At the time, his net worth was slightly over one million dollars and the land in question was worth a couple hundred thousand.
Not credible that one can forget 20% of one's net worth. But, Hatch is like that. Remember the Clarence Thomas hearings when he attacked the poor woman on whose can of coke Thomas had left a pubic hair? Anyone could write a book on this walking pile of corruption.

foggylady wrote on July 30, 2007 7:39 PM:

So, IF Bush will drop Gonzo as the elections draw near..
But
if Bush is concerned that Congress will not approve anyone else for the role,
then ..
anyone know how soon before the election can Bush ***nominate*** someone who can serve without being confirmed by Congress?
You know, like they did the USAs...

JGabriel wrote on July 30, 2007 8:06 PM:

"I've had my differences with Pat Leahy," Cheney said.

Is that a new euphimism for telling someone to "Fuck off"?

It's rare to see someone blend so seamlessly the twin traits of idiot and arrogant prick.

Outside of the GOP, anyway.

Jane wrote on July 30, 2007 9:39 PM:

The President believes in Gonzales's integrity just like he believed in WMDs. Right.

Only the Bush's opinion counts -- the politics matter and the governance doesn't -- Great Job, Brownie as New Orleans drowns and comes up pale faced. So, of course, it's no problem that one quarter -- 25% -- of the USAG positions are unfilled.

Molly Ivans wrote on July 30, 2007 11:23 PM:

Raise Hell!!

Ann in AZ wrote on July 31, 2007 12:30 AM:

I wish I could see more about Inslee's decision to offer up impeachment investigation, but I can't seem to do the login for "movable type" right. Anybody know what I can do to either re-register or to find out what my correct login is?

My theory is that as soon as Congress shows a serious effort to impeach AGAG, he will resign rather than go to impeachment. I'm hoping the move will also put the fear of God into the rest of the Administration, or that they may do something even more blatantly illegal than they already have to incite the Congress to finally move to impeach them, too. Of course, just getting Gonzo out of the way so that he can't play firewall anymore may reveal a lot more illegality than was already showing, which may be why Bush was fighting so hard to keep him in place.

Mike wrote on July 31, 2007 12:33 AM:

The Unitary Executive is all about granting the leader arbitrary power. Of course Unitary Executive is merely a pretty phrase for dictatorship.

One hopes that members of Congress will at last honor their oath of office: "I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic."

Peter wrote on July 31, 2007 12:47 AM:

I just want one of these bastards to pay for their crimes. I have been waiting for years to see some justice handed out to these criminals. How long oh lord, how long?

Redhand wrote on July 31, 2007 12:52 AM:

The really creepy thing, which I haven't seen mentioned anywhere, is how many times Gonzales said something like "I'll check on whether I can answer that and get back to you," or "I'll go back and see what I can say about that. * * * *

My guess is that after the hearing, he meets with Bush, Cheney, and their lawyers, and they tell him exactly how to answer each question. He can't make anything up.Oh, I've noticed. It's disgusting that a U.S. Attorney General, who is supposed to run one of the most independent and important departments in the Federal Government, all but admits that little more than a ventriloquist dummy who can't say a thing without being told what to say.

The corollary to his "I'll have to get back to you on that" refrain is what Gonzo says after he's been briefed on the party line. "I now understand that I . . . " or "It is now my understanding that I . . . ."

One wonders how Gonzo acquired these "understandings," but not really. It doesn't take a psychiatrist to appreciate that Gonzo's choice of words reflects what others have instructed him to say about his own conduct. Somebody with true memories or honest recollections wouldn't resort to such grotesque third person phraseology about his own actions.

What a craven lickspittle. No wonder he's high on Cheney's approval list: he's the most eager trained seal in Washington D.C.

RoManXP-47 wrote on July 31, 2007 1:18 AM:

I don't know that much about Knoller (not sure I'd even recognize a picture), but listen to that clip. It sounds clear to me that the man is absolutely terrified; he can barely sputter out his questions. Just shows the powerful effect mindless, malefic belligerence can have on even a presumably seasoned WH correspondent. Cheney is a heartless, gutless, delusional cyborg. His carefully planted minions throughout the govenment need to be rooted out, booted out, and forced to make their livings somewhere other than the public trough. After, of course, Cheney himself has been exorcised.

RoManXP-47 wrote on July 31, 2007 1:22 AM:

I don't know that much about Knoller (not sure I'd recognize a picture), but listen to that clip. It sounds clear to me that the man is absolutely terrified. Just shows the powerful effect mindless, malefic belligerence canhave on even a presumably seasoned WH correspondent. Cheney is a heartless, gutless, delusional cyborg. His minions carefully planted throughout the govenment need to be rooted out, booted out, and forced to make their livings somewhere other than the public trough. After, of course, Cheney himself has been exorcised.

Allen wrote on July 31, 2007 11:02 AM:

Cheney, a liar, defending Fredo, a liar. No surprise there.

Anonymous wrote on July 31, 2007 11:16 AM:

How can he not raise the undignified response Cheney gave to Leahy on the Senate floor? The entire puppy dog Washington press corps/MSM knows about it.

Such scared little puppies.

Anyway, who cares what Dick Cheney thinks? That Gonzales has Dick Cheney's support should be an additional reason to impeach him.

moondancer wrote on July 31, 2007 1:56 PM:

Let's see, which letter of recommendation do I want to post with my resume? The one from Stalin? Hitler? or maybe Cheney?

westcoastguy wrote on July 31, 2007 9:16 PM:

All Cheney has is a big fat waist, looks like about a 42 inch waist from his pictures. Not good to have all that fat around your waist when you are a congestive heart failure waiting to happen. I thought you couldn't photograph a vampire.

code word is flag, which we all need to be flying upside down. America is in distress.