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Bush: "It's Sad" that Gonzales Resigned
Two things missing from President Bush's statement on Alberto Gonzales: an announcement of his replacement and an explanation of what specifically drove him to resign now. Instead, there was a terse but firm defense of Gonzales's performance -- did you know he was "effective" at combating gang violence? -- and an insistence that Gonzales was hounded from office by "months of unfair treatment":
"It's sad that we live in a time that a talented and honorable person like Alberto Gonzales is impeding [sic] from doing important work because his good name was dragged through the mud for political purpose."
Fredo! You broke my heart!
Here's the video:
Meanwhile, CNN's Suzanne Malveaux, who's been reporting all morning that senior administration officials tell her Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff will be Gonzales' replacement, now says White House sources are "waving us off." No announcement came from Bush about who he'll tap as the next attorney general.
Comments (44)
Eric Ferguson wrote on August 27, 2007 12:21 PM:Thank you Torture Boy for hanging in so long. Had you resigned when the attorneys scandal broke, we probably would have figured that the guilty party was punished and let it go. Thanks to you, it looked certain something was being covered up, and so we looked into what the fired attorneys had been pressured to do, why the other attorneys kept their jobs, and thereby we found the political prosecutions, the politicization of civil rights and voter protection, and of course that White House e-mail would be found on RNC servers. Yes Gonzo, you may have led us to the mother lode of Bush dirt that could put a bunch of your colleagues in jail and maybe still bring down a presidency.
Gonzo'd wrote on August 27, 2007 12:26 PM:Eric, I now consider Gonzo as one of the bumbling burglars of this administrations Watergate like scandal.
C92 wrote on August 27, 2007 12:34 PM:@Eric -
I second your thoughts. It was Gonzo's DOJ that released the first wave of incriminating gwb43.com e-mail when Bush was on travel in South America and told him to "deal with it."
Gonzo's dealing with it led the White House into a huge mess.
And for that, Gonzo, I saw thank you. Thanks for letting your sheer incompetence shine a few slivers of light.
Bearpaw wrote on August 27, 2007 12:36 PM:Well, it would've been a whole lot tougher to drag his name through mud if he didn't live so deep in the stuff.
Anonymous wrote on August 27, 2007 12:45 PM:"... his good name was dragged through the mud for political purpose."
I looked closely. His suit looked pretty good to me... no mud at all. In fact, it also looked quite expensive. I wonder if it was given to him as part of a plea deal. Oh, I forgot, the only plea Gonzo would accept is a closer execution date...
I hope this is remembered if Congress actually follows through (actually pretty doubtful) with it's responsibility to bring this guy to justice. Congress will most likely miss him because many of them received alot of "on air" time during his tenure, and this was most likely the actual goal of our elected officials... to get more name recognition, so we will praise their names and remember them on voting day...
They really are nothing more than opportunists...
kentuck wrote on August 27, 2007 12:46 PM:"..his good name was dragged through the mud for political purpose."
He dragged the good name of our entire country thru the mud and you were leading the way, Mr President.
Of course, Mr Bush will take his time to name a replacement. Look for someone similar to Harriet Miers, but not Ms Miers. Look for someone like Ed Gillespie or someone that Mr Bush will personally interview and will decide if that person is loyal enough to him personally to be rewarded the job. He/she will have to be more loyal to Bush than to the laws of our country or an open government.
Anonymous wrote on August 27, 2007 12:48 PM:I told you bout Rove, I told you bout Gonzales. each one I predicted a week before they went .I also told you within a month Cheney will step down. There are three weeks remaining. Impeachment is off the table because of the deal that was made. Democrats are getting the guts of this administration and Bush gets spared. You people hard it from me a week in advance. The deals are mad an Cheney is next. Bush will be spared.
A Patriot Acting wrote on August 27, 2007 12:48 PM:"Talented and honorable man"?????????
To borrow a phrase from the White House playbook,
"I don't recall THAT!"
code word: debt
Jake D. wrote on August 27, 2007 12:49 PM:as in.. will anyone in this criminal Administration actually end up paying their debt to society?
Good job, Defeatocrats. You've succeeded in chasing out another good and dedicated public servant. Gonzalez was a top notch legal mind and he served his President well. He protected his President from Congressional onslaughts. He knew how to play the game and win. This was done simply because the fall-out from attacks on Gonzales would prevent the President from moving forward with his agenda.
If people see that this is the fate that befalls public servants who stick to their guns, we're not going to be attracting top notch talent to the upper echelons of government any longer. Of course, that's already the case in the rest of government.
Anonymous wrote on August 27, 2007 1:01 PM:"It's sad that we live in a time that a talented and honorable person like Alberto Gonzales is impeding ...."
A bit of a Freudian slip there.
VoicesRaised wrote on August 27, 2007 1:04 PM:I thought Jake had been banned from TPM. Ah well, it's somehow fitting that we hear from him, once more, on this auspicious occasion. They're paired irrevocably in my mind, at least: Jake and Gonzo, Jake and Gonzo, Jake and Gonzo...
Fred M. wrote on August 27, 2007 1:04 PM:Jake D, Lincoln had to have you in mind when he was referring to those you can fool all the time!
The following comment by Steve Benen sums up the abuses this administration, particularly those at the Department of Justice:
It all ties into the Bush gang's Kremlin-like abuses -- using the power of the state as a tool of the ruling party.
Jake D. wrote on August 27, 2007 1:06 PM:Fred M.:
If you don't think that Clinton and Carter replaced U.S. Attorneys for political considerations, then YOU are the fool.
Fred M. wrote on August 27, 2007 1:14 PM:Oh, Jakie ... you make it so easy!
The U.S. Attorneys who were replaced were REPUBLICANS! The were replaced because they weren't "loyal Bushies" and refused to put the directives of Karl Rove and partisan politics ahead of their Constitutional duties.
Steve L wrote on August 27, 2007 1:17 PM:Gone-zales!
The Attorney General was gone even when he was in office, at least in terms of his engagement, specific knowledge and leadership.
The Bush administration's attempt to set the bar for high government officials remaining in office based on proven wrongdoing rather than the quality of their performance is not merely horribly misguided, but represents the truest threat to national security.
GreatAuk wrote on August 27, 2007 1:34 PM:"It's sad that ww live in a time that a talented and honorable person like Alberto Gonzales is impeding [sic] from doing important work because his good name was dragged through the mud for political purpose."
Yes, I'm sure there's a support group for recovering from this. Although, I'm not sure if Joe Wilson, Valarie Plame, John Kerry, John McCain, and eight (or so) former U.S. Attorneys would be to keen to let him join!
biltud wrote on August 27, 2007 1:38 PM:Nice try, but you miss the mark. Badly.
And you can't have it both ways, honey.
Gonzales may have had "a top notch legal mind," but he was too squandering his so-called fine mind serving "his President well," as opposed to his country.
And your President invokes "political purpose" as the reason Gonzo's name was dragged through the mud -- even though the DOJ was used for "political purposes," most likely at the behest of the President.
After all, it was your buddy KKKarl who sat in on, and even led, those DOJ meetings to discuss "political strategy" and "advance the President's agenda."
If this were all happening under a Dem president, you GOP party supporters (should that now stand for Gonzales Out Period?) would be shouting from the hilltops. Instead you blindly, obediently stand by as justice is polluted.
Barbara Mathews Blanton wrote on August 27, 2007 1:38 PM:What a shame that Mr. Bush sullied Mr. Gonzales's name and Mr. G allowed it in the name of win-at-all-costs politics. It would have been wonderful if he could have left a proud legacy by a first generation Hispanic-American.
Mr. Barkie Von Schnauzer wrote on August 27, 2007 1:39 PM:"WAHHHHHHH! They dragged him through the mud!"
It certainly is a sad time when your opponents play by your rules, isn't it?
Shame is truly yours, sir. Wear it like a ball and chain, you hypocrite!
Hagop wrote on August 27, 2007 1:56 PM:The man was honest to his boss and to his professional training, and he was talented in the execution of his boss' wishes. What more could a boss ask for? Remember, these fellows do not directly lie; they engage in what Professor Frankfurt has so clearly defined as bullshit: whether what they say is taken as the truth is not the point because there is a different agenda/motivation.
Lynn wrote on August 27, 2007 2:07 PM:Newbie here. I thought Jake's post was good satire. How disappointing.
Jake D. wrote on August 27, 2007 2:07 PM:Fred M.:
President Clinton replaced DEMOCRATS as U.S. Attorneys after his re-election too. Did you know that?
Jake D. wrote on August 27, 2007 2:12 PM:Lynn:
Welcome -- sorry to disappoint, but there are MILLIONS of us who still support this war and our President -- where were you on 9/11?
Bil Biloxi wrote on August 27, 2007 2:13 PM:Something smells rotten in Denmark.. Gonzo's resignation letter was on Sunday. He made his announcement today and this piece of info from WSJ:
"Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’s resignation came on Friday in a phone call with President Bush, and the two had lunch together at Bush’s Crawford ranch on Sunday, along with Gonzales’s wife."
Oldest trick in the book when when you want someone gone. Gonzo should have let Bush's call go to voicemail.
Tske care, little buckeroo, Fredo!
hagop wrote on August 27, 2007 2:21 PM:The answer to all questions is not 9/11. Perhaps Jake is on the debate preparation team of both Giuliani and Romney as 9/11 is their response to anything and everything.
Jake D. wrote on August 27, 2007 2:28 PM:Perhaps I am just an AMERICAN who lived through both 12/7/41 and 9/11/01. If someone asked me what today was, I would not say "9/11" : )
V. Populi wrote on August 27, 2007 2:30 PM:On a day like today, I wish I knew where to find Alberto Gonzales, so that I could dance circles around him in childish glee while singing songs about his incompetence and dishonesty.
Anonymous wrote on August 27, 2007 2:34 PM:Oh yea. 9/11.
I'm glad brought that up.
You supported the President leading us into pre-emptive combat with the wrong country, as a response to an act of terrorism -- NOT an act of war.
Only a dipshit of colossal proportions would rewrite the rules, thus inviting invite pre-emptive attacks on OUR soil. On your house. On YOUR family.
Osama who?
Your hijackers were Saudis. Tell that to your millions of followers.
Anonymous wrote on August 27, 2007 2:46 PM:Waah! Of course, this was all Bush's decision, mind you. Remember, Rumsfeld tried to resign at least twice, and Bush wouldn't let him, for years, despite practically everyone telling him to do so. He could have held onto Rove and Gonzales until the end of his term, if he'd wanted to--but it was politically convenient for him to let go of them, instead. Just as it's convenient for him to blame it on everyone but himself. Convenient, but false.
wilson wrote on August 27, 2007 2:53 PM:A kudos to TPM diary over at KOS reminds us that we have just seen the results of real and honest journalism play itself out. So yes - Kudos to TPM. I really wonder where things would be if we'd had to rely on the Corporate media to chase this issue, Iraq, etc.
Aaron G. Stock wrote on August 27, 2007 3:14 PM:My prediction, based on Jake D.'s oh-so-accurate portrayals of the American public mood:
Landslide for Republicans in 2008.
HAHAHAhahahahaha.... *sigh*
Tritonesub wrote on August 27, 2007 3:40 PM:OK, OK, I'll stop there.
Jake is deliberately disingenuous. Yes Clinton replaced democrat attorneys, ones he appointed. However, chucklehead, they weren't fired. Your statement is an obviously fraudulent conflation, did you know that?
Izadorra wrote on August 27, 2007 3:57 PM:Well Jake D. let's not forget the Republican tactics. Do you know how many subpoenas the Republican Congress handed out to the Clinton White House? The answer is 1052.
Now, if the Democratic Congress was really just nit-picking, I do believe they could think of many reasons to hand out more than a dozen subpoenas to the Bush administration. At last count it was at 12.
Torture, illegal wire-tapping, blatant disregard for the Constitution--worth 12 subpeonas.
Lying about a blow job--1052 subpeonas.
What's wrong with this picture? And, BTW, there's no law against the ladder.
Tug wrote on August 27, 2007 4:12 PM:ANd they would have gotten away with it had Al Gonzales and those meddling kids not been impeding upon the important work.
And remember kids, Bush is not a "washington politician" - he hates those.
Street Smart wrote on August 27, 2007 5:12 PM:Look at the video again, at 2:57 and 3:07. (bracketed statements mine)
"It's sad that we live in a time that a talented and honorable person like [..uh (glances down at notes)] Alberto Gonzales is impeding [sic] from doing important work because his good name was dragged through the[..uh.(glances down at notes)] mud for political purpose."
Three martini breakfast?
Street Smart wrote on August 27, 2007 5:15 PM:I guess the Regent University grads finally finished destroying all the evidence.
Look at the video again, at 2:57 and 3:07. (bracketed statements mine)
"It's sad that we live in a time that a talented and honorable person like [..uh (glances down at notes)] Alberto Gonzales is impeding [sic] from doing important work because his good name was dragged through the[..uh.(glances down at notes)] mud for political purpose."
Three martini breakfast?
Jake D. wrote on August 27, 2007 5:43 PM:I guess the Regent University grads finally finished destroying all the evidence.
Aaron G. Stock:
You'll have to point out where I gave any portrayal of the American public mood -- the liberal media has done their job in driving down support for the President and this war -- noted historian, David McCullough, has correctly observed that we would have lost our own American Revolution had today's press been reporting like that back then.
Tritonesub:
You will have to point out what is the "obvious" fraudulent conflation because Clinton indeed replaced more than 10 of his own U.S. Attorneys in his second term. That's a fact.
Izadorra:
I could care less how many subpoenas the Defeatocrats hand out -- I am interested in what you mean by "there's no law against the ladder."
llywrch wrote on August 27, 2007 6:22 PM:No Jake, the question isn't where *we* were on 9/11, the question is where was Bush on that day. I believe he spent most of it flying from one hidey-hole to another, while the rest of us wondered where he was.
Aaron G. Stock wrote on August 28, 2007 10:04 AM:"... [T]here are MILLIONS of us who still support this war and our President...."
PJ White wrote on August 28, 2007 10:45 AM:Posted by: Jake D.
Date: August 27, 2007 2:12 PM
Not one single word he said was true! Not one. Sometimes I think Bush lives in an alternate universe, where reality is turned on its head.
Who is Bush to judge (SC) anyone's integrity?
BTW, do not feed the trolls. (Jake D.)
Misty wrote on August 29, 2007 8:58 PM:"Aaron G. Stock:
You'll have to point out where I gave any portrayal of the American public mood -- the liberal media has done their job in driving down support for the President and this war -- noted historian, David McCullough, has correctly observed that we would have lost our own American Revolution had today's press been reporting like that back then."
_________________
JakeD -
Are you into Alternate Reality Gaming? It would seem so - what news programs are you watching where the "liberal media has done their job in driving down support for the President and this war"? What liberal media? The liberal blogs? This site? Please help me here because you sound like my Dad, an old John Birch fan who is pissed that they don't have a liberal media to bitch about anymore.
Also, about the war - I was in Rockville, Maryland on 9/11 and from what I understand, and I could be really off here, but the problem was in Afghanistan, not Iraq? Isn't that right? So, why are you still for the war if you want to relate it to 9/11? Because Saddam was out to get us but really wasn't? Again, I could be confused as to why we went into war in Iraq and decided to occupy their country while we let Osama go and, basically, left Afghanistan.
Thanks!
M
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