White House Seeking Gonzales Replacements

[babylonsister]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0307/3202.html

White House Seeking Gonzales Replacements

By: Mike Allen
March 19, 2007 06:31 PM EST

Republican officials operating at the behest of the White House have begun seeking a possible successor to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, whose support among GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill has collapsed, according to party sources familiar with the discussions.

Among the names floated Monday by administration officials are Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and White House anti-terrorism coordinator Frances Townsend. Former Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson is a White House prospect. So is former solicitor general Theodore B. Olson, but sources were unsure whether he would want the job.

Republican sources also disclosed that it is now a virtual certainty that Deputy Attorney General Paul J. McNulty, whose incomplete and inaccurate congressional testimony about the prosecutors helped precipitate the crisis, will also resign shortly. Officials were debating whether Gonzales and McNulty should depart at the same time or whether McNulty should go a day or two after Gonzales. Still known as "The Judge" for his service on the Texas Supreme Court, Gonzales is one of the few remaining original Texans who came to Washington with President Bush.

In a sign of Republican despair, GOP political strategists on Capitol Hill said that it is too late for Gonzales' departure to head off a full-scale Democratic investigation into the motives and timing behind the firing of eight U.S. attorneys.

"Democrats smell blood in the water, and (Gonzales') resignation won't stop them," said a well-connected Republican Senate aide. "And on our side, no one's going to defend him. All we can do is warn Democrats against overreaching."

more...

[durtee librul]

1. Warn them about over reacting?

They must be kidding right? The dems overreact? You mean kinda like they did with Bill and Monica? Terry Schiavo?

Nah, they can't mean like THAT can they?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Don't overreact?

You mean we roll over and say, "Yass, Massa, whatever you say" when it comes to shredding the Constitution? If the Dems are true to their oaths, they'll investigate and get ALL responsible for this mess!

[Richardo]

8. 'OverREACH' not 'overreact'

That one letter makes all the difference.

Be hard to do in this case, since the reach goes into the WH, but it's usually good advice.

[Richardo]

3. Crap! The replacements are as bad as Gonzo.

Ted Olsen? Chertoff? For Christ's sake!

[Fovea]

9. Would the Senate approve either of those?

I would like to see how much support either of these candidates get.

[oldhippie]

13. The Freepers are pushing for Ann Coulter.................

LOL! Wouldn't that be interesting? Kinda like a nuke event. It would probably cause ALL our forums to implode. :rofl:

[Frustratedlady]

17. Chertoff? You've got to be kidding.

You ARE kidding, right?

That would be an example for keeping the devil you know...what a creep.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

4. Chertoff?

:rofl:

yeah, right.

[AnOhioan]

14. My first thought as well......

The administration must be really hard up if Chertoff is the best they can come up with.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

15. What a joke these fools are . . .

Hey, just one more post to 1000, for you!

:toast:

[AnOhioan]

16. Thanks for noticing.....

Actually if you take into account my previous screen-name which I closed out awhile back, I am well over 1000 posts. Should have never left in the first place.

[tanyev]

5. Chertoff?

The man who helped drown New Orleans? Must be pretty slim pickins these days.

[Jackpine Radical]

6. And all I can do is warn Democrats against underreaching.

"Democrats smell blood in the water, and (Gonzales') resignation won't stop them," said a well-connected Republican Senate aide. "And on our side, no one's going to defend him. All we can do is warn Democrats against overreaching."

[saltpoint]

7. A pretty yucky line-up of replacements, but in the first phase of this,

we have to be rid of Gonzales.

He was an appalling choice for the Attorney General's job in the first place, and has really stunk up the joint since his appointment.

He has to go.

[babylonsister]

10. UPDATE from OP link:

UPDATE: Fox News’ Major Garrett reports: “Several GOP sources told Fox tonight: Gonzales is the President’s friend and his problem, and that they will waste no political capital defending him.”

:wow:

[gratuitous]

11. All I can do is warn Republicans

That the folks in charge of the Senate committee that would do the initial vetting on any of your replacement candidates will be Democrats, not your useful idiot Republicans like Arlen Specter. Put up Ted Olson or Michael Chertoff, and you'd better bring your lunch and cancel dinner reservations, because it's going to be a lo-o-o-o-o-ong day before the Committee.

[babylonsister]

12. You'd think they would want to put this behind them, but picking

people like Olsen and Chertoff won't help-at all. Good point, and I hope Dems show some spine now that they can.

[bonito]

18. Chertoff is the co-author, along with Viet Dinh, of the patriot act

that will go over well, not.