Bush: "Past administrations have removed U.S. attorneys...It's their right to do so."

[sabra]

http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2007/03/bush-not-happy-about-gonzales-mistakes.html

<snip>

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush said Tuesday he has "confidence" in Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, though he acknowledged "mistakes were made" and is "not happy about them."

"I talked to him this morning," Bush said at a press conference in Mexico with Mexican President Felipe Calderon. "And we talked about his need to go up to Capitol Hill and make it very clear to members in both political parties why the Justice Department made the decisions it made, make it very clear about the facts, and, he's right, mistakes were made. And I'm frankly not happy about them, because there is a lot of confusion over what really has been a customary practice by the president. U.S. Attorneys and others serve at the pleasure of the president."

"Past administrations have removed U.S. attorneys," he added. "It's their right to do so. The Justice Department recommended a list of U.S. attorneys, I believed the reasons why were entirely appropriate."

[Botany]

1. It is Clinton's Fault

:rofl:

[EVDebs]

2. Obstruction of justice isn't a defense argument is it ?

That is unless you want to join the GOP.

[Raven]

3. When you find yourself in a hole,

stop digging...not our guy, he's like a front end loader!

[KeepItReal]

4. I like the ommission of that fact that Bush & Co. wanted to remove people *THEY* appointed in '01

Like Schumer said "These are good REPUBLICANS" that Bush & Co. fired.

[saltpoint]

5. The Bush administration can go ahead and dig in its heels on this if it

chooses, but there's no political gain. It may buy them protection if they can withhold testimony and documents from Democratic inquiries and hearings, but it paints them as Nixonite stonewalling liars.

Exactly what a Republican running for 08 re-election does not want.

A bad strategy for the president, if that's the one he's chosen.

[sinkingfeeling]

6. No, Chimpy, there have only been 5 other USAs fired in the past 25 years.

And they were justified.

[napi21]

7. YES, it IS their right to do so. HOWEVER.....

it is NOT their right to try to use USA's as political tools! ONE USA removed because of a philosopical difference, I can see, but to remove 8 1/2% of the total USA's in the USis way beyond that!

[blogslut]

8. There it is again

that phrase:

"at the pleasure of the president"

[ComerPerro]

9. Its definately true that they have the right to hire and fire at will. However

given this White House's history of purging those who disagree with ideology or who won't play ball and replacing them with non-thinking cronys, I would say that this is yet another alarming symptom of a dangerous, totalitarian mentality.