BREAKING: Replacements for AG Gonzales being interviewed by WH

[Bluebear]

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.

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

[NashVegas]

1. Maybe It Will Be Harriet Myers?

That would be pretty fun.

[EFerrari]

2. If this is an arc, that's scary.

Really, remember when we thought Ashcroft was bad? And all he did was turn PA into a toxic waste dump. Oh, and push the "Patriot" Act. :(

I don't know if to be gratified or apprehensive.

[Hekate]

91. Ashcroft also put a blue burka on the statue of Justice bcs of her bare breast. LOL

I have to say, he at least provided some merriment.

Chertoff, otoh, looks cadaverous, and one can only hope his credentials will translate into a concern for actual US law.

Hekate

[EFerrari]

104. And Ashcroft sang. Yes, he had his moments.

lol

[Morgana LaFey]

109. I told a friend last night that it was BAD ENOUGH when we were

nostalgic for Reagan -- and then, wonder of wonders, Nixon. But surely we've reached some sort of nadir to be nostalgic for ASHCROFT, of all people. Dear God, how low we've sunk.

[Hekate]

111. Ain't that the truth! The only thing that may save us from this crew's sheer evilness...

...is their sheer incompetence.

I want my country back, and I try not to despair of it ever happening.

Hekate

[Kikosexy2]

116. Chertoff?...

uh...NO! Remember Hurrican Katrina!...

[monarch]

3. Being mentioned on CBS now.

Bob Schieffer talking about how the scandal is rattling the White House.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

4. Chimp Fluffing competition officially launched - pick the best Chimp Fluffer

[guitar man]

57. ROFLMAO!!

:rofl:

[Little Wing]

5. Ted Olson would even worse!

[EFerrari]

7. Oh, geezus. Please spare us. n/t

[Czolgosz]

12. I completely agree. I wouldn't have thought it possible to go down from Gonzales, but Olson would be

worse.

[pnwmom]

33. Remind me why.

His name is familiar, but . . .

[Czolgosz]

49. Olson represented Reagan on Iran-Contra, represented Jonathan Pollard in the spy case (right-wing

spies are OK), represented Bush in Bush v. Gore. Shall I go on? He's the ultimate partisan. Ken Starr reborn.

[MissB]

53. His wife died in the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon.

Barbara Olsen.

[caledesi]

99. His 3RD WIFE.....that is. nt

[HCE SuiGeneris]

94. Olson of the very dubious phone call from the plane

that reasonably never could have been made...
http://www.nypress.com/17/30/news&columns/AlanCabal.cfm

[notadmblnd]

25. Wasn't he offered up as a supreme court nominee at one time?

I wonder what he did that he owes them for?

[partylessinOhio]

28. Oh, boy would he!

We are in for a bumpy ride - because Chimp won't nominate anyone worthy of the position.

We need to impeach to clear the deck for appropriate appointments.

[glitch]

39. True - BUT this could be our opportunity to reel him in too.

Whoever is tasked with being a Bush AG is going to be asked to do criminal shit. Olson'll comply happily cuz he's just that arrogant and then SNAP! Waxman reels him in, the oiliest scaliest smelliest eel ever caught with a hook. :)

Edit: and just picture in your mind the Senate confirmation meetings.

[katty]

59. WAY WAY Worse!! Ted Olson-a horror show!

[IndyOp]

6. Yes! Yes! Yes! (n/t)

[saltpoint]

8. I wonder if those replacements are decoys or actually under consideration.

Either way, it's a list of people we could do without.

It's not the Bush administration's intent to name someone qualified for the position. If it were, he'd call Howard Baker.

[Czolgosz]

9. "Attorney General Ted Olson?" Almost makes "Attorney General Al Gonzales" sound OK...

[Tom Joad]

47. ditto that. Enough to make sure that any dem who votes for such gets canned on ass next election.

[The Wizard]

65. Holy Joe (nt)

[westerebus]

114. I'm thinkin'

George Makahawitz Allen...... That's as disgusting as it gets.....:puke:

[supernova]

10. Yes!

:applause: :applause: :applause:

Let that dirty, torture-loving SOB be run out of DC on a rail.

But CHertoff? Is he or any of the others besides Ted Olson trained lawyers?

[Justice Is Comin]

11. Chertoff ???

Chertoff ??? :rofl: Chertoff ??? :rofl: Oh my God. They're in meltdown.

[Connie_Corleone]

16. He'll do as good a job as he did with Homeland Security.

:scared:

[Morgana LaFey]

110. And those are his good points! nt

[Renew Deal]

17. That's what I was thinking.

He doesn't seem like a real go getter. Maybe that's what they want.

[Tekla West]

54. Fading fast

Its the ever shrinking administration. Perhaps Pickles might like the job, no less qualified then the rest of the clown car they got rolling in.

[jazzjunkysue]

77. Like that star trek episode where Beverly Cursher is left alone on the ship...

Everyone just keeps disappearing!

Pretty soon the maids will be answering the phone in the oval office. At least they'll speak english and take questions.

[Webster Green]

13. It will be a challenge for them to find an AG who is worse than Gonzo

...but the repukes will no doubt find some evil, incompetent stooge.

[pnwmom]

32. No challenge at all. Chertoff would be just as bad, maybe worse.

These people are brain dead.

[19jet54]

68. Condi Rice...

... she hasn't had that job yet, since we are playing musical chairs :puke:

[in_cog_ni_to]

14. The Dems aren't going to let this dog die. These people have

screwed with the wrong people! Leahy and Schumer. I cannot wait to see this go down.

Ted Olson will NEVER BE CONFIRMED. He's the rat bastard who helped get the psycho appointed by the SCOTUS. There's NO WAY IN HELL he will be confirmed.

[notadmblnd]

15. I think their replacements should be the fired attorneys

wouldn't that be a hoot. Iglasias would suit me and so would Lam.

[Me.]

18. Chertoff?

Well he did do a damn fine job with Katrina :sarcasm:

Let's see if he can get votes from the Senators whose cities he screwed out of defense money. Nelson will vote for him, Omaha scored big in terrorist funding.

[grytpype]

19. Maybe Karl Rove can take the job.

He's not a lawyer, but he runs the damn place anyway.

[lyonn]

43. Yours may be best comment and suggestion!

All of those on the list are dreadful. They are smarter than Gonzo but just as bought and paid for as all the bushies.

[hootinholler]

20. FITZ!

Accept no substitutes.

-Hoot

[texanshatingbush]

52. I second the motion ! All in favor say aye. All opposed--surely

there could be none opposed.....

[htuttle]

21. Sounds like they're running out of made men

[nevergiveup]

22. Chimpy will probably pardon Libby

and name him AG. Libby has recent court experience and should do fine :eyes:

[annabanana]

23. Remember, a replacement will have to be CONFIRMED

Mayhaps Congress won't be in the mood for someone worse than Gonzo.

[pnwmom]

34. Thank goodness.

[MidwestTransplant]

24. I vote for Fitz!

[BlueManDude]

26. No doubt all candidates must be approved by The Federalist Society

[Robbien]

29. Only a Federalist Society attorney will be considered

Just as only Republicans are considered to be hired in any department of the Federal Government.

[DefenseLawyer]

27. The must be an Arabian horse show judge out there

that needs a job.

[saltpoint]

35. LOL!

[Bluebear]

36. Pie Bake-Off alternate judge, Amarillo Agricultural fair, 1972

As long as they don't like gays, are anti-choice and won't question Halliburton's right to own The Planet, they're in!

[DefenseLawyer]

37. I'm sure

they'd do a heck of a job!

[salinen]

30. Are Haldemann & Erlichman

still dead?

[dweller]

31. Cheeney has been musing over the lists of successors and

has decided to nominate himself.

he wants the double salary.
dp

[grasswire]

38. this part gives me a great deal of pleasure

"Deputy Attorney General Paul J. McNulty, whose incomplete and inaccurate congressional testimony about the prosecutors helped precipitate the crisis, will also resign shortly. "

But I want him to be charged with perjury before Congress. I want him to be barred from public service.

[Bluebear]

41. Indeed.

Just because they are not movie star-public names, does not mean these criminals should skate.

[Bluebear]

63. .

[Black Adder]

40. I nominate Wile Coyote

He was another "super genius" who fu*cked up every plan he had - he'd fit right into this administration.

[19jet54]

69. ROFLMAO!!!!

:yourock:

[NDP]

42. As if they will be any better. Unless Gonzales goes to jail, it's not total justice

[lovuian]

44. So Gonzales and Rove break the law and lie to Congress

but they still continue on the agenda

[Parche]

45. Chertoff Skeletar?

[jazzjunkysue]

79. Thanks. New keyboard, please. I'll pm my address. n/t.

[bdamomma]

46. Is Rove next? that slimy SOB.

[napi21]

48. How about Spector? He's a Pub, He's a former DA, and has a lot of

experience. Although I know most of us say he's all bark and no bite, I really don't think he'd let ShrubCo do anything blatently illegal or unconstitutional.

Not to mention, Pa has a Dem Governor, and we could increase our Senate lead by one!

[Bluebear]

50. Phil?

:)

[napi21]

51. NO! Arlan Spector, D-Sen. Pa. n/t

[Tekla West]

56. look there are all these out of work ex-congress critters out there

Rick Santorum perhaps? How about Kathleen Harris?

[Faryn Balyncd]

73. How about Tom Delay, Jack Abramoff, or "Duke" Cunningham?

We could have our first "jailhouse Attorney General"

[Faryn Balyncd]

75. Or Karl Rove might be best suited as a 100% political, non-lawyer Attorney General.

[jaysunb]

58. What cha smokin Napi...

You gotta be cushed to even suggest that...:rofl:

[napi21]

61. WHY? If Shrub wants somebody who could be confirmed without

TOO much trouble, Arlan fits the bill! Yea, I know...Shrub wouldn't give up a Senate seat, but hey...I was trying to give him a workable solution to his "current" problem. If he wants to go through 4, 5,6 or more nominees before he can find anyone who can get through the confirmation process, fine! Don't say some Dem didn't try tohelp you out Mr. Shrub!

[Gruenemann]

108. Phil's got court experience....

It appears to have been a hair-raising experience.

[lovuian]

55. woohoo

:woohoo:

[SalmonChantedEvening]

60. American Toadie?

Grovel for Simon, Paula and Randy!!

:smoke:

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

62. Now that's funny

[malaise]

64. The big S has hit the fan

and I'm lovin it :popcorn: :popcorn:

[WestMichRad]

66. "Karl, can't I just appoint someone...

...and not have the Senate get involved? Didn't I ask that to be put in the Patriot Act bill?"

(mutters under his breath) "Damn, I don't want no stinkin' Democrat politicians messin' with my apportments!"

[The Wizard]

67. We don't have a Senate majority.

Johnson is out of action and Liebermann votes party line with Repubes.

[meldroc]

70. We do have the committee chairs.

Any nomination is going to have to be at least tolerable to Sen. Leahy, as he heads up the Judiciary Committee. If he doesn't like a nominee, he can bury the nomination.

[Hippo_Tron]

84. Yup and we are wise about putting socially liberal senators on judiciary

Gonzales was opposed by all of the Democrats on the judiciary committee, even Feingold who is a strong proponent of senatorial courtesy.

[Rex]

71. Is it just me or does it seem like the GOP is getting its ass kicked?

:)

[mmonk]

72. The question is,

who will sign the loyalty oath?

[Sabien]

74. I heard

Michael Brown is looking for work

[jazzjunkysue]

76. Leave together? Don't u usuallly slip out of the hotel room separately?

In case somebody's looking?

I thought that was standard procedure?

[hatrack]

78. I don't think Robert Bork is too busy these days. How about William Bennett?

Maybe they can nominate some member of the DeVos family, or one of the Swift Boat dudes, like that real estate developer down in Texas.

Harriet Miers? I mean, don't you think she'd be just the BESTEST AG EVER?!?!?!

To quote GYWO, "President Bush is making me giddy!!!"

[what now toons]

80. Replace him yes, but he should be prosecuted

"A little more Liberty slips away"

With more and more of our liberty being taken away,from our land of liberty, Impeachment of Gonzales would be a better step in the right direction. If he was merely replaced, it would be just sweeping his crimes to our republic under the rug, only to find him back again some later day. His interpretation of habeas corpus and the partisan prosecutor purge, as well as his views on torture and the quaint Geneva convention should be enough to impeach him. My latest cartoon deals with our loss of liberty, it's at my website now.
www.whatnowtoons.com

[jazzjunkysue]

81. I nominate Judge Judy! "Who do you think you're talking to, Mr.?"

Ronald McDonald. Whoever. Just get the lying prick out of my white house.

[Bluebear]

86. "QUIT PLAYING WITH YOUR PAPERS!"

[mucifer]

82. sounds like it's time for some more "terrorists" to "confess"

[DFW]

83. Olson is the worst of all possibles worlds

A smart, slimy, eel with an extremist right-wing agenda and
no scruples whatsoever. Gonzales with a brain.

Lieberman should love him, but Pat Leahy won't. Olson might
get confirmation from the full Senate, but his name would never
make it out of committee, and I don't think Bush and Rove even
want the hearings on that nomination televised.

They'll go for someone with less of a track record--or conceivably
none at all.

[TankLV]

85. and to think gonzo almost came close to being another corrupt repuke supreme!

Now I KNOW the other ones nominated are cut from the same cloth as gonzo...

simply disgusting...

and they seriously mention a has-been ACTOR from the Dukes of Hazzard?! Just because he got elected SENATOR? Are they nuts?!

Might as well nominate MANN Coulter! Heshe's a perfect repuke - "fair", "non-partisan", "honest"...

[nadinbrzezinski]

87. Damn dead man walking Gonzo is

I was willing to give him until friday... damn!

[Bluebear]

88. "Boo hoo hoo, please don't fire me." nt

[marcus_aurelius]

89. what exactly do you people think this will accomplish?

so another of the president's appointees is on the block.what's the headcount up to now over the past few years?there have been so many that have come and gone that it is hardly worth noting anymore.ashcroft went,they got this guy.now he's gonna go...wonder who they'll get to replace him.the fact is it is diversionary.they fire these people so you people think your voices of outrage have been heard.it is almost like they build them up to shut them down just so the anger of the plebs will be culled.there are 10 more where gonzales came from.and 10 more after that.anyone with any sense knew from the door the kinds of tactics we could expect from this administration and firing lawyers to me is the least of his crimes,tho of course it gives a drawn out map of the imperialistic attitude the administration has.gonzales was simply following orders.they'll fire him and sort him with a nice pension that assures his continued silence even if he has to go serve a little 6 month "jail"sentence.all this so you people can feel like you'd won a victory.but where is the victory?the congress (which is the primary source of corruption in the government)will still refuse to impeach an obvious criminal.and if they do finally give in and proceed it will only be because public opinion has forced their hand.think on that for a moment.even now with a democratic congress still they refuse to do their duty and punish these despots accordingly.why?they fear political back lash.they fear for their jobs.men and women lose their lives so that these men and women can placate us with half efforts and diversions.in the name of power.a democratic senator cares as much about you as a republican senator.this should be painfully apparent by now.they simply work to maintain their class,if a few appointees heads have to roll,it is a small price to pay.within the entire pattern of the last 6 years i have sensed a larger corruption on the part of government,one that most certainly includes collaboration and intentional failure to preserve a hold on power.they are attempting to jade us into cyncism.and firing gonzales should not be enough.impeaching the administration should not be enough.we must begin looking with a wider lens at the very principles and fixtures of our government and start being very angry at the failures not only of the state and justice departments or the white house but the legislative as well.gonzales is a flash in the pan.bush will be gone in less than 2 years.but the modus operandi will not change.it is the nature of the institutions we must examine and the practices therein.because this charade of partisan politics and appeasement is endangering not only the american way of life but all life on earth.
g.o.c

[Bluebear]

90. Whoa! Paragraph your rant, please!

Anyhow 'we people' are enjoying karma - and oversight - start to work its magic.

[marcus_aurelius]

92. lol

you are enjoying the illusion of a system that has been in decay since lincoln.firing gonzales will accomplish nothing.impeaching bush will accomplish about the same.neither will do anything towards striking at the heart of what has become an inherently corrupted system ruled by an "elected"nobility.and that's just it.you are enjoying the fact that one man will be punished when so many more are to be held accountable for the complete failure of their responsibility at reflecting the will of the people.but on that end you will not call for action because you either do not see how far reaching the problem truly is or you do not believe such things could happen here.you still believe in democrats vs republicans and so will be appeased.
i know that this sounds cynical and i suppose it would be except that there is a better way to reflect the will of the people.one the congress and the president hopes we will not discover.because if enough people heard about it there would not be any more politics of appeasement nor calculated failures by either the legislative nor the executive branches(and i paragraphed it just for you).

[Bluebear]

93. Thank you :)

I don't doubt that the system has been in a long slow decay, but you must remember NASCAR and American Idol are on. Our populus seems that they could not care less about our own government.

[marcus_aurelius]

95. "sorry,was a bit brisk when i first arrived"-eddie izzard

i apologize sincerely for my at times superior tone.it is something i've oft had trouble with.
in reference to the populous not caring,i feel that it is a duty and great responsibility of those that do understand the true nature of this economic/political/ecological crisis to muster them by whatever means necessary and are available.yes the american public has been lulled to sleep.yes they have grown complacent.but a large part of that is due to the lines of division that the powers that be have set up within us to keep us as such.the problem of what to do with the corruption in government is vastly easier to answer than the question of how do you get people to care enough to demand the necessary changes,especially when those changes far exceed a changing of the guard of the political parties.to that end i can only say that we must avoid cyncism.we must look within ourselves and ask "are we ranting simply to rant?do we have any ideas on what to do about the problem or do we just enjoy the momentary political high ground?"this sentiment of "i told you so" is doing more damage by way of cementing the "well what can we do about it?"perspective.people in this country feel extremely powerless beyond voting and even in that,their voices are hushed by a 2 party system.so we continue to throw our votes into the well of this system that has been failing us direly for 4 generations.i get so frustrated because this is still perpetuated even by those that would oppose it because they feel they have no choice.and i was one of the most cynical til recently...til i realized we are looking at the voting process the way they have taught us to,and that there is substantially more that our votes could dictate if we simply demanded the rights to doso.what if the populous had the right to veto war?
(sorry for straying severely from the topic lol and i'm still glad that gonzales is gonna burn,but it's just not enough)
g.o.c

[Bluebear]

96. I enjoy your thoughts, please don't be a stranger here,

Deal?

[marcus_aurelius]

97. =)

lol no "you people"hehe won't get rid of me so easily;i intend to be a thorn in the side of every armchair revolutionary til something gets done.and i absolutely appreciate the enthusiasm of this forum,i desperately want to see if we can manifest it towards real change.i've been in the market for an army for a little while hehe...
sincerely,
g.o.c

[mmonk]

101. "i've been in the market for an army for a little while hehe..."

Hence, your posting name?

[JNelson6563]

103. Love it

i've been in the market for an army for a little while hehe...

Me too, I've even begun to build one in my corner of the world. If I chose a name for my militant persona I reckon I'd go with William Marshal. Not quite as old school as yours but still mighty formidible. ;-)

Again, welcome~~fellow warrior.

Julie

[Shakespeare]

117. Welcome, and I know you've gotta be a truly good person...

...because you can easily toss in a relevant Eddie Izzard quote. ;-)

[JNelson6563]

102. Very good points in all your posts

It is very true that the system we know is really a facade meant to give us the impression we have any say in anything. We don't. I believe there once was a time where the people actually did have some authority, the hope is that it can be that way again. The odds do not favor such an outcome.

Welcome to DU. :hi:

Julie

[marcus_aurelius]

112. what time it is

it may be true that it is too late,however i do not believe that.i know that the american people desperately want and need change,they are merely waiting for the right person with the right ideas to remind them that they come from very stout stock and a culture founded on a distrust of government.consider the deeper meaning of 'of the people,for the people,by the people'.then ask yourself why we let old men and women send our children to die in war when we have the ability to decide such matters for ourselves.why do we let the supreme court dictate abortion when it could be our votes that decided?what if the issue of global warming and what to do about it was taken out of the hands of the corrupted congress who are too often linked to the oil industry and turned over to the people?but the politicians don't want us thinking this way.if we realize that we are responsible enough socially to take on these issues thru popular vote they will be substantially hedged back in power.they fear this line of thinking.so i ask when is the time?when will we quit blaming our problems on a failed institution and begin demanding a true voice;one of veto over war and federal policy?when is enough enough?this administration's bumblings and the blind eyes turned by congress should enrage us all,but not to a point of cynical paralysis.the time is now.
g.o.c

[JNelson6563]

113. Well said friend

I agree that the time has come.

This is going to take some doing. What's your plan at this point?

Julie

[marcus_aurelius]

115. reluctor tyranical habenae

lol well i hoped to pose many of my ideas on this forum and have them take shape with others'
suggestions.some of my ideas still need to be worked over a bit and i would love to correspond with other like minded people and some that are not as well so that we could hammer out a new vision of this country that hopefully will ring truer than the one they are currently selling us.but the right of veto thru public vote and the right to ammend the consitution thru public vote should be the cornerstone of the work.many would say that the american people are not ready for such a responsibility...i cannot think of any other options we have at this point really.
but once a strong course of action is defined then we take it to whatever politician that seems like would meet the criteria of being able to enforce such change and tell him that it is the perfect platform for the presidency.if he can get the people to believe he will follow thru then who could stand against him?it would require his opponents saying "the american people are incapable of truly governing themselves"and thus they would be outed as elitists.so long as the politician truly believed.and if we can't find one,one of us subversives will have to take up the banner and fight like hell to get it done.i mean even if we fail it will be a more glorious failure than any of the nobilitys' victories.and it will never be forgotten.
just remember that the congress works for themselves and whatever we get along the way out of them is happenstance.and those that truly fight for us are hindered by the status quo.i am confident they would back the ideas proposed.those men know better than anyone how ugly things have gotten.
funny but i meant to write this hours earlier and have fell ill to some spring bug.as ever,the gods conspire against me.
g.o.c

[tavalon]

98. My crystal ball says that Friday, at the latest,

Gonzo will discover a new found desire to spend more time with his family.

[Eurobabe]

100. Chertoff, that ghoul? Will they bring back Tom Ridge to replace him?

:sarcasm:

If not, I predict another Bush 41 retread. Aren't you glad we got 2 terms of Poppy after all? :puke:

[karynnj]

105. I doubt it will be Chertoff - unless they are insane

The nominee needs to be confirmed and as part of that I think he will need to testify and be grilled under oath by the Justice Department. It would cl;early be fair to ask Chertoff questions on Katrina and why he didn't have a plan to evacuate the city. He had promised at his confirmation to have evacuation plans for several important ports (in case of a terror attack). In June 2006, the commerce committee questioned him and they were NOT happy that he hadn't done this - obviously, there was still no plan when Katrina hit. In Katrina's case, it was known there was a big hurricane coming days before - with a terror attack the assumption is no warning.

[scavok]

106. Congress should send the shrub a clear message

that the only chance for a AG to get confirmed is if it is Patrick Fitzgerald (or Carol Lam).

[LuckyLib]

107. "Gonzales is one of the few remaining original Texans who came to Washington with President Bush.??"

Perhaps at the visible level. The * government is packed with loyal Bushbots who donated money and slid right in to high-paying administrative positions in every department in Washington. DC is packed with Bush-backers!