Talking Points Memo is saying Paul Clement, whoever he is, and that supposedly Bush won't announce before he leaves for Australia next week, meaning no recess appointment. I think Reid should announce recess over just in case - and right now, before Bush's press conference.
Posted by iamcoyote at August 27, 2007 07:37 AMcoyote, I believe that Clement is being tapped as interim AG, which makes sense given his post and the lack of anyone else at DOJ who isn't already tarred by ineptitude or scandal.
Posted by Steve Soto at August 27, 2007 07:39 AMCan Harry Miers come back? She's no doubt had plenty of time to visit with her family.
Posted by T2 at August 27, 2007 07:41 AMAmazing, not a single, "I don't recall!"
I hear current US Solicitor General Paul Clement's name being bantered about.
Posted by Seven of Six at August 27, 2007 07:41 AMGonzo's supposed to stay on until the middle of next month.
Could it possibly be to muddy the waters of the Iraq process and heavy Congressional schedule even more.
Ack! You're right, Steve! More coffee, stat!
SoS, I think you're on to something. They'll create a hubbub with AG confirmation hearings to drown out the bad news from the "Petreus" report. These guys may not know how to govern, but they certainly are experts in media manipulation.
Posted by iamcoyote at August 27, 2007 07:50 AMExcuse me, but isn't Clement the one handling the US Attonry Iglesias' complaint against DOJ? Is this shuffle really to get Clement out of that investigation (kill it) or stall some more?
Posted by gtash at August 27, 2007 07:55 AMFor a "planned" announcement this AM, the fact that Chertoff's name was floated and shot down speaks volumes about the upheaval and disorganization going on in the Admin.
Posted by idiosynchronic at August 27, 2007 07:56 AMWell, I certainly never thought this would ever come to pass. Wrong again. Amazing. I guess Cheney has concluded that the Schumerian Dem Congress is so weak and ineffective that he has nothing whatever to fear from them---they'll give him whomever he nominates under the von Rumsfeld "we'll-do-anything-to-be-done-with-him" precedent.
It wouldn't be a surprise if Fielding gets it---he's on board with every jot, tittle and scrap of obstruction that can be imagined. A perfect Bushco AG.
Comey? You must be joking---both Cheney and Nero jr despise him. Plus, he would be a real AG, Bushco can't have that.
Posted by euzoius at August 27, 2007 08:25 AMFrances Townsend? Her recent "performances" have been revolting. She may be as close to the boot-licking Gonzo as Bush can get. She won't get a nomination..but the hearings if she did would provide enough guffaws to last out the remainder of Bush's regime.
Posted by T2 at August 27, 2007 08:26 AMWhy now indeed. I haven't a clue. Up until now all the high level DOJ resignations (except for Yoo) beginning in 2003 were men that had displeased the WH in spite of their best efforts to both accomodate the WH and do the right thing. They did better on the former than the latter, but we've known for years that only total subservience is good enough for Bush. That has to be an exhausting task for smart, educated people with a degree of integrity who can't have failed to notice that Bush is incompetent and not too bright.
It has to be that the alternative is better than having Gonzo stay on. Unless there is some DOJ revolt brewing or irrefutable and easy to understand evidence of crimes commited by Gonzo that we haven't seen or solid, then they have someone in the wings to take over because Gonzo could have continued to weave and bob for most of Bush's remaining term without Congress doing much. What does GWB do in such situations? Usually calls Daddy. Does this mean that we'll be seeing a lot more of James Baker for the next year?
Posted by Marie at August 27, 2007 08:28 AMCNN's White House informants still think its Chertoff.
Posted by idiosynchronic at August 27, 2007 08:36 AMI hope you're right about Chertoff. It just is so much in character with this administration that they look to replace failure #1 with failure #2. There just aren't enough medals in the White House to pass around for all this bad judgment.
Posted by LaPopessa at August 27, 2007 08:42 AMOK, Gonzo's gone, the plan could be to tie up congress with investigations. Then bu$h still pardons him.
Posted by Seven of Six at August 27, 2007 08:44 AMBush's plan is simple: keep appointing replacements that are unacceptable and then scream "Politics!!!" when the Dems refuse to confirm them. This accomplishes several things: it keeps the firewall in place (via Clement), it stalls any investigations in their tracks and it gives the Rethugs a club to beat Dems with in the campaign. I smell Rove here...
Posted by dalloway at August 27, 2007 08:51 AMshe also can’t even do her current job adequately
That didn't keep Condoleeza Rice from becoming Secretary of State.
Posted by croatoan at August 27, 2007 08:54 AMWAPO July 27
Four Senate Democrats yesterday wrote to Solicitor General Paul Clement asking him, as acting attorney general because Gonzales has recused himself from decisions related to this investigation, to appoint an outside prosecutor similar to the prosecution of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby by Patrick J. Fitzgerald. The senators believe Gonzales's testimony this week, and in prior appearances, constituted perjury and should be prosecuted. But they want it done by someone from outside of main Justice to avoid the inherent conflicts of interest. For now such recommendations from Democrats probably carry little weight. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) was the first lawmaker to call for a special counsel in the Libby-CIA leak probe, but it took more than five months before Fitzgerald was appointed . So this where the IG-OPR report could be critical. Should the IG-OPR probe say laws were likely broken, it may be impossible for the White House and Justice Department to avoid appointing a special prosecutor to examine the case. It's unknown how long it will take for the internal Justice investigation to be completed.
Posted by gtash at August 27, 2007 09:11 AMI'm thinking this Monday morning circus may be timed to distract and dilute the Presidential Cancer Forum going on right now.
Bush can't have the public thinking a President could actually work for THEM.
Posted by mparker at August 27, 2007 09:19 AMMaybe next time around, the Congress won't knock each other down to approve one of Bush's hacks to head such an important department. Let Gonzo stand as a reminder to the spineless Congress that they have an obligation to the American people to sometimes tell this president "No."
Posted by Christopher at August 27, 2007 09:42 AMThe Democrats have been handed an opportunity here to insist on an independent and rule-of-law AG,...
A dollar to a donut that the Dems approach this as Inspector Clouseau does a man with a monkey in front of a bank. I can just see it now: Pelosi can't keep the house together and Reid uses a well-practiced swoon when he dejectedly proclaims "We just din't hay'ave the votes! Ah'm swoonin!"
Posted by phidipides at August 27, 2007 09:56 AMMore than 90 percent of the Army's new recruits since late July have accepted a $20,000 "quick ship" bonus to leave for basic combat training by the end of September, putting thousands of Americans into uniform almost immediately.
The way the bonus works is simple: Recruits willing to ship out within the next month will receive $10,000 upon completion of basic training and advanced individual training. Then, over the course of their initial active-duty enlistment, they will receive $10,000 in even annual sums.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/26/AR2007082601266.html
Anybody want to bet that the fine print indicates that the bonus is not paid if the recruit is killed before the bonus is paid out?
Posted by ann at August 27, 2007 10:00 AMBush/Cheney may not be the brightest bulbs in DC but they got this far because there are some smart people running things for them behind the scenes. Any one of them could easily have considered and rejected all the possible replacements that bloggers are talking about, and will continue to talk to death in the next few days. Leaving Clement in there for the next sixteen months wouldn't seem to me to leave them enough breathing room. Bu$hCo needs a DOJ version of Gates, and I think they have their man. Right now it's better for them to let all the speculation dominate the news and deflect attention away from everything else. They'll time the announcement on Gonzo's replacement for maximum PR attention.
Posted by Marie at August 27, 2007 10:06 AMFare thee well, Abu Gonzales! Don't let it hit you on the way out! Good riddance.
Posted by Brian Bell at August 27, 2007 10:54 AMif not for the blue dress bill clinton walks...sounds to me they have something alberto on ..purgery??
Posted by dennis at August 27, 2007 12:50 PMWhat phid said.
What about sloughing off Joementum on 'em?
Sure the Republican't CT Gov would appoint an R to replace him, but how different is that really? They'd be toast on re-election.
Posted by bartcopfan at August 27, 2007 01:06 PMI think we ought to draft Chief J. John Roberts for the temporary AG seat and get him out of hiding in his cushy lifetime appointment. That way, we can see what he does and we will probably impeach him, then he'll be gone, the others in the SCJs will scramble for his seat and the discontent will shake up to the top of the pile of poop. Then maybe Dems will get a chance to hold a majority. THAT would be great. In the end, Fitz gets CJ seat and then RULE OF LAW will return to America, and we might get justice after all.
Posted by sara swati at August 27, 2007 06:17 PM