A few more things...

John Ashcroft resigned. I was strongly against him in 2000 and this is almost a win. Four years too late. What's Ashcroft's legacy? Is it the Patriot Act? The new airline restrictions? No. It's that he was the guy who wanted a piece of cloth to be placed over the nude justice statue. That's what I will always remember from the neoconservative who was beat by a dead guy for Senator in 2000.

The person who might replace him...Alberto Gonzales, who would become the first Hispanic to be Attorney General. Do I like him? Well....

On one hand, I doubt Bush will make him Attorney General if he has plans on making him a Supreme Court candidate, which has been discussed.

Gonzales, who currently serves as First Counsel, is a Bush favorite. He was the guy who wrote a memo to Bush and after Karl Rove read it to Bush, the basic understanding was clear. The Geniva Convention rules on prisoners should not apply to all Taliban and al-queda members. Do I find a lot of fault with this? Not really. But just the same, while it does not apply to all of them, it's not like we should have free reign to do whatever we want, including disrobing them and taking pictures. For fun!

What I really don't like from this memo is that he admits to problems like "widespread condemnation among our allies." Yeah, that's bad. And going against the U.S. military culture that demands the highest standards of conduct. At the same time, he likes the option of "flexibility." Hmmm...

For the record, Gonzales's former law firm had a big client that could have used him during Bush's administration. Enron.

When you actually think about it, Gonzales's actions are partly responsible for the worldwide resentment we felt despite a supported invasion of Afghanistan. When we started sending all of our P.O.W.'s to Guantanamo Bay, we looked like asses, not caring about the rules we call others to support. Granted, technically, and legally, there is some grounds. At the same time, this is an administration that ripped Kerry for his complex views on Iraq and the economy. For the record, Kerry wasn't a flip flopper. He was just really complex. Gonzales would understand.

This is rather upsetting. But if Ashcroft gained 58 votes in 2000 (which is a narrow win for White House cabinet positions), Gonzales will surely gain the votes needed and the Dems are unlikely to fillibuster. Sad. Just sad.