White House Seeking Replacement for Gonzo

That's the rumor, anyway. Under some circumstances, I might call that a trial balloon, but I don't think there's any real doubt among anyone—even the ridiculously stubborn White House—that Gonzo's days are numbered. I love the list of wingnut cronies being considered:

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.

On Monday night, Republican officials said two other figures who are being seriously considered are Securities and Exchange Committee Chairman Chris Cox, who is former chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee and is popular with conservatives; and former Attorney General William P. Barr, who served under President George H.W. Bush from 1991 to 1993 and is now general counsel of Verizon Communications.

Also listed for possible consideration are Tennessee Senator Fred "Law & Order" Thompson, former Ashcroft deputy and current general counsel of Pepsi Larry Thompson, retired federal judge and co-chair of the Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the US Regarding WMDs Laurence Silberman, and former deputy AG and leader of Bush's legal team during the Florida recount George Terwilliger III.

What a list. From Katrina crony to corporate cronies to recount crony. At least Bush is considering the whole gamut…of cronies.

Maybe Bush could try something new his last two years in office, something like not constantly breaking the goddamned law, so he could nominate an Attorney General that's good for the country, as opposed as some asskissing loyalist who will fall on his own sword to protect that collection of White House hooligans. Maybe he could go straight and nominate Patrick Fitzgerald.

Or someone like him, since Fitzy was " ranked among prosecutors who had 'not distinguished themselves' on a Justice Department chart sent to the White House in March 2005, when he was in the midst of leading the CIA leak investigation that resulted in the perjury conviction of a vice presidential aide, administration officials said yesterday."

The ranking placed Fitzgerald below "strong U.S. Attorneys . . . who exhibited loyalty" to the administration but above "weak U.S. Attorneys who . . . chafed against Administration initiatives, etc.," according to Justice documents.

The chart was the first step in an effort to identify U.S. attorneys who should be removed. Two prosecutors who received the same ranking as Fitzgerald were later fired, documents show.

Never mind that he's good at his job. His loyalty was for shit!