I would agree with you that Bush should not fire Gonzalez if he had the sense God gave a goat. It was my first reaction, even though I said I thought he was a bad appointment.
But Gonzalez just keeps stepping in it at every turn. He just can’t take the heat, and it shows. He doesn’t even have enough sense to keep his mouth shut and let his lawyers speak for him.
How can you face down Nostrils if Gonzalez gives him new ammunition every day?
You have a point. President Bush should tell Mr. Gonzales to shut up. And he should fire him as soon as possible after this so-called scandal dies down.
Of course, Gonzales should be fired immediately if he broke the law. But if he is clean, it will only make the administration look guilty by firing him now.
Either way, the administration must make the point that political appointees serve at the president's pleasure, and that nothing improper was done in firing the U.S. attorneys. I would advise the president to go on the offensive against the Democrats, accusing them of violating the Constitutional separation of powers.
Unless that is done, it may not matter what happens to Gonzales. He is not the real target; the president is.