Alberto Gonzales: Bush DOJ Was Not Political Enough
For most people, former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is a national embarrassment, a pimple on the ass of American history. But to hear him tell it, the man George W. Bush called "Fredo" is a victim of partisan warfare. And the lesson he apparently learned in Washington is not that he politicized the Bush Justice Department, but that he didn't politicize it enough.
Those are among the head-shaking takeaways in a brief but revealing interview in Esquire titled, "Alberto Gonzales: What I've Learned." The man who repeatedly lied to Congress about the U.S. prosecutors purge, President Bush's illegal program of domestic surveillance and regime of detainee torture was just an innocent bystander caught in the political crossfire:
"I think 90 percent of what happened to me is politics, pure and simple. It's tough to knock out a president. But if you can get someone who is viewed as close to the president, then that may be a good thing."
As it turns out, this Gonzales declaration of victimization pales in comparison to his self-described martyrdom a year ago. In December 2008, the former AG complained to the Wall Street Journal that the scorn and derision heaped upon him was undeserved:
"What is it that I did that is so fundamentally wrong, that deserves this kind of response to my service?"
"For some reason, I am portrayed as the one who is evil in formulating policies that people disagree with. I consider myself a casualty, one of the many casualties of the war on terror."
Of course, perhaps the biggest casualty in Alberto Gonzales' own war on terror was the truth. In January 2007, the Attorney General delivered the Big Lie about the entire U.S. prosecutors purge scandal to the Senate Judiciary Committee:
"I would never ever make a change in a United States attorney position for political reasons or that in any way would jeopardize an ongoing investigation."
But as he acknowledged to Esquire this week, Gonzales' real lament about the U.S. attorneys firings is that the Bush White House wasn't political enough. After the Republican losses in the 2006 midterm elections, Gonzales suggested, the Bush administration's error was that it simply couldn't get away it:
"We should have abandoned the idea of removing the U. S. attorneys once the Democrats took the Senate. Because at that point we could really not count on Republicans to cut off investigations or help us at all with investigations. We didn't see that at the Department of Justice. Nor did the White House see that. Karl didn't see it. If we could do something over again, that would be it."
Now ensconced in the law school at Texas Tech, Alberto Gonzales claims "I'm proud of that record," while sighing that "I don't believe my life's work should be solely defined by four years in the White House and two years as attorney general." But in all likelihood, the poster child for Bush administration incompetence and corruption will be recalled for statements like this:
"Senator, that I don't recall remembering."
(This piece also appears at Perrspectives.)
Wasn't Gonzo Hunter S. Thompson's attorney?
"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that! " ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )
Try telling that to the 4,400 families who lost sons and daughters fighting for lies in Iraq and see how much sympathy you get.
Delusions of grandeur? Heartless? Liar? Idiot? Yes, Gonzo is all of those.
The only thing he is a casualty of is corruption.
Hopefully humanity will one day learn to be humane.
He's hoping for a TV court show.
JAYSUS H CHRIST!!!!! DO THESE BUFFOONS HAVE NO SHAME?
Seriously, have they no shred of decency left? Are they completely bereft of a soul? I swear to God, all Republicans should have their heads removed, take the shit that they claim as brains taken out, refilled with sawdust and placed back on their torsos, then prop them up in cornfields where they'll do the most good.
Albert is a type of sociopath. When you hear him speak, he seems to have no sense of right and wrong. Decency, shame, sociopaths don't experience such.
U are stupid, maybe some republicans will remove your liberal head, and hey I want a refund of the billions your boss is wasting right now. I don't plan to pay for it, so you be ready to.
all white, warmongering/international trouble making, perverted, sexually repressed, hypocritical, racist, dull, will never be allowed to fuck up the Presidency for generations, band of cowardly idealess losers left the Nation in.
If there is no justice for the wealthy and powerful, then there is no justice. Tribalist authoritarian sociopaths like Alberto Gonzalez will never stop doing what they do until there are consequences. And since our media and our Congress are worthless corporate enablers, there are no consequences. So why are we even surprised?
The man who repeatedly lied to Congress about the U.S. prosecutors purge, President Bush's illegal program of domestic surveillance and regime of detainee torture was just an innocent bystander caught in the political crossfire:
_____________________________________________________________
And frodo should know about crossfires:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hyYNkcZOBc&fe...
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
If you really want a good take on this asshole read "The Dark Side" by Jane Mayer. Holy Fucking Shit is Gonzalez an idiot. Cheney's lawyer and "Consigliere" David Addington essentially used him as a sock puppet. He was the real power in the Bush White House, he and Cheney. No wonder Obama is having such a hard time, he has eight years of bullshit to wade through.
You look like you could use a vacation. May I suggest Spain? The wines are fantastic and, with tapas, provide almost endless pairing possibilities.
As an attorney, I'm sure you'd also enjoy visiting with some of the local legal eagles. May I suggest Judge Baltasar Garzón? He seems to be a wise and fair jurist, and I'm sure he'd love to speak with you.
Corruption favors the wealthy.
One of the many walking proofs that there is no justice.
Just one more Bush success story.
Blech!
"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that! " ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )
But I do recall that if ya lie down with dogs, ya get up with fleas.
And no, don't just get over it Gonzo. Remember your complicity for all the days of your life. Wake up every morning, remembering what a national disgrace you are.
Probably wakes up every morning smiling and thinking . . "At least I made a difference and contributed something positive to the world".
A very useful idiot indeed.
Gonzales Dream World=America Nightmare.
we're left shoveling up this guys trail of shit.
What, me remember?
What a total fraud and disgrace.
"We will find fulfillment not in the goods that we have, but in the good we can do for each other."
Robert F. Kennedy
that the Obama Administration has the class and courage to leave these poor persecuted public servants alone and shelter them from the radical left.
He was just protecting our freedoms that those islamofascists hate us for.
Feces tastes pretty good if you marinade it in cognac.
hearing the Dems preaching . . had you saved, and planned, and worked harder in school and been more like the Obamas you would not be at the bottom rung.
???
me-oww!
... ever rolls forward.
Bush = Worst President
Cheney = Worst Vice-President
Rice = Worst Secretary of State, Security Advisor
Rumsfeld = Worst Defense Secretary
Laura = Worst First Lady
Barney = Worst fucking dog.
On and on...we're lucky to have survived such a dangerous collection of dumbfucks.
it appears that they have been replaced with a new set of kinder, gentler dumbfucks.
top 43 appointees to help make bush..
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/01/17/bush-43-w...
I would gladly that all those guys back to get rid of the ones we have now.
...that blood sipping, mass murdering, lying, worthless, dumb as a steaming pile of shit on a hot summer's day, incorrigible/dangerous ignorant/abject failure that you obviously showed the incredible judgement to vote for twice!
What's the use, you appear to be far too stupid to feel bad for what your vote did to the Nation.
... this guilty schmuck gets up and says, "You know, I not only raped your mother, I raped your sister and your daughter and I'd do it again! So there!"
And the Obama Administration pulls a Harry Reid, rolls over and puts its paws in the air.
"Bipartisanship!"
"Arf! Arf!"
"GOOD BOY!"
Why is this man not in prison?
that one of the very first things Obama did after taking office was to kick out all those loyal Bush political appointees in the DOJ and...wait....what did you say...? Hold on a minute.......He what...? He didn't......oh....
Nevermind.
...here.
Don't try to confuse the issue with half-truths and gorilla dust.
Wonder what the specific impact these filibusters are having on the judicial system? President Obama and his administration certainly have the bully pulpit so to speak, so it calls into question why these filibusters are not made more public.
Republicans are going to be well Republicans.
What is President Obama's reasoning for not pushing or making a strong stand for his nominees? Does he believe in them or doesn't he?
As far as the Senate goes, this is another clear example proving the Senate is a dysfunctional governing body.
Fredo... you were a disgrace to your profession and your country. Best thing you can do right now is STFU.
Thanks.
He doesn't remember what he did, but he wants to do more of it?
Maybe visit Italy. See the beautiful cathedrals.
"We should have abandoned the idea of removing the U. S. attorneys once the Democrats took the Senate. Because at that point we could really not count on Republicans to cut off investigations or help us at all with investigations. We didn't see that at the Department of Justice. Nor did the White House see that. Karl didn't see it. If we could do something over again, that would be it."
If the firing of U.S. attorneys was on legitimate grounds of job performance as Gonzales has stated, why would he be concerned with investigations and the ability to cut off investigations? His statement clearly shows that Gonzalez knew what he was doing was unlawful. It is a clear evidence of a member of the courts intent to circumvent the law for political gain.
Gonzales must be disbarred from practicing law!
Bushco lied about the missing emails, these have been found on archive tapes over the last year, now we should see some interesting action.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34419592/ns/politics
And he's gotten away free and clear
And he's relatively young
so he's going to be around for a long time.
[Like Rumsfeld and Cheney survived and thrived after Nixon and Vietnam]
It isn't that hard to predict the future.
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