Redstate

Posted at 10:17am on Sep. 4, 2007 Four Considered For Attorney General

By California Yankee

The White House has narrowed the search for a new Attorney General to four men:

Aides called around, asking about four candidates: former deputy attorney general Larry Thompson (who would be the first African-American A.G.), former solicitor general Ted Olson, former deputy A.G. George Terwilliger, and current Solicitor General Paul Clement (the acting A.G. once Gonzales leaves).

I'm rooting for Larry Thompson.

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Posted at 12:53am on Aug. 29, 2007 So I Am Late To This . . .

By Pejman Yousefzadeh

Since yesterday was a bear of a day. But obviously, I am glad to see that Alberto Gonzales has resigned. I would stick with my preference of nominating no one to replace him for as long as possible and letting the next person in charge run matters at the Justice Department, cool tensions with Congress and then have a nomination process for a new Attorney General. But since Paul Clement is the person in charge and since I have much too much regard for Paul Clement to want to hurt his Supreme Court chances by exposing him to the political mess that the Justice Department currently is in, perhaps that might not be the best of ideas. I would be delighted with having former Solicitor General Ted Olson as the Attorney General and one can think of other names as well. I would hope that Michael Chertoff stays away from any discussions about a new Attorney General. The last thing that is needed is a firestorm concerning two confirmation fights, after all.

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Posted at 1:18pm on Aug. 28, 2007 The Next Great TV Ad

By gpasman

The ad starts with a picture of President George W. Bush in a rose garden ceremony at the White House. Standing near President George W. Bush is President Bill Clinton, President George H. W. Bush and President Jimmy Carter. We hear President George W. Bush say that he is happy to have all of the living Ex-Presidents for this ceremony. (It does not matter what the ceremony is for)

An announcer then states "For the last 20 years, we have had presidents with only 2 last names, Bush and Clinton. Now, another Clinton wants to continue this tradition for another 4 or even 8 years. 24 or even 28 years for only 2 families to control the Presidency is too much to ask of America.

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Posted at 12:54pm on Aug. 27, 2007 Thoughts on Gonzales

By Erick

I am not sorry to see AGAG go.

First, the rumor, even here in Germany, is that Chertoff is the replacement. Considering all the folks I'm with, it sounds very credible.

Second, can I just say that those of you who hated John Ashcroft need to think again. All we have learned, all we have seen these past few years with AGAG at Justice better make the Ashcroft haters come to their senses.

Third, expect some seriously bad news from Justice in the next few days. AGAG's resignation was not the end, but the beginning. Why else do you think he did it today instead of Friday, the start of a three day holiday weekend?

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Posted at 9:09am on Aug. 27, 2007 Gonzales Resigns

By streiff

The New York Times reports Alberto Gonzalez has resigned as Attorney General.

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Posted at 6:36pm on Aug. 19, 2007 Shorter Washington Post

By Pejman Yousefzadeh

The Bush White House played politics.

I know. I know--it's just amazing.

Of course, much of the impetus behind the story is the fact that not only the Bush White House played politics, but that it did it better than its predecessors did, including its most immediate predecessor. The story indicates that there was one violation of the Hatch Act but it also indicates--and points to the Post for being fair and recognizing this--that Karl Rove and Company were actually quite careful not to run afoul of the Hatch Act:

White House officials say Rove had two basic rules: the first was to avoid meddling with grant and contract decisions made by career government employees; the second was to make sure they complied with the Hatch Act. "What was surprising was how adamant Karl and his whole team was that we involve the lawyers in our discussions to make sure we didn't come up with things that ran afoul of the law," [Agriculture Department White House liaison Drew] DeBerry said. In March 2002, then-White House lawyer Brett Kavanaugh gave such a briefing on the "do's and don'ts regarding your participation in politically related activities," according to the invitation.

And in many ways, with these strictures in mind, the White House's political operations were quite successful. Alas, things have changed in that regard and I have to believe that Karl Rove's departure might be the harbinger of further political screw-ups in the immediate future as the White House works to acclimate itself to Life Without Rove. But there is little doubting the fact that future Administrations will seek to replicate the successful portions of Rove's operations that we see at play in the Washington Post story. Snide remarks by Rep. Henry Waxman may accompany any discussion of a competent Rovian White House operation. Nevertheless, I am willing to bet dollars to doughnuts that if a Democratic White House did the kinds of things that the Rovian political team did for the current Administration, Henry Waxman wouldn't be quite as upset about the state of affairs.

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Posted at 12:59am on Aug. 19, 2007 Michael Deaver 1938-2007

By krempasky

Since Ronald Reagan passed away a few years ago, we have seen several members of his inner circle follow him once again. Lyn Nofzinger, Jeanne Kirkpatrick, and Cap Weinberger all helped craft and carry the Reagan message of hope, optimism, and freedom. But no helped the American people see Reagan’s sunny disposition and love of America more than Mike Deaver. No one helped the country get to know Reagan the man more than Mike Deaver. And as of this morning, Mike's race is over as he passed away, surrounded by his family.

One of the greatest opportunities I’ve had since joining Edelman has been the chance to spend some time and get to know one of the brightest and talented people I’ve ever met. Mike could give you thirty seconds of feedback or share twenty minutes of stories from his time in the White House and as part of the Reagan family – and you always realized that the former was exactly spot-on and the latter ended far too quickly.

Granted, when it came to his innate ability to show Reagan in Reagan’s best light there was nothing but praise for Mike, but a few conservatives parted company with Deaver through the years over policy or priority.

What were those priorities? One cab ride answered that question for me. Mike and I were heading to Capitol Hill – me only a few months on the job and a little nervous about spending time with a guy whose autographed book I would have happily stood in line to get. So lacking anything interesting of my own to offer, I instead just kept asking him questions about the White House.

Since most of the Reaganites I knew to date were policy warriors or activists, everyone of them could tell you which issue kept them up at night - which issue kept them out of the private sector. I hoped to figure out what made Mike tick – what drove him to serve. I can’t remember how it came up, but I asked him if Communism was his “issue.” Almost instantaneously, he responded, “Ronald Reagan was my issue.”

And that pretty much says everything. Our firm lost a tremendous colleague, but the country is far worse off. So wish Godspeed to Mike, and offer your prayers for his family.

(more below the fold)

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Posted at 10:38am on Aug. 17, 2007 Media Bias by Reporter Who Contradicts Self and Official Testimony

By scipio62

DISCLAIMER: I am in no way endorsing Attorney General Alberto Gonzales remaining in his current position. But, he needs to resign because he is incompetent, not because of anything that he's done that has been shown to be legal.

In another attempt to paint Attorney General Alberto Gonzales as having committed a crime, the Washington Post puts up a stunning story by Dan Eggen on its front page entitled "FBI Director's Notes Contradict Gonzales's Version Of Ashcroft Visit". There's only one problem: it's all spin. What's worse, Eggen actually contradicts what has been testified to, and contradicts himself.

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Posted at 3:52pm on Aug. 16, 2007 Congratulations to Jenna Bush upon her engagement

By Finrod

Congratulations to Jenna Bush, daughter of the President, regarding her engagement! From the White House Press Secretary:

STATEMENT BY PRESS SECRETARY SALLY MCDONOUGH

President and Mrs. George W. Bush are happy to announce the engagement of their daughter, Jenna Bush, to Mr. Henry Hager, son of the Honorable and Mrs. John H. Hager of Richmond, Virginia. Miss Bush and Mr. Hager became engaged Wednesday, August 15, 2007.

No wedding date has been set.

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Posted at 8:17pm on Aug. 15, 2007 GOP Rocker... a future POTUS?

By pilgrim

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Posted at 2:56pm on Aug. 14, 2007 Passive Instruments and Fine China

By Ben Domenech

The controversy over Mike Gerson's White House tenure resulting from Matt Scully's Atlantic article and the subsequent responses from Pete Wehner and others has gone on long enough, in my opinion. I've written something about it over at this is an adventure, from a personal perspective.

Posted at 1:11pm on Aug. 14, 2007 Karl Rove, Lee Atwater and the GOP Legacy

By Ken Taylor

Karl Rove has announced his resignation effective August 31, 2007. Many on the left and the MSM, (one in the same), are trying to play his leaving as ducking Senate investigators in the fired federal attorney hearings. Of course this is the usual load of liberal hog wash. Rove is leaving on his own terms and basically because as the President is winding down the end of his final term Rove's services as a political strategist are no longer needed. The administration is finishing out in the direction it has chosen and it is to late in the game to change strategy very much.

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Posted at 3:24pm on Aug. 13, 2007 So There's This Job Opening In The White House . . .

By Pejman Yousefzadeh

I had frankly thought that Karl Rove would be one of the last people to leave the White House. Seriously. I thought that he would stay behind and help turn out the lights right before the inauguration of the next President. But that is not to be:

Karl Rove, President Bush's longtime political adviser, is resigning as White House deputy chief of staff effective Aug. 31, and returning to Texas, marking a turning point for the Bush presidency.

Mr. Rove's departure removes one of the White House's most polarizing figures, and perhaps signals the effective end of the lame duck administration's role in shaping major domestic policy decisions. Mr. Rove revealed his plans in an interview with Paul Gigot, editor of The Wall Street Journal's editorial page. (See related commentary.)

Mr. Rove, who has held a senior post in the White House since President Bush took office in January 2001, told Mr. Gigot he first floated the idea of leaving a year ago. But he delayed his departure as, first, Democrats took Congress, and then as the White House tackled debates on immigration and Iraq, he said. He said he decided to leave after White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten told senior aides that if they stayed past Labor Day they would be obliged to remain through the end of the president's term in January 2009.

"I just think it's time," Mr. Rove said in the interview. "There's always something that can keep you here, and as much as I'd like to be here, I've got to do this for the sake of my family." Mr. Rove and his wife have a home in Ingram, Texas, and a son who attends college in nearby San Antonio.

In the interview, Mr. Rove said he expects Democrats to give the 2008 presidential nomination to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, whom he described as "a tough, tenacious, fatally flawed candidate." He also said Republicans have "a very good chance" to hold onto the White House in next year's elections.

Mr. Rove also said he expects the president's approval rating to rise again, and that conditions in Iraq will improve as the U.S. military surge continues. He said he expects Democrats to be divided this fall in the battle over warrantless wiretapping, while the budget battle -- and a series of presidential vetoes -- should help Republicans gain an edge on spending restraint and taxes.

Read on . . .

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Posted at 1:53pm on Aug. 11, 2007 Bush - Four More Years?

By Fight4TheRight

President George W. Bush, if the Constitution allowed it, would win the 2008 Presidential Election and would begin his third term of the Presidency in January of 2009.

No, I haven't lost my mind. I give support to this claim in three different areas:

1. The American people, when it comes to electing a President in 2008, will look for two things above all - leadership and a strong stance on defense/terrorism.

2. Current polls show that the more "hawkish" of candidates are in the lead.

3. Surpassing healthcare, the economy, and immigration...the global war on terrorism will be the deciding factor in the 2008 election.
"

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