Gonzales Kicked On His Way Out The Door

Excerpt:
"Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' resignation caught the news media and the nation's political establishment by surprise yesterday morning. Up until then, the only public hint that the resignation may be coming was an item in this week's U.S. News and World Report's "Washington Whispers" column, which reported "the buzz among top Bushies" that Gonzales may be considering leaving his post. The New York Times says "there had been rumblings over the weekend," but "the White House sought to quell the rumors." In his "Washington Sketch" column for the Washington Post, Dana Milbank writes that faced with the rumors, "the attorney general directed his spokesman to deny" them. Adds Milbank, "For a man accused of lying to Congress, it was a fitting way to go out."

Milbank's dig at Gonzales is representative of the tenor of the media coverage on his departure. Overwhelmingly, opposition to Gonzales is being cast as deep and bipartisan and even unnamed sources in the Administration are said to be glad the embattled Attorney General decided to leave. The New York Times reports Gonzales "offered no clear explanation of the reasons for his departure or its timing. The announcement caught his top aides at the Justice Department by surprise, leading to speculation among lawmakers and department officials that Mr. Gonzales may have felt pressure from within the administration to step down." The Politico says Gonzales' departure came "to the relief of many administration officials who have long considered him an embarrassment.""

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/bulletin/bulletin_070828.htm

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