Posted on 05/21/2007 10:37:36 AM PDT by SmithL
Crawford, Texas (AP) --
President Bush on Monday called an upcoming Senate vote of no confidence in Attorney General Alberto Gonzales "pure political theater" and stood by his embattled friend.
"He has done nothing wrong," Bush said during a news conference at his ranch.
The president rapped Senate Democrats preparing a no-confidence vote on the embattled attorney general by week's end and urged them to get back to legislative business.
"I frankly view what's taking place in Washington today as pure political theater," Bush said, sounding exasperated with the furor swirling around his longtime friend. "I stand by Al Gonzales and I would hope that people would be more sober in how they address these important issues."
Bush did not answer a question about whether he intends to keep Gonzales in office through the end of his presidency.
Bush's comments came as support for Gonzales eroded even in the president's own party and the Senate prepared to hold a vote of no confidence in the attorney general, possibly at week's end.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Somehow I know Gonzales would finally be the man Bush stands up for. Too bad Bush allowed so many others to be thrown under the bus.
It’s the lesser of two evils. Leaving Gonzalez in place is easier than trying to find a replacement that will make it through the Senate.
“”He has done nothing wrong,””
Neither did your female crony whose nomination for USSC went exactly nowhere. Gonzales has shown to be incompetent in his job, much like yourself.
Like who? Who did the President throw under the bus? He for sure did not throw Rumsfeld under the bus and if you think so then you are greatly mistaken. At the contrary, the President paid a lot of popularity price for sticking to a lot of people in his administration.
President Bush is one of our greatest President ever, please take your lies to a left wing lunatic site, they will love you for it.
Scooter Libby for one.
I have no use for Gonzales. Its been obvious for some time now he’s in way way over his head, and is nothing more than a political ‘stunt’ as AG.
That said, replacing him now is a waste of time and energy. The Democrats will make the hearings for his replacement a circus for months on end, no matter who is selected - unless of course the Bush Administration allows Reid or Schumer to make th pick.
Therefore, I’d say its better to ride out these last two years with Gonzales.
I’ve been here a lot longer than you, son, and I’ll be here when you and Bush are gone.
The most ineffectual quiet administration ever known. Of course he was the best of options but he’s way over his head and appears to be phoning in the last years of his administration, like his father did. Its more than a tremendous waste, he’s actually doing irreparable damage to the conservative movement. (rant off)
Yes he did. Quite stupidly. Wolfonowit can't even hold a job at the World Bank without getting into trouble. Funny how most of the 'architects' of this mess called Operation Spreading Democracy are all on their way out isn't it? I like Bush as a person. I wish he would have seen the mistakes and fixed them instead of having over half the nation point them out. Unfortunately he didn't. Gonzales is going down. If Bush had an ounce of sense he would cut his losses with Gonzales. Course he doesn't and he won't.
Agreed. At least Coolidge had the decency to sleep half the day.
How did he throw Scooter Libby under the bus? Please explain. Scotter Libby worked for Vice President Cheney. Scooter Libby did not report to President Bush, he was not part of his staff, and he was not thrown under the bus by anyone. You made an extremely weak argument.
Gonzales is serving a crucial service to the country right now - he’s keeping the Democrat inquisition busy. As soon as he resigns, they’ll just move on to someone else. Keep at it Alberto... keep them frothing.
whatever.
Let us see how ineffectual this administraiton is.
President Bush destroyed 2 terrorist regimes in Iraq and Afghanistan, freed 50 million people. He is commanding the war in Iraq which is now the center front of the war on terror where our brave troops are killing and capturing the terrorists by the tens of thousands. He protected us since 9/11 and we did not have a terrorist attack in American since then.
President Bush cut our taxes which helped us out of recession, the Clinton recession, and give us one of the best economic prosperity on record.
President Bush appointed to great conservative Supreme Court Justices.
President Bush is the most pro-life President since Roe Vs Wade has been established.
President Bush is one of the greatest President ever, despite the lies of the left wing lunatics, the frustrated Buchaninites and faux right wing nuts and the left wing media that says otherwise.
God bless President Bush. God bless our brave troops. God bless America.
Tens of thousands you say? Didn't know civilians were listed as terrorists now. Huh? Must be some of that newspeak popular with Republicans these days.
We are in Iraq to fight for our freedom and our way of life.
Wait I thought we were there to 'remove Hussein, spread democracy'. Well that's according to Bush from numerous speeches. But whatever floats your boat.
We leave Iraq before we crush the terrorists there will be consequences on the U.S first and foremost that are worst than any nightmare we can imagine
And yet current US policy is giving foreign aid funds to Hamas under the guise as the 'rightful' Palestinian government.. Aren't they another terrorist group?
Thanks God that President Bush but he is a strong leader who is not a defeatist and he wants to fight the war till we win.
Yes, warfare is the health of the state isn't it? We'll be 'winning' for ages.
Wouldn’t it be more accurate to say that Dick Cheney threw Scooter under the bus?
So Scooter deserves to be in jail and Bush was right in not saying a word?
President Bush is one of our greatest President ever, please take your lies to a left wing lunatic site, they will love you for it.
- = - = - =
Joking, right?
He will go down as the P. who destroyed the Republican Party and who might be responsible for re-starting the Mex - American war (which we won the first time).
And the two border agents who are now in prison for defending our borders.
You need to join in the emotional rant and lies against the President and his administration, did not you get the memo?!
Bush is the one who ordered everyone to cooperate fully with the fishing exhibition.
I wouldn't rule out that Bush may have been driving the bus on that one.
Not joking at all. And I am not going to join this lunacy and lie propagated on the radio and the internet that he destroyed the Republican Party.
Umm, that’s standard procedure.
Well said. I just want it all I guess.
If we had to tolerate clintoon even after impeachment, then Alberto hang in there! You haven’t done anything wrong. Don’t give up!
The P. had 6 years of total Republican control. He blew it. There were major mistakes made in Iraq and now it’s too late. He just kept defending people who bungled it and never admitted some huge errors. They happen in war but in this 24-hour news world, he should have admitted it. We’ll never win now UNLESS the republicans re-take control and that will NEVER happen if the amnesty - Kennedy bill goes through.
I’m sorry, but Bush’s time has passed. I just pray that the Kennedy bill doesn’t go through and we can get some good Reagan-Conservatives in Congress.
When all the facts are known two weeks into the investigation but it continues on for over a year, it's time to call them out for what it is. Unlike Clinton, Bush gave credibility to these 'independant' investigations.
Sorry, I'm not a member of the "in" crowd. ;-)
Those who understand the past all too well, and act based on what it teaches, get dumped all over by conservatives all too willing to jump on the defeatist bandwaggon. The past teaches that letting petty tyrants with a country with 20% of the world’s oil to use at his pleasure, grow into a much bigger tyrants with nuclear or other worse weapons is a prescription for disaster. To attempt to forestall this was a prudent course. That we underestimated the level of tribalism still active over there is tragic, but neither culpable nor insurmountable.
Q: I always thought that Blair would have to be dragged kicking and screaming from Downing Street but in the end, he seemed to leave quite quietly all things considered. what really happened behind the scenes?
A: We stated that he had no intention of stepping down, and was clinging, muttering talk about a date leaving only to placate the pressure from his party. What changed? The party, as with the GOP in the US which realizes it has an albatrose around its neck in the form of Bush that will drag the entire party down the toilet, took action. The Labor Party saw the handwriting on the wall. He was offered alternatives, and the hand of friendship was extended by the Queen and Bush. There are now rumors that Blair will be the new head of the World Bank, after Wolfowitz leaves, appointed by Bush. Carrot and stick, avoidance of prosecution for his peerage for cash associations, if he would go quietly. Similar treatment was done to Wolfowitz, who was presented with his options, being dismissed in disgrace or going quietly, having the full extent of his actions revealed or having the uproar dropped. This is why seeminly intractible political positions suddenly change. Often the stubborn exterior is merely the façade while desperate backroom negotiations are being made. Blair is interested in his future bunker location, his safety, which he does not see being in the UK any more than the Queen thinks her family will be there when the last weeks set in. Thus, the Prime Minister position is actually the least of his worries, being granted his true wishes. He expects to be in the US, with his buddy Bush.
ZetaTalk: GodlikeProduction Live written May 19, 2007
Yes we are in Iraq to fight for our freedom and our way of life. The President has been saying since 2003 that Iraq is the center front of the war on terror. We are fighting the war on terror to protect our freedom and our way of life, but I do not think you are able to make this simple connection and analysis.
We are not giving funds to Hamas, I do not recall we sent them any checks.
The war on terror is a long war and require strong an brave people to fight not cowards and defeatists like yourself and you Lord Ron Paul.
Me neither and I would not be at all :)
“President Bush destroyed 2 terrorist regimes in Iraq and Afghanistan, freed 50 million people. “
Isn’t it great how all the terrorists in both those countries are gone and the people now live with absolutely no fear of terrorist attacks? Why I bet there hasn’t been a bombing or attack in either for at least the last hour or two.
You forgot some of his other small-government, conservative accomplishments, like NCLB, the Medicare drug bill, the rise in non-military spending, and the effort to give amnesty to illegals.
“It’s the lesser of two evils. Leaving Gonzalez in place is easier than trying to find a replacement that will make it through the Senate.”
Bingo.
LOL, now that is rich. If the Republican warhawks understood even a portion of the past, they would realize that the cause is futile.
That we underestimated the level of tribalism still active over there is tragic, but neither culpable nor insurmountable.
Yeah, keep telling yourself that
True, but it is truly sad that we give no respect to the office of President. Every President since Nixon has faced all these special prosecutors and they all turn out to be political hacks. Out of all of them, Starr was the only one who was remotely honest in his investigation but he was the most villianized. It is ridiculous that Presidents are investigated every time they sneeze and spend way too much time occupied with them.
Exactly. I’ve got some jelly kneed Rebublican friends that bash Bush because they feel they can’t go to cocktail parties and defend the President when times are tough.
They’re all just looking for the next Republican mod to fill a vacuum in their small lives. Both parties have their share of kite flyers. Republican ones are especially embarassing. Now, even dangerous.
President Bush was stabbed so many times by the Republican Majority in Congress but he still managed to do great things for the country, first and foremost his strong leadership in the war on terror and his strong will to fight on and win the war.
PS: What is is "P." thing to refer to the President? Is it to hard for you to write "President"?
I hope you remember the absolute outrage when Reagan signed his amnesty bill. But, we were assured that this bill would solve the problem so we grabbed our ankles and let it happen.
Any person who can see beyond the cheap labor argument can see that this amnesty bill is going to ruin this democracy.
I’d like to see “immigrant-labor employers” pick up the health care and the education tab for their cheap labor.
Please go ask the Afghani people if they want the Taliban back and the Iraqi people if they want Saddam back, you will hear a resounding "NO" from the vast majority of people there.
The Medicare drug bill was going to happen no matter who was in office. Many non-military spending was going to happen regardless and they are not the fault of the President, you forgot that Congress make all the bills.
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