Gonzo'll Never Work in This Town Again

Andrew Cohen Says Former Attorney General Cries Victim While Being In Denial About His Colossal Failures

(CBS)  Attorney Andrew Cohen analyzes legal issues for CBS News and CBSNews.com.

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Sixteen months after resigning in disgrace, Alberto Gonzales had the gall this past week to declare himself “one of the many casualties of the war on terror,” a statement so preposterous and offensive that it unintentionally explains precisely why the former Attorney General of the United States finds himself a self-described outcast in the world of law and politics.

The man is a walking, talking herald for his own colossal failures.

In an extraordinary interview this past week, the man who enabled the worst scandal at the Justice Department since Watergate rhetorically asked: “What is it that I did that is so fundamentally wrong, that deserves this kind of response to my service?”

The man who rubber-stamped our government’s dubious torture policy and controversial warrantless surveillance work then told Evan Perez of The Wall Street Journal: “For some reason, I am portrayed as the one who is evil in formulating polices that people disagree with.”

For some reason? Can it really be true that Gonzales still does not understand how poorly he performed and how much damage he caused to the rule of law?

Is it conceivably possible as we enter 2009 that he honestly believes he did nothing “fundamentally wrong” at the Justice Department during the U.S. Attorney scandal? Does he fail to understand that his last, pathetic appearance before Congress - in which senators literally laughed in his face for his lack of recollection about key events - reflects a broader rejection of him by Washington’s Establishment?

Gonzales deserves the full measure of scorn he currently is receiving from the best and the brightest in the nation’s capital. He allowed (or he encouraged) federal prosecutors to be threatened (and ultimately judged) by partisan hacks. He allowed zealots like John Yoo and David Addington to hijack our privacy rights. And if he wasn’t officially the “architect” of the government’s embrace of torture as a policy option, he was at a minimum the “general contractor” or the “building inspector” who ensured that the odious policy was approved.

These allegations are only the beginning of the litany of charges history will heap upon Gonzales’ tenure as Attorney General (and, before that, as White House counsel). Violent crime rose during his tenure at the Justice Department, as did illegal drug use in many suburban and rural areas of the country. Terror law prosecutions - like the conspiracy trials of Zacarias Moussaoui - were often a travesty upon justice. And Gonzales failed or refused to broker an honest, workable deal among Congress, the Pentagon, the White House and the federal courts when it came to the rights of terror detainees.

Alas, it’s not uncommon for a shamed public official to wallow for years in self-pity. You need only to view the fantastic film "Frost-Nixon" to see that dynamic in action. But Gonzales is whining now, specifically, because he also wants your pity (and, if possible, a few headlines). Why? Because (he complains mournfully to the Journal) he can’t find a job at a law firm, and so far has been unable to find a publisher for a book.

In his mind, he is a casualty because he has been unfairly judged for actions and reactions beyond his control.

That’s a stunningly ironic (and self-absorbed) position to take when you are directly responsible for some of the real and tangible, living and breathing casualties of the war on terror - men and women who have been wrongly imprisoned without a right to challenge their confinement, to name just one example. Are we supposed to feel worse for Gonzales than we do for the terror detainees who languished for years at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, long after our government knew they hadn’t committed a crime or were a threat to our security? How about the citizens here in the States whose e-mails and phone conversations were illegally monitored during Gonzales’ tenure?

Gonzales’ comments display the same level of detachment from reality (and responsibility) that he displayed throughout the course of his public life. In Texas in the 1990s, working for his patron George W. Bush, he signed off on clemency memos that were so bereft of fair analysis that they should have resulted in him losing his law license.

As White House counsel he infamously paid a ghoulish visit to John Ashcroft’s hospital bed to try to get the ailing, medicated official to sign off on domestic surveillance.

And then he came to the Justice Department and ruined it.

So it’s no surprise, then, that the big, rich law firms don’t want Gonzales anywhere near their offices. He’s politically toxic, which destroys his ability to be one of those successful law-firm lobbyists Washington seems to grow like weeds. And he is just not smart enough, or courageous enough, to work as an effective trial or appellate lawyer on behalf of clients. He thinks he’s not getting a corner office because of the looming threat of indictment. I think he’s not getting a job in the law because no one wants him as their lawyer. Would you?

It’s also no surprise that no one wants to publish his book. The only way Gonzales will get his coveted tell-all deal is if he promises to be candid, repentant and, most of all, self-aware … and why in the world would he suddenly decide to be those things? The U.S. Attorney scandal didn’t bring them out in Gonzales. Nor did sharp and vital Congressional questioning. And it’s clear from this latest bomb of an interview (within the friendly confines of the Journal, no less) that Gonzales’ "Oprah Moment," in which he confesses his venal sins and begs for redemption, may never come.

So instead of pretending he is a victim - and thereby insulting the real victims of the legal war on terror - maybe Gonzales could slink back to Texas and get a job there. Or instead of pretending he is a martyr, and thereby insulting the brave public officials who did stand up for the Constitution these past eight years, maybe Gonzales could instead become a professor at Pat Robertson’s Regent University, the third-tier law school whose graduates (Monica Goodling, for one) turned into the hacks that ruined the credibility of the Justice Department. Takes one to teach one, right? Whatever.

Don’t go away sad, Alberto, just go away.

[briannorwood]

Gonzoles is a pathetic little man who deserves his place in the trash heap of history.

[lewiston14]

And guess who hired him Guess they were a little short on affirmative action candidates that week.

[hitoyou11]

lewiston14, I through you hired him.

[roghil]

Gonzalez was an affirmative action candidate.

[mytoosense]

He is either stupid or corrupted and I am glad to hear he is out of the legal profession.

Bush is an equal opportunity employer, he will help people of all races join his administration and ruin their reputation.

Condi should get extra credit for being the only one who seems to have kept her integrity.

[d33pthroat1]

Gonzalez was an affirmative action candidate.
---Posted by roghil at 03:09 PM : Jan 02, 2009

Exactly!!

The guy was just so grateful to Bush for appointing him that he did whatever the Bushites wanted.

That is all there is to it.

As for a job, he will find a nice and cushy job with Bush''s help. There are fools who still paid him $30,000 + expenses per speaking engagement. Trust me, he won''t be hurting.

[trillion1]

My dog has more integrity than rice.

[hober_mallow]

"Can it really be true that Gonzales still does not understand how poorly he performed and how much damage he caused to the rule of law?"

The answer is ''no'' he does not understand, and neither does his imbecile boss, George Bush.

Here''s a question: Was it worth uprooting 600,000 Christians in Iraq to do away with Saddam Hussein ???

My editorial comment: I think you could have paid the Mossad to do the job with a lot less disruption. And have gotten Uday and Kusay at the same time.

[creeper00]

This is the worst case of denial since Richard Nixon said "I am not a crook." What universe does Alberto Gonzales inhabit?

One of the things politicians learn first is that if you say something often enough, people might come to believe it''s true. See Hussein, Sadam, and weapons of mass destruction.

Gonzales is the classic example of a politician''s attempt to create his own reality. But then, you knew that already.

[otrama]

Cohen is right on in his article except for one big thing; his excessive vitriol.
No reason to take it so personally Andrew, the facts speak for themselves.

[tjm509]

Parents try to teach their children the difference between right and wrong. What was he thinking about when he approved wiretapping and firings of U.S. Attorneys for political gain?? No one will publish a book that no one will read!

[ofbyfor3]

Poor Gonzo! My sympathies... Want some cheese with that whine? Just another neocon who can''t admit that he was wrong.

[observantx]

You''d think he had a minuscule bit of intelligence. At least enough to lay very, very, low and to zip his lying trap.

But no.

He''s got to put lipstick on the proverbial pig in order to try to pretty up the treasonous behavior he overlooked from our Clueless in Chief and this own role in subverting the intent and integrety of our Justice Department for purely political purposes.

He''s shown himself to be just another of the many contemptable and criminal stooges that infested our White House during the past dark and dismal eight years of the WORST administration EVER!

[notopennshut]

Banishment is too good! The lipsticked-pig is now bacon!

[notfooled]

This is so funny. He did the dirty laundry for the Bush/Cheney crime syndicate and now he whines that he is a casualty.

No, Mr Gonzoles, the casualties are the American people and American standing around the world.

You are one of the evil folks that Americans of integrity want to see behind bars with the rest of the Bush/Cheney crime syndicate henchman.

[terrorislame]

Shrub will be able to USE GONZO Later

His garden will need attention !

[walt1944-2009]

It has been learned that Alberto "The Great Gonzo" Gonzales claims that he is a "victim" of the once-supposed-Great Emperor Bush II''s "War on Terrrrror" because no one will give him any respect!!!

No one will publish his book, he cannot get a job anywhere, even FOX News won''t interview him! Boo, Hoo, Hoo!!!!!

Perhaps Gonzales is hoping that the once-Great Emperor Bush II will reward him with a medal for the "services" he rendered the Great Emperor in authorizing crimes against humanity and destroying the Constitution!

Someone please take pity on the poor Gonzo and do us all a favor, and send the Great Gonzo a one-way ticket to the Amazon Basin where he can beat his chest, eat berries, and swing from tree to tree!!!

SIG HEIL, ALBERTO WHO???, BUSH!!!

[iamhungry68]

The hallmark signature of the Bush administration, is hiring stupid, incompetent people, to positions of power to run MASSIVELY IMPORTANT, high ranking positions.

He had the WORST ADVICE from senior staff, of ALL TIME.

And THAT blame falls squarely on the theme of "cronyism", that got them hired in the first place.

Bush dug his won hole - I hope they find him in it, like they found Saddam Hussein, in his!

[hijinx3]

If they start a new political party, and call it "whinners", gonzo could be their big chief. After all, he is whinning about being the victim. Nothing would make me so happy as to see this disgrace to the hispanic-American community--in an 8x10 photo of him in prison orange. They should put him below the prison just for his contempt of American law. I''m glad no one is hiring him. He''s almost like pig-pen in the "Peanuts" cartoon--always walking around with flies and bugs following you. I hope he never gets a law job ever. Just yank his law license...period.

[irmcvet971]

This piece of human trash deserves EXACTLY what he is getting. I just hope there is much more to come! He along with those slime dogs who were his master, Bush/Cheney need some cold cells in some far away place... maybe throw in a little Torture for them. Since NONE of these low life creeps have ever had the nerve to put on a Uniform and walk into combat that would be a fitting end to the WORST in our history!!

[sioux4life1]

Albert, Albert there are jobs available, you just have to look for them, like picking produce or dairy, chickens and so forth. Maybe the UFW might give you one, or Bush when he leaves might give you a job on his farm, doing the yard. Get it now since you think the American consitution and human rights are beneath contempt? (no racism intended)

[tngreen]

There will always be crooked and incompetent politicians. What bothers me most is that CBS would not have published this piece two years ago. It has only been since Bush''s approval ratings began to slide that the MSM discovered its nether parts and started covering the catastrophe that has been this administration, even though many of us have been fully aware of it from Bush''s first day in office, thanks to alternative media and tell-all books such as Paul O''Neil''s "The Price of Loyalty" et al. Does anybody even remember that the role of the press is to be a watchdog upon our government? One of the most tragic fatalities of the last eight years has been freedom of the press. The world can hardly blame American voters for reelecting this pig when they were being fed slop throughout his first term, thanks to a lapdog press. Even "liberal" NPR was culpable.

[mytoosense]

I''m supprised that Gonzo is not receiving more support from back stage NeoCon organizations.

After all, if Gonzo gets desperate enough, he might start talking...

Maybe he''s scheduled for an accedent.

[divitius]

Hehe...bedtime for Gonzo. Don''t drop the soap in your next likely career!

[johnpatrick9]

Gonzalez is just a flunky and a jerk..this is what happens when you put in morons who have no understanding of what the Ameican Republic is about and merely serve their Masters and their two-bit careers. All who served bush are scum for the damage they have inflicted upon America and the World. Good riddance to the lot of them.

[troutfisher4]

Gonzo was unqualified for the position of AG. He got the job because 1) he was a Bush loyalist, and 2) an unconditional yes man. He was basically just a figurehead.

[terrorislame]

The hallmark signature of the Bush administration, is hiring stupid, incompetent people, to positions of power to run MASSIVELY IMPORTANT, high ranking positions.

He had the WORST ADVICE from senior staff, of ALL TIME.

And THAT blame falls squarely on the theme of "cronyism", that got them hired in the first place.

Bush dug his own hole - I hope they find him in it, like they found Saddam Hussein, in his!

Posted by IamHung
Amen Com Padre,..Well said!

[clathrate]

Dearest Alberto:

Why you haven''t changed a bit! You''re still the incompetent yes man crybaby we''ve known since your days down in Texas.

Well dope, don''t drop the soap, because your next term is prison amigo. Adios pendejo!

[irmcvet971]

How could ANYONE this stupid and Arrogant even get close to our Justice Department, let alone run it. The whole lot of them are nothing but Criminals in my view and ALL need to be brought to justice.

[ms1-1-1]

johnpatrick9,


THANK YOU ! AMEN !

[liceu93]

No one associated with the Bush Administration should ever be able to work in Washington again.

Bush is without a doubt the worst President in our nation''s history. With his unique combination of stupidity, ignorance, incompetance and arrogance he has done more damage to our nation than any other President has ever managed to do. By 2003 it was obvious that he man was a disaster. After that anyone who would willingly work for and act as an enabler for such an man should be prevented from doing further damage to our country.

[notopennshut]

This moron must be held accountable if we are to show that we are truly a nation of laws! He ought not to get away with all the crimes he has committed and it is time all the charges raised must be thoroughly investigated and those held responsible must pay the fullest penalty. We cannot afford to have our top "law" enforcement officials get away with all this ***, otherwise this might just as well be the reign of Mugabe.

[messiahx4eve]

The following is an exerpt from a Whitehouse writer, the article is about the REAL bush we have never seen nor are likely: In sessions with policy experts, Bush tends to ask questions that get right to the nub of a sticky issue. His top aides speak regretfully about how the country never got to see that side of him, even after all this time. They describe a man who is deeply inquisitive, not blithely incurious as much of the world thinks. When Bush wants answers, guessing isn''t advised. "He can sniff it out a mile away if you don''t have the goods," said White House communications director Kevin Sullivan. This article was carefully crafted and designed to show how bush should have been and not what he really was in the end. It amazes me how the article almost convinces the reader that whom they are reading about is any BUT bush. It is a great piece of political Scifi I have ever read....

[messiahx4eve]

(CORRECTED VERSION) The following is an exerpt from a Whitehouse writer, the article is about the REAL bush we have never seen nor are likely: In sessions with policy experts, Bush tends to ask questions that get right to the nub of a sticky issue. His top aides speak regretfully about how the country never got to see that side of him, even after all this time. They describe a man who is deeply inquisitive, not blithely incurious as much of the world thinks. When Bush wants answers, guessing isn''''t advised. "He can sniff it out a mile away if you don''''t have the goods," said White House communications director Kevin Sullivan. This article was carefully crafted and designed to show how bush should have been and not what he really was in the end. It amazes me how the article almost convinces the reader that whom they are reading about is any BUT bush. It is one of the greatest pieces of political Scifi I have ever read....After all this time, we simply just didn''t understand bush''s intentions nor those under him either.

[rushlimpdrug]

Mow front lawn: $10.00
Mow front and back: $15.00

Kiss prez azz in front of all America:
- Priceless.

[timothyone-2009]

He and Bush are both real victims; Victims of their own sociopathic minds. They cannot help that their vicious, heartless mothers couldn''t teach them any better than they themselves knew. From love comes love, from an absence thereof come Republicans.

[ramos937]

I live and work in South Texas. Gonzales was as main speaker invited by the local Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to speak at our annual Xmas Dinner. This is an event usually attracting close to 1000 attendees and numerous civic leaders. Because of Gonzales, I chose not to attend.

The day before the event, the dinner was publicized by the local paper. It did not mention Gonzales''s appearance nor did it the day after the event. I can only assume that enough board members realized their mistake and disinvited Gonzales.

[omnibus66]

Gonzales did exactly what he believed (or was told) Bush wanted him to do. A yes man, a puppet, a pawn being a figurehead, nothing more.

The article nails him, but mistakenly gives the impression that Gonzales was his own man. Bush and Cheney pulled all the strings. All Gonzo had to do was be sure all of the brown was wiped off of his lips before he appeared in public.

[zoopster1]

Gonzales is a weasel. A hall monitor. If he worked in the private sector he would be called a "middle manager".

He hasn''t accomplished anything because that''s not what middle managers are for. They merely exist to meddle, and to protect their unnecessary positions.

The position of AG in the United States is an important one, but Gonzales is not. So let him blather on. In 3 weeks it won''t matter anymore.

[junglejimy12]

This man was totally incompetent. He was picked to pacify the Hispanic community. Bout time we started choosing people who are educated and right for the job based on their intelligence and experience and not because they are black, hispanic, Muslim etc etc etc ....

[torva-2009]

All Gonzo had to do was be sure all of the brown was wiped off of his lips before he appeared in public.

Posted by omnibus66 at 08:16 AM : Jan 04, 2009

To bad for Gonzo that he didn''t realize that he also needed to wash off the stench or at least us a lot of that cheap men''s room cologne before testifying before congress...

[zloa]

It had nothing to do with Gonzalez being a Hispanic or quotas like you white racists want to belive. It had to do with Bush wanting a lacky and yes man who would do whatever he wanted legal or not.

[czmdm]

Ray Navarette should read this article. Leave race out of it. The guy is a failure no matter if he is Hispanic or if he is from Mars.

Our civil rights are the most important thing about the USA. Gonzalez and the Bush admn. with their "if you''ve got nothing to hide mentality" have raped the USA.

[brannigon]

Sixteen months after resigning in disgrace, Alberto Gonzales had the gall this past week to declare himself %u201Cone of the many casualties of the war on terror,%u201D a statement so preposterous and offensive that it unintentionally explains precisely why the former Attorney General of the United States finds himself a self-described outcast in the world of law and politics. UNBELIEVABLE! THIS CLOWN IS JUST ANOTHER NARCISSTIC EGO MANIAC WHO THINKS HE CAN DO NO WRONG! JUST ANOTHER POLITICIAN SHOOTING HIS BIG MOUTH OFF! "I''M NOT A CROOK!" SHUT UP GOZO, GET A JOB WASHING DISHES OR SOMETHING!!!

[mikefl11]

After shoring up his own cerebral shorcomings with the selection of Cheney as running-mate, our President placed malleable minorities (Gonzalas, Powell, and Rice) to key support positions. Only Powell proved to be a problem to the unilateral, groupthink approach to foreign policy encouraged by our President (and this challenge was eventually overcome). The President received the "rubber stamps" that he sought and now he must live with the ramifications. Notes to future commanders-in-chief: Be careful what you ask for.

[smurfcrusher]

Hasn''t he heard? Crime doesn''t pay.

[mikeboyle]

I''m trying to come up with a pithy comment about this article. Oh yes, what was it that *** Cheney uttered to Senator Patrick Leahy?

[downtowner97]

He can get a job on FOX.

[briannorwood]

I look at Alberto Gonzolez as a metaphor for the entire Bush administration...intellectually weak, morally corrupt, arrogant and yet, supremely incompetent.

Mr. Gonzolez, you are a pathetic little man!

[goosfraba2]

Excellent article followed up by some excellent comments.

Thank you, Mr. Cohen, et al.