Chertoff Is Still The One

Now even Chertoff's team is agreeing he might take over at Justice.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff (whitehouse.gov/government/chertoff-bio.html) is still tops among those in the running to replace retiring Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

The Bush pal quit today after weeks of punishing criticism of his department's alleged politicization of the process that hires and fires federal prosecutors.

Chertoff has the background to take over the trouble department, but it looks like the traveling and vacationing President Bush plans to wait a few days before he makes his final choice. Still, even Homeland insiders are now talking about their boss moving on.

It's a story Whispers had first over the weekend. In repeating the talk about resignation, some bloggers (washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2007_08/011946.php) took us to task for going with a story that was just insider buzz. Others (thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/12669.html) ran with the story. And at least one gave us credit (bigheaddc.com/2007/08/27/gonzales-resignation-reported-on-the-gossip-pages-1st). Thanks, Rob.

By Paul Bedard