That was good for the country. Nothing comes to mind. We can’t recall.

Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales — under whose tenure the Justice Department often appeared to take its orders from the White House political office — sat down with the Wall Street Journal in an effort to clear his name. But we’re guessing he did himself more harm than good.

Gonzo appeared genuinely unable to grapple with why he might be unpopular. “What is it that I did that is so fundamentally wrong, that deserves this kind of response to my service?” he asked.

He doesn’t recall? Let’s help him remember:

Quibbling with the Constitution and the right of Habeas Corpus.

Dragging his heels about sharing info on the anthrax attacks.

Harassing Ashcroft as he was recovering in the hospital from gall bladder surgery, trying to make him sign off on warrantless wiretapping.

Perverting the judicial system and FISA, and demanding that judges do what the president wants.

Lying to Congress. As Attorney General. LYING to the nation. Lying about the firing of the US attorneys.

Caging voters.

Going down to Gitmo and WATCHING an interrogation or two.

Quibbling about the meaning of the word torture and redefining torture so it no longer means torture even though it is just because Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld liked torture. (And those lawyers and doctors who helped establish torture techniques? We want their names.) And no one has asked the question WHY?

Being a total toadie for Georgie Bush. Surrounding himself with toadie minions, zealots intent on bringing the US a theocracy, and loyal bushies.

Being thrown under the bus and thinking we should feel sorry for him.

Blaming everybody else.

Being a toadie sucks when you’re facing a war crimes tribunal, doesn’t it, Abu?

crossposted at Rants from the Rookery

Ruth Marcus overlooks a key reason for investigation and prosecution: if the elites don’t have to follow the law, then why should we?

Really bad policies? No question about that. Conscious law-breaking? I’m doubtful — and skeptical, too, that the symbolic benefit of any such prosecution would outweigh the inevitable costs.

If potential mass murder and torture don’t qualify one for prosecutorial oversight then every jaywalker and petty thief can cite that in defense of their own dismissal of the law and even any moral code.

Ms. Marcus implies all is political, yet the very foundation of all law is the communal agreement that it’s a code we all adhere to. If only the elites are granted exceptions, the law ceases to exist as a common bond of civilization.

That’s not a political fact, but it’s far more real.

Like many other folks at this time of the year, I took off for a couple of weeks. During the Post Zappadan, End Of The Year, Dead Of Winter Doldrums, my blogging has been on vacation, and the readers of my blog have been on vacation, too. I still get a few stragglers though, the lonely Boob Googlers who click through looking for Paris Hilton’s sex tape, Britney Spears Shaved Pussy, and Nude Sarah Palin Naked Topless.

The vacation was great, but the traveling was harsh. Flights were delayed and cancelled. To get home, we ended up taking a bus from Chicago to Cedar Rapids through dense fog at 4:00 a.m.

Nothing like sleeping in your own bed.

During my vacation,I detoxed from the daily grind of media consumption. So, what is going on, what did I miss?

Larry Craig’s Restroom Stall is tanking as a tourist stop.One person had offered to buy the restroom stall for $5,000, Hogan said, but airport officials “don’t sell fixtures for novelty purposes.”

If only they’d added a gift shop when the gettin’ was good.

Meanwhile, Sarah Palin’s daughter, the one named after paper favored by cartoonists, gave birth to a 7 lb. 4 oz. baby boy.

Apparently because “Dweezil”, “Moon”, and “Trig” were already taken, Bristol named her son “Tripp” after Levi’s Mom’s favorite hobby. Good luck, kid, you’re going to need it.

In an effort to get back in the swing of things, I cleaned up my studio. Things have a way of piling up around here, so I’ve been sorting through the piles. I came across some old sketches, so I thought I’d do an end of the year “file dump” for fun.

“One may smile and smile, and be a villain.”

If you are (like me) one of the many consuming yourself with anger, disgust, depression, and other such negativity about the impending elevation and sanctioning of one of the country’s grinningest hate-mongers, then rejoice at a way to unite in something positive instead. The Quaker Agitator has started a special site to restore hope for us all.

As an act of protest against the appearance of Rick Warren at the inauguration, we ask our fellow progressive bloggers that on January 20, 2009, you post your own alternative invocation.

We ask that you post a message of compassion, empathy, tolerance, diversity, and true Christian (or other) love to America. Post a message that stands in opposition to the messages that Rick Warren and those of his particular political persuasion use to divide our country.

If you’re posting, let us know! Send an email or leave a comment, and we’ll add you to the list which will be on our blogroll.

Don’t post it here; the site for signing onto this creative moral and psychic subversion is The Alternative Invocation.

Yeah, it’s another Top Ten list, but with the inclusion of every possible “Dishonorable Mention” save tearing up the ABM Treaty, Brad Reed does a remarkable job of an all-inclusive, detailed yet concise summation of the worst administration of all time.

Bookmark this one.  It’s a resource for your grandchildren when they have to study how fucked up things have been so far in the 21st century.

Preston Hollow Dallas TX Becomes President and Laura Bush New Home

“Dallas House”

According to news reports, President George W. Bush and wife Laura will make their home in Preston Hollow in Dallas TX. What used to be referred to as the “Countdown to Crawford” has become the “Countdown to Preston Hollow”.

The house is located at 10141 Daria Place in Dallas and its estimated value is $2,078,660, according to the Dallas Central Appraisal District.

News reports say that the adjacent house on the cul-de-sac is expected to house Secret Service agents, and with all the attention the house is receiving from visitors and passersby, the once-quiet neighborhood may not be quiet for much longer.

“Ranch House”

But, Crawford was the town most associated with the Bush Administration … was that all for show? Did the image of this carpetbagger depend on showing off a ranch that Bush had no clue how to operate? Oh, maybe that was just practice for running a country he had no clue how to operate. Well, Bush bought Prairie Chapel Ranch in 1999 to reinforce his image as Texas Governor. But Bush only used the compound for vacations, occasional meetings, and entertaining foreign dignitaries. In the less formal setting, dress code for meetings calls for an open collar and no tie. Guests are typically treated to meals of Southwestern cuisine. When not holding meetings or briefings, Bush spends his time mountain biking, jogging, fishing, bird hunting, and clearing brush. For most regular visitors, home and office is the “senior staff trailer” — a much-joked-about doublewide — “with very thin walls,” Hagin noted — on leased property across from the ranch’s entrance. With four bedrooms and a combination living room, office and kitchen — as well as secure desktop computers and one-touch access to colleagues back at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. — it serves as the White House command center. Secret Service agents still outnumber the 5 lonely cows. ….

Quiet In Crawford As Bush Readies For Retirement

As far back in May 2007, BossKitty mused at a possible interview with retired Buuush.

It’s 2020, a reporter interviews ex-president GWB and hears the now familiar mantra, “How many times do I have to tell you? We are making progress in Iraq”. The reporter rolls his eyes, “but Mr. President, there is no more Iraq”. The president smirks, “another liberal media twister, trying to oscillate the facts, ‘you people’ just make fun of my legacy. I was given the mission to spread freedom by God during one of our more intimate consternations”. Reporter, “Does God still talk to you, sir”? George, “Well, of course he does, sonny, we have iced tea on the back porch every afternoon and watch the Gulf of Mexico at the edge of my ranch. He tells me that I have played right into his hands, I have given the world an image to remember and a model for future generations to use as a lesson”. Reporter, “What lesson is that, sir”? Bush, “Well, he said that he’ll tell me when the time is right, and I’m OK with that. I’m the ‘Lesson Giver’. I’m more concerned about moving that fence again, never thought I’d have ocean front property out in the middle of Texas”.

And so, the story goes that King George will remain clueless until “God” is ready to reveal what the world REALLY learned from Bush, the Lesson Giver.

What legacy would you write for King George?

My first thought is that King George may just extend the “border fence” around the rest of Texas to protect his sorry butt. All those border guards will have to protect “Winkie Country” for him.

There are so many hiding places in Texas - the secret service assigned to protect King George will have their work cut out for them. Whether he opens a ’shoe store’ or a ‘fast food’ cholesterol joint, The King in exile will not be hard to find. His supporters, on the other hand, are fleeing to the woods.

“Kennebunkport”

BUT WAIT! They had to buy another multi-million dollar home for the Secret Service, Hmmm, my tax dollars are being spent to provide luxury and safety to the worst character ever upchucked by Texas … why oh

why couldn’t he have gone back to Kennebunkport? . There are rumors that a group of “Tinky Winkys” will set up another house on King George’s cul-de-sac to keep an eye on the Secret Service.