Justice Post Gonzales

Never one to take the easy way if the in-your-face way was available, the Prez seems to be getting close to nominating a new attorney general. Ted Olson, a controversial, partisan figure, seems to have the inside track. Olson, who already served the Prez as solicitor general, is probably most notorious for his leadership in the Arkansas Project, which was the smear campaign against President Clinton that eventually pushed the former president into impeachment. Depending on how one scores such things, he could be a less desirable candidate for attorney general than Alberto Gonzales himself.

Good news came this afternoon as Harry Reid came out to say that if nominated, Olson will not be confirmed. The Democratic Senate has achieved some positive results in the past few months, so blocking Olson seems likes its possible, but I'm not the only one to have been disappointed enough by the Democrats that I certainly hope Reid is not talking out of his hat. I don't know how much of Reid's statement might be a bluff and how much he can back up, but this doesn't seem like the kind of fight the Prez would shy away from. Bush might nominate Olson just to see whether or not Reid can back up his claim. If Reid's bluff is called, it's imperative that the Senate Democrats follow through on their threat. We're better off having an empty attorney general's office than to have it inhabited by another dysfunctional functionary.