(Hoping for a number of posts to this newly-opened dept. of FmH…)
Ashcroft’s resignation will be effective upon confirmation of his successor, a Justice Department official said.
The White House released their resignation letters Tuesday evening. Ashcroft’s was hand-written and dated November 2, the day Bush was re-elected; Evans’ was dated Tuesday.
President Bush met with his Cabinet on Thursday and held a news conference later that day. At that time Bush said he had yet to make any decisions about replacements for any people who resigned.” (CNN)
We should all have some dread about who will replace him, of course, although it would be difficult to imagine someone who matches his bizarreness. After all, Ashcroft was the man who spent thousands of dollars to have curtains obscure the bare-breasted statue of Justice in the lobby of the Justice Dept. And the same one who had Clarence Thomas anoint him with oil at his swearing-in, just in case we did not have enough confusion about whether he was appointed or Elected. One thing that will probably be unmatched in his successor is Ashcroft’s divisiveness, since it is difficult to conceive of how the country could be more polarized than it already is at this juncture, unless “Bush the uniter” brings forward the name of faithful proto-fascist White House counsel and torture tactician Alberto Gonzales, as sources indicate is likely. I actually look forward to the vicious confirmation hearing, perhaps the first opportunity for the chastened minority party to flex its muscle, if members have the guts to take a principled stand. The new Senate minority leader, Harry Reid (D.-Nev.), is supposed to be a masterful parlimentarian strategist; this would give him an early chance to show us all what he’s got. Pundits also mention Larry Thompson, loyal no. 2 man at Justice under Ashcroft, to succeed Ashcroft. His confirmation would be far less controversial. With Bush’s “mandate”, his plan to “spend my political capital”, which choice appears more likely?
Heaven forfend: could Ashcroft be in line for the first vacancy on the Supreme Court (which, with Rehnquist’s apparently advanced thyroid cancer, may be imminent)?
