Gonzales Quits - A Pause in the Incompetence...

The Department of Justice has not had a happy record during President Bush's administration. His first Attorney General, the occasionally bizarre John Ashcroft became best known for hiding the bare breasts of a classical sculpture, but does appear to have resisted at least some of the administration's excesses - even from his hospital bed. His replacement, Alberto Gonzales, was nothing less than a disaster - a man whose own words revealed him as a mere marrionette, controlled by his "senior advisers," unaware of the meaning of the orders they told him to issue. Gonzales was put into the AG's office solely because he was a friend of the president, and because he was a Latino. He was a man badly over his head and the DOJ suffered because of it.

Now, finally, after badly damaging the DOJ and the administration, he has quit.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Embattled U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has resigned, senior administration officials told CNN Monday.

President Bush is expected to make a statement about Gonzales at 11:30 a.m. from his ranch in Crawford, Texas, where he has been vacationing.

Gonzales' aides at the highest level and other top level officials knew nothing about the announcement in advance, Justice Department sources indicated to CNN.

They were not informed until a meeting this morning, sources said, when Gonzales acknowldeged he would be reading a statement at 10:30 a.m. ET

But lest you think Gonzales's departure might serve as an improvement at DOJ, do remember who sits in the White House.

Bush will likely nominate Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to the position, senior administration officials said. Clay Johnson, deputy director for management at the Office of Management and Budget, would replace Chertoff, the officials said.

Chertoff is less an incompetent than he is a Bush sycophant - recall his salivating accolade of Ted Kennedy during the Amnesty Bill debacle. Monica Lewinsky, it appears, isn't the only one in Washington wearing kneepads.

Chertoff may at least prove a far more competent administrator than the hapless Mr. Gonzales, and will likely spend the remainder of the administration cleaning up his predecessor's many messes.