You Broke Our Heart, Fredo

Looks like there's gong to be a push in the Senate to hold a vote of confidence on the embattled Attorney General. That just might be the kiss of death although, outside the bubble, it's hard to know just what the decider will make of it. But, I'd hope, if ever such a vote was held the answer would be the latest resounding “NO!” trying to crack that protective, anti-reality shell. And with the sacrificial AG out of the way, then some of these bodyblows can start landing where they really matter.

It's not quite a done deal, thanks to the Democrat's razor thin margin in that body. Because of the Senate's, frankly, bizarre parliamentary rules that allow for things like fillabusters, it's likely to require 60 votes just to get to the floor. And you won't get that far with a partyline vote. So, this might be yet another promising move to check the administration's power (Only symbolically, unfortunately. But, hey, every battle won shifts the line a bit further. And that line really, really needs to be shifted.).

However, there are several Republicans on record as saying that Gonzales should resign. If it comes to a floor vote, I don't think there can be any doubt about the outcome. The danger is that the conservatives are going to try and kill this one quietly to avoid embarrassing the president. Or themselves. Or even just to preserve the punching bag that is Gonzales in the hopes of further running out the clock. But it wouldn't take many defections from the other side of the isle to get it done. This might be just the opportunity the moderate Republicans are looking for to put some breathing room between themselves and the president. It just might be the moment to put the pressure on them and ask where their loyalties really lie. With the administration's latest fiasco. Or with the interests of the republic. Just the time to really put the screws to them and see if they have any courage at all.