The Bush Reality

Washington Conventional Fantasy: Bush will nominate a compromise candidate for Attorney General so he can sail through the nomination process and we can all put that nasty Gonzalez business behind us.

The Bush Reality:

Talking Points Memo: "Conservative super-lawyer Ted Olson is the front-runner to be President Bush's pick for attorney general. Senate Dems are less than thrilled, but if last week's 4th Circuit nominee is any indication (oh, and the last 6 1/2 years), the White House will not be offering a consensus-building nominee. We already know that Senate Democrats are threatening to slow down the nomination until they get responses from the Department of Justice and White House to some of their oversight requests, but will Senate Dems fight this nomination on its merits?"

If there is one thing Bush is consistent about it is that he always goes to the extreme when the Washington poobahs predict he will moderate. Why should now be any different? It's a strategy that has always worked for him.