Person of the Week: Alberto Gonzales

Age: 51
Birthplace: San Antonio, Texas

Claim To Fame: 80th Attorney General of the United States

Why He's Person of the Week: For refusing to back down in the face of enormous pressure by both Democrats and fair-weather Republicans to resign or be dismissed in lieu of doing nothing wrong regarding the firings of 8 federal attorney's. As Gonzales noted during yesterday's testimony before the Senate, all the attorney's had served their full four-year term, and were continuing to serve at the pleasure of the President -- and that pleasure was withdrawn, as is fully legal and proper.

And even when confronted by a fresh call for his resignation from a fellow Republican ("The best way to put this behind us is your resignation," Sen. Tom Coburn bluntly told Gonzales), Gonzales told Coburn that he didn't think resigning would put the controversy to rest. Of course, Gonzales was wrong on this count because resigning was exactly what Democrats wanted to be the result of their well-designed witch-hunt against Gonzales in the first place. But Gonzales stood his ground and President Bush's total support for him since the beginning of this non-scandal showed you that Bush wasn't about to let liberal minions like Chuck Schumer (who undoubtedly never brought up the fact that Bill Clinton fired 93 U.S. attorney's during his term during yesterday's testimony) bring down a trusted member of his inner circle.

"The moment I believe I can no longer be effective I will resign as attorney general," Gonzales said after first making it clear he did not believe it had come to that.

Other's Blogging: Slate, Politburo Diktat 2.0, STR: The Freedom Blog